Kennards Lift & Shift answers Anzac Bridge challenge

Four 6-tonne pneumatic chain hoists, hired from Kennards Lift & Shift, were used to lift the ANZAC Bridge maintenance gantry, weighing almost 13 tonne and spanning nearly 34 metres, from the ground back in to its original location under the deck of Sydney’s ANZAC Bridge.

The carefully planned and executed operation was an important step in the current maintenance program for the bridge, which is a key part of Sydney’s road network and the longest concrete cable-stayed bridge in Australia.

It is the first major program of maintenance since the bridge opened to traffic in 1995 and will take place over a two year period. Work includes installing permanent access systems to allow maintenance access to hard to reach areas of the bridge, improving the bridge’s stay cables to prevent rain-wind induced vibration, and installing new fences along the entire length of the bridge on both sides.

NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is working with a team of specialists and has formed the Bridge Solutions Alliance (BSA) with Baulderstone Pty Ltd, Freyssinet Australia and SAGE Automation to deliver the maintenance project, therefore ensuring the operation of the structure into the future.

The maintenance gantry, which was an original part of the bridge, underwent a refurbishment and an upgrade as part of the project in order to allow maintenance access to new permanent access installations.

Bridge Solutions Alliance Project Engineer, Shane Bannister, said that while they were able to remove the gantry with cranes, they were not able to reinstate it easily using the same method due to access problems and gantry modifications which made it very difficult to get secure lifting points.

“Air winches were the best option for replacement,” he said. “By using them, we were able to completely pre-assemble the gantry safely whilst on the ground and lift it one piece.

“The BSA team came up with the solution and asked Kennards Lift & Shift to source the necessary equipment to achieve the 33 metre lift.

“Each hoist, with 35m long extended chains, was attached to a custom made bracket secured to the underside of the bridge deck with four anchors.

“The gantry lift was the culmination of months of planning and was carried out without any issues whatsoever. Overall it was a complete success.”

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