Potain cranes used to build Danish hospital
16 May 2017
Leading Nordic construction and civil engineering contractor MT Højgaard is using 15 Potain tower cranes to help build a new hospital complex for Aalborg University in Denmark. The job site covers 330,000 m2 (81.5 acres), and includes other buildings, roads and pedestrian pathways.
MT Højgaard chose a mix of three Potain models to work on the job site: eight Potain GTMR 386 B self-erecting cranes; six Potain MDT 178 tower cranes; and one Potain MDT 218 A J10. The cranes were supplied by Ajos, the Danish Potain dealer and construction equipment rental company. It advised MT Højgaard on choosing a fleet that could adapt to the variety of conditions and obstacles found across the job site. “A lot of planning is required prior to the rental of cranes for a large and complex job like this,” said Bjarne Frølund Nielsen, technical consultant for Ajos. “We needed to supply cranes that provide efficient, high-hoisting capacities and that can adapt to a variety of site conditions. This mix of Potain’s self-erecting and top-slewing cranes offered the ideal solution.”
The cranes are positioned throughout the site and are being used to lift steel, concrete and formwork materials, with the heaviest load weighing approximately 6 tonnes (6.6 USt).
According to Manitowoc, who manufactures the Potain cranes, due to the variety of structures being constructed and the number of pre-existing buildings and transportation pathways on the job site, it was necessary to have a fleet of cranes that could provide several capacities and reach options. The Potain MDT 178, for example, features a low profile, ‘city topless’ design and a large lifting capacity that make it especially adaptable for the project. It has a 66.9 m (219 ft) hook height, an 8 tonne (8.8 USt) capacity, and a maximum jib length of 60 m (197 ft).
The self-erecting GTMR 386 B cranes are on site to provide quick transport and installation options, said Manitowoc. They have a compact footprint that enable them to be erected in tight working quarters. They have a maximum hook height of up to 32 m (105 ft), a maximum load capacity of 8 tonnes (8.8 USt), and a 50 m (164 ft) jib.
The third model of crane on the project is the top-slewing MDT 218 A J10, which features an extra-long maximum jib radius of 65 m (213.3 ft) and a high 10 tonne (11 USt) capacity.
When finished, 6,500 employees will work at the hospital complex. The entire project will cost an estimated DKK4.77 billion upon its expected completion in 2020.