Crane
Barge Case Study - G F Tomlinson, Dudley Canal
G F Tomlinson contacted SCONSA Environmental Services Ltd with an interesting challenge. The scope of works was to install a new sewage pipe complete with new bridge and piers over Dudley Canal. The site was sited at the bottom of a steep bank with no access and limited pedestrian access down a steep bank from the road.
The works required Tomlinson’s to disconnect the main flow of sewage and install a diversion pipe over the canal suspended on a temporary scaffolding bridge. Once the old pipe was redundant, the pipe and bridge could be dismantled, cut up and loaded onto the waiting barge and transported 1.5 km back up the canal and off loaded. The old brick piers were then dismantled and loaded into bulk bags and craned from the bank to the barge and transported back to the loading point. Once the old piers had been removed and the old concrete foundations were removed a new 6 metre, 450mm concrete pile was installed.
The piling rig weighed 3.8 ton fully erected and was broken down into 4 made elements, with the heaviest been the winch and engine unit weighing 1.9 tonnes. The piling rig was transported to site by the SCONSA ES canal barge and lifted onto a work platform sunk to the bed of the canal for added stability. As the pile was drilled, all the arising were loaded to bulk bags and lifted by the hiab mounted on the crane barge and transported back to the unloading site. Once the pile was at total depth the steel reinforcing was craned in and concrete was loaded to bulk bag and pored down the hole.
Once the pile was installed and the bricks and mortar were on site the piers could be erected and capped. After a couple of days, the new bridge arrived on site and was transported in three sections up the canal to the work site and was erected on the towpath in two stages, the far side and middle sections first. These were then lifted across the canal and positioned onto the far side with the middle supported on the uni-float temporary pontoon. The last section was lifted in to position and bolted together. Once erected on the ground the bridge was then lifted on to the new piers, aligned and secured.
The new steel pipe was then delivered and transported to the work site by the SCONSA ES crane barge, lifted up through the bridge and mounted on the awaiting hanging brackets.
‘’ Sconsa Environmental Services Limited supported us ever step of the way. They organised themselves in a manner of which was a credit to their company. They arrived on site with their own transport and utilised a local crane company to assist with off loading of the crane barge The wholee operation went very smoothly and within 20 minutes of the barge been in the water there were off to the work site to carry out the first lifting operation. Their operator was experienced with the use of both the barge and hiab crane, which was essential to the success of the project. No turning space on the section of the canal meant the there was a considerable amount of reversing to be carried out.
With the help of Sconsa Environmental Services Limited the difficult project was completed on time with no impact on the tow path or environment, we would suitably uses Sconsa Environmental again.’’ Tomlinson Site Agent
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