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Potain’s special application tower cranes are widely acknowledged as the world’s leading heavy-lift units for projects such as dam building, shipyards and major bridge construction. There are four units in the range, the MD 900 (smallest), MD 1800, MD 2200 and MD 3600 (largest), all of which are currently employed on a variety of the world’s most prestigious construction projects. There are two cranes on site at present, with a third due to arrive in October. The two currently on site are a 60 t (66 USt) MD 1800, which has been mounted on rails, and a 60 t (66 USt) MD 2200, which is mounted on a fixed base. The MD 1800 is presently erected at a height under hook of 112.8 m (370 ft) and has been fitted with a 70 m (230 ft) jib. Its rail-mounted portal is 15 m (49 ft) wide and 7.15 m (23.4 ft) high. The MD 2200, meanwhile, has also been erected to a height under hook of 92.8 m (304 ft) but has a slightly longer jib than the MD 1800 at 80 m (262 ft). Both of these cranes are being used to pour concrete and handle steel reinforcement and other structural components. Around 70% of the cranes’ lifting duties involve pouring concrete using a 6 m3 (7.8 yd3) bucket. Each bucket of concrete weighs a little less than 20 t (22 USt) and it is estimated that each crane can pour 240 m3 (196 yd3) of concrete in an 8-hour shift. All the cranes are under the direct control of the main contractor on the site, a joint venture of three large Chinese companies. The three companies are: The 7th Bureau of Hydropower in China; The 8th Bureau of Hydropower in China (both government-owned companies); and The Gezhouba Company (the largest hydropower company in China). Li Xuejiang, a manager with one of the technical departments for the contracting joint venture, explains the working process at the site and how the cranes fit into that schedule. “This jobsite operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week – in common with most working job sites in China,” he says. “When we started the groundwork on this project the cranes would work an average of 15 hours a day. But now the project’s progressing, they’re probably working over 20 hours a day. We have six operators for each crane, with three pairs each working an eight hour shift a day. All of the operators have undergone full training courses from Potain as well as from our own technical bureau.” In addition to handling the concrete buckets, the two cranes are used to lift steel reinforcement and also the steel tube sections which are embedded in the floor of the dam and through which the water will pour to generate power. The largest of these sections measure 10 m (32 ft) in diameter and 3 m (9.8 ft) in length and weigh approximately 12 t (13.2 USt). With the increase in activity, the site is already thinking about the arrival of the third Potain unit - an additional MD 2200. This crane will be fitted with the under-jib Nippon Topbelt conveyor system and will be used to pour concrete continuously. With the Topbelt system attached, the MD 2200 is capable of pouring concrete at 360 m3 (470 yd3) per hour. This impressive pouring rate is essential as the total volume of concrete needed in the project is estimated to be over 6,000,000 m3 (7,848,000 yd3). She Yangli is a consultant engineer with the Changxia Longtan Construction Project Company, one of the engineering firms working closely with the main contractor on the project. He notes that the dam has several record-breaking attributes which make it both an impressive and challenging project to be involved with. “It’s not just the amount of concrete that needs to be poured here, or the fact that it will be the tallest RRC dam in the world which make this project stand out,” he says. “Once completed the Longtan Dam will feature the largest underground power plants in the world and also the largest boat lift. The scale of the project, the size of the equipment and the large workforce make it an incredible job to be involved with. To cope with a project of this size it was essential we use some of the biggest tower cranes in the world, which is why there are three of these large tower cranes from Potain on the site. In addition, we’ve also got two cable cranes, three gantry cranes and a Grove GMK5100 all-terrain crane helping, along with three on-site concrete batching plants and numerous conveyors for sand and concrete.” Work on the project started on July 1, 2001 and is scheduled to finish sometime in 2009. About The Manitowoc Company The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is one of the world's largest providers of lifting equipment for the global construction industry, including lattice-boom cranes, tower cranes, mobile telescopic cranes, and boom trucks. As a leading manufacturer of ice-cube machines, ice/beverage dispensers, and commercial refrigeration equipment, the company offers the broadest line of cold-focused equipment for the foodservice industry. In addition, the company is a leading provider of shipbuilding, ship repair, and conversion services for government, military, and commercial customers throughout the US maritime industry. ##### For More Information Contact: Tom Cioni Manitowoc Crane Group Tel: + 1 920 683 6510 E-mail: tcioni@manitowoccranes.com Ben Shaw SE10 Creative Tel: +44 1829 549609 E-mail: shaw@se10.com
About The Manitowoc Company
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