The 95 metre high tower mast for Brisbane’s new Kangaroo Point bridge was topped out at the end of last year by one of Marr’s heavy duty tower cranes, a 330 tonne Favelle Favco M2480D heavy duty luffer rigged with 64 metres of jib, installed on a platform in the middle of the Brisbane River.
The crane can lift its maximum capacity at a 15 metre radius, or take 100 tonnes to a 45 metre radius with a hook height of around 130 metres.
Marr’s 330t Favelle Favco M2480D working on the Kangaroo Point Bridge
The crane's location and lifting capacity enabled it to easily lift the 25 metre high, 180 tonne prefabricated steel masthead to a height of 95 metres, and could have managed it at a 23 metre radius. The alternative method of using a large crawler crane mounted on a barge simply did not stack up, either due to availability or practicality, not to mention shipping discruption.
The mast is the heaviest lift to be undertaken on the project, where the crane has already completed more than 10 major lifts during the first 12 months of the job.
The tower masthead weighs 180 tonnes
The contract to build the bridge was awarded in 2021 to Connect Brisbane, a Besix Watpac led consortium consists of bridge design, engineering and construction specialists including Rizzani de Eccher, WSP, Dissing + Weitling, Blight Rayner, Aspect Studios, Right Angle Studios and Rowland.
The consortium involved Marr at an early stage in the design phase, to develop a lifting strategy that supported their preferred construction methods for the project and particularly the challenges involved in the building of the mast. Marr developed a solution with Brisbane based engineering group, Robert Bird using the M2480D heavy lift luffing jib tower crane installed on a platform in the middle of Brisbane River.
The project map with progress shown to the end of December
Project director, Rowan Riggall said: “Our in-house engineering team was instrumental in identifying this crane at the tender phase as the preferred lifting solution for the project. After comparing barge mounted cranes and tower crane options, the team confirmed the M2480D was the most suitable crane in the Australian market capable of lifting the fully assembled mast head.”
Managing director, Simon Marr said: “Reaping the benefits of modularised construction with fewer, heavier lifts is not only helping to deliver a safer, more productive site, but also allowing our client to share the economic benefit delivered by the project by engaging more South East Queensland businesses away from the work front.”
An artists impression of the new bridge
About Kangaroo Point Green Bridge:
The new bridge is an initiative of Brisbane City Council and will be an iconic landmark destination connecting Brisbane’s Central Business District with the eastern suburbs. At a length of 460 metres, the bridge will be among the longest span cable stay pedestrian and cycle bridges in the world and almost certainly become a top tourist attraction in Brisbane. Construction is due to be completed in 2024.
More than 240 metres of the Bridge’s spans have been installed, passing the halfway mark across the Brisbane River. The cost of the project was supposed to have cost $190 million but has been revised a few times and is now $299 million.
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