ICA's Terex 500s on Mexican highway

Construction company Ingenieros Civiles Asociados SA (ICA) is using Terex AC 500-2 all terrain cranes to construct an elevated highway in Mexico City.

The road is being built to ease traffic in the heavily congested city. The first section of the road, the Autopista Urbana Sur (Urban Highway South), is 11.3 km long and will consist of four lanes. In some places the road will be extended to six lanes to ease traffic further. The road will connect San Geronimo to Tlalpan Viaduct.

Tight working conditions in the city means that the road is being built using prefabricated concrete sections. Tasks for the 8-axle Terex AC 500-2 all terrains include lifting column concrete sections weighing up to 425 tonnes and measuring 36 to 48 metres long. The all terrains will also be used to install horizontal concrete sections measuring 4 to 6.5 m wide and weighing up to 350 tonnes. The sections are being put into place during the night. Approximately 20,000 pre-cast components and 500 columns will be used to complete the project.

Ignacio Villaseñor Sanchez, ICA equipment director, said, “Because it is an urban jobsite with limited space for heavy lifting and work access was only available for six hours each night between 23.00 and 05.00, we needed a crane that had quick travel speed, rapid set up time and excellent lift capacity. The AC 500-2 fit the bill perfectly.”

“The cranes performed faultlessly and had 97 percent availability, only stopping for planned maintenance. The crane was extremely reliable and fitted with good safety systems. Everything related to the set-up and rigging went very smoothly. Obvious challenges included the lack of space on the job site, however, the AC 500-2 is one of the most manoeuvrable and compact cranes in its class, which helped.”

Bernardo Quintana Kawage, ICA general director, said, “The AC 500s are lifting at an average height of about 20 metres and carrying out either single or tandem lifts between 10 and 220 tonnes at a radius between 10 and 15 metres - typical low radius heavy lifting.

“First the cranes are positioned on site and the modular elements to be lifted arrive in sequence. Once lifted and positioned they are welded and secured. Then the next element arrives and the process is repeated over and over. When the cranes need to move, they remove their own counterweight onto a low-loader and then move to the next jobsite. In all, between seven and 15 people were needed to set-up the crane and carry out the lift.”

The project is expected to cost around US$ 450 million and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2013.