Hired jacks lift Brisbane bridge

Twenty hydraulic cylinders, each capable of lifting 100 tonne and operating off just one pump, were hired from Kennards Lift & Shift for bridge construction work in Brisbane.

Thiess John Holland (TJH) used the jacks while installing bearings on a bridge over the CLEM 7 tunnel, which runs beneath the Brisbane River.

The joint venture between Thiess and John Holland Group is constructing the 6.7km Airport Link toll road, Australia’s longest road tunnel.

TJH project engineer Rashan Madawita said the 100 tonne capacity low profile jacks with tilt saddles and locking nuts, required for the installation of these bearings, were difficult to hire within Australia.

“Kennards Lift & Shift was able to source them overseas and have them air freighted to Australia to align with road closures and other arrangements,” he said.

“Their people also helped set them up, gave a demonstration and were available on the nights we did the work.”

Kennards Lift & Shift had the jacks on site just six days after receiving the request. They operated off a hydraulic split flow pump, which is new to the Kennards Lift & Shift range.

The three phase pump, with 100 litre capacity, connected to four manifolds, with 30m length hoses running to the 20 hydraulic cylinders.

This hire is a further demonstration of Kennards Lift & Shift’ capability in the heavy lifting area and its willingness to go the extra mile to meet customers’ needs.

A similar situation occurred when Rio Tinto required 42 air hoists for a shutdown, and extra equipment was rushed from overseas to bolster existing stocks.

Other equipment has also been supplied to TJH. One hire involved six 10 tonne pneumatic chain hoists being used on Airport Link to help with the dismantling of temporary concrete segmental tunnel rings, which were built to launch two tunnel boring machines, the biggest ever to operate in Australia.

Kennards Lift & Shift has hire centres in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.