- Project Hams Hall Bridge Removal
- Principal Contractor AR Demolition
- Project Lead Kieron Hammatt, Operations Manager (Lifting & Safety) and Mark Gent, Structural Support Area Sales Manager
- Key Benefit Working with multiple industry experts to identify and provide an innovative lifting solution
Introduction
As part of a specialist bridge demolition at Hams Hall, Birmingham, MGF were asked to provide a solution to principal contractor AR Demolition.
Works were due to begin in November 2022, where both MGF’s Structural Support Solutions and Lifting & Safety teams worked together to come up with a collaborative solution based on a challenging set of criteria.
The Solution
The bridge was surrounded by large pylons and high voltage overhead cables with a 6m exclusion zone, meaning it couldn’t be lifted via the more traditional method of utilising a crane. This resulted in the principal contractor having to design a bespoke gantry system to overcome the restrictions. AR Demolition required the help of MGF’s Structural Support Solutions team to carry out a temporary works design to determine how our UniShore system could be utilised to stabilise the gantry throughout the programme.
Once the gantry specifications were confirmed and UniShore props had been specified, our Lifting team joined the collaborative approach to identify, and provide a solution that supported the customers demolition programme.
MGF’s early engagement allowed us to specify and supply a range of air hoists which were powered by mobile compressors. This combination allowed AR Demolition to remove the bridge in specified sections with MGF providing a solution that overcame the problems faced.
Due to the complexity of the project, continual dialogue was required to be held with the principal contractor, site teams and multiple MGF divisions. This was fundamental in ensuring that the UniShore props were able to support the gantry with a moving load and the Air Hoists and Compressors were compatible to lift various sections of the bridge weighing up to 37tonnes.
The Verdict
The project required MGF engineering, structural and Lifting & Safety teams to work closely together to deliver systems that typically have different purposes, whilst working towards the same goal – ensuring we fulfilled the customers’ expectations.
MGF adopted a 360-degree approach to working collectively with the principal contractor, to ensure that the equipment and expertise’s supplied supported AR Demolition on a successful project.
