Duty Cycle Crawler Cranes from Liebherr Involved in Expansion of Barcelona Airport

Nenzing (Austria) September 2016 – During the first half of 2016 a total of three Liebherr duty cycle crawler cranes were involved in infrastructural work in the course of the expansion of Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The machines included two HS 8100 HD, models belonging to the newest generation from Liebherr.

With nearly 40 million passengers per annum, Barcelona-El Prat is the second largest airport in Spain after Madrid and is also one of Europe’s most important hubs. Continuous improvements are being made to the airport infrastructure in order to cope with the increasing number of passengers. The work includes, among other things, the linking of the new airport to the suburban railway.

Duty Cycle Crawler Cranes from Liebherr Applied for Installation of Slurry Walls

Between February and August 2016, three duty cycle crawler cranes from Liebherr were involved in deep foundation work – two new HS 8100 HD and one older model, type HS 873 HD. All three machines belonging to the Spanish construction company Terratest were equipped with mechanical slurry wall grabs.

The tasks were, on the one hand, to make an access shaft for the later application of a tunnel casing machine and, on the other hand, to erect support walls for the railway, which is partly underground. The total length of the slurry wall in this section was about 1,000 m with depths up to 30 m and a width of 1,200 mm. The soil on the job site, which is in close vicinity to the sea, consisted of alternate layers of sand and gravel.

High Efficiency on the Job Site

The machines worked in shifts, Monday to Friday from 06.00 to 24.00 hrs, and erected approximately 1,300 m² of slurry wall each per week. The new duty cycle crawler cranes, type HS 8100 HD, proved to be exceptionally efficient. According to the customer, the diesel consumption of the HS 8100 HD was up to 30 % less than that of a similar machine. This is achieved, above all, through the optimized hydraulic system. As a result the machine is able to attain a higher turnover level in comparison to its predecessor, despite reduced engine power of 390 kW / 530 hp.

Thanks to the optional “Eco-Silent Mode” function, a further reduction in fuel consumption as well as a decrease in noise level can be achieved for the HS 8100 HD. With this function, the engine speed and therefore the engine power can be reduced to a preselected level. Additionally, the innovative concept for optimal positioning of the air and water coolers contributes to a decrease in noise emission.

Modern Safety Concept

Furthermore, both HS 8100 HD machines convince with their modern and reliable safety concept. They are equipped with modified roof railings and ladders, as well as additional walkways. These are foldable making the machine extremely easy to transport.