Project Planning

An experienced structural steel erection team can ensure that your project will be planned and run smoothly according to your deadlines. A project like this can mean the taking apart of an existing structure, and if necessary transporting and re-erecting it, or the erection of a new steel structure on site.

This kind of project will possibly include:

• The loading of materials onto a truck for transportation
• The crane rigging and lifting of steel materials, which are essential parts of the steel erection process
• Experienced crane riggers to hoist and install complex steel structures in manufacturing plants, factories and dairies.

Some of the factors to consider, if you need someone to dismantle your steel structure or handle steel erection, are:

• Can the project be managed and handled from start to finish with one team, i.e. Is the dismantlement, transport and re-erection (at possibly a new site) handled by the same team?
• What safety standards does the team follow?
• What is the team’s safety record?

Where was the installation?

One of the structural projects which is a good example of how this can be carried out by one team is R & F Tissue Mill located in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

What was the project?

The erection of the steel structure framework for the new boiler house, leaving a section open to crane in the coal-fired 14t steaming new boiler.

What major equipment was used for the installation?

Due to space constraint on-site with building works, the initial methodology was to hand rig the 50t boiler off the lowbed transporter. This was moved towards the two 560mm high concrete plinths using a special jack ‘n slide hydraulic pack with ram cylinders on railway lines.

What obstacles were there?

Access for the abnormally wide lowbed at 3.5m was restricted. The high concrete plinth posed safety concerns for the riggers and boiler as a result of the plinth height. The 50t boiler had to be jacked and moved into the final resting position.

How were these overcome?

The project was hampered by persistent rain until an executive decision was made to replace the jacking method and opt for a more expensive but much safer mobile crane method. This meant that the structural steel project could go ahead, provided it was possible to set up a large 220t mobile on the site within rated lifting capacity. Once carried out, this proved hugely successful when the 220t mobile crane was able to lift 55t boiler mass over the structure within 12m horizontal radius.

What time period did the project take?

Aside from eliminating the safety concerns, from a possible 4 days on-site, the entire erection process of the structure was completed in one day, and the 50t boiler installation in one day. This resulted in substantial build savings for the client’s benefit.

If you are concerned about aspects of your structural steel erection project, get in touch with us to discuss some solutions that will fit your project timeline and budget. Contact us to book your next steel dismantling and erection project or call us on +27 (0) 82 659 3315.