Accepting challenges, developing solutions and accompanying projects – the Wacker Neuson concrete specialists are involved in these tasks. This was also the case with a superlative project in Hong Kong: A gigantic road tunnel that will connect the city of Tuen Mun (area 40) with Chek Lap Kok airport on Lantau island. The tunnel is part of a major project for connecting the metropolitan area Hong Kong – Zuhai – Macao. Two tunnel tubes with four lanes are being constructed over a length of around five kilometers with the world’s largest tunnel boring machine. The work will take place up to 55 meters below the sea surface.
High requirements – competent consultation
Permanently water-resistant walls of up to 15 meters height and 1.20 meters in thickness had to be constructed at the access roads to the tunnel in exposed concrete quality and with strong reinforcement. The project manager from France contacted the specialists of Wacker Neuson concrete solutions with regard to these enormous requirements. This is because: He has been working together with Wacker Neuson regularly for almost 20 years. The consulting services and product quality had already convinced him during many assignments throughout Europe.
„Such exciting projects are exactly what we at Wacker Neuson concrete solutions are passionate about. Our team of engineers and application specialists will find an ideal solution even for very special requirements. With our consulting services and the right products for concrete consolidation, we can offer customers a customized solution for every project.”
– Rainer Wewers, Senior Technical Sales Consultant at Wacker Neuson concrete solutions
Rainer Wewers, Senior Technical Sales Consultant bei Wacker Neuson concrete solutions
On-site the project was supervised by Kenny Ma, Senior Sales Manager at Wacker Neuson Limited. Topics relating to sales logistics, questions about the consolidation process, the expected concrete pressures on the formwork or the influence of the compaction equipment on the surface quality were already clarified in advance with Wacker Neuson concrete solutions. In addition, in co-operation with the site management, various trial concreting operations were accompanied through tests with combined internal and external vibrator applications. Virtually pore-free and thus particularly dense concrete surfaces convinced the site management and thus the next step was to implement the decisive construction phase.
The combination of consulting and ideal products is the crucial factor
After a preliminary inspection by Rainer Wewers and intensive discussions on-site, a concept for concrete consolidation was developed after consulting the site management. Recommendations for the process sequence and the application of the compaction equipment were discussed. The decision was made to use a combination of around 120 exposed concrete external vibrators of the model AR26 with suitable fastening clamps and around 100 internal vibrators of the IRFU series in various sizes due to the large wall thickness with dense reinforcement and the requirements for strength and appearance. IRFU internal vibrators with integrated electronic frequency converters are particularly easy to handle, flexible in use and convince through reliable operation. The required surface finish was produced in exposed concrete quality by means of speed-stable and maintenance free external vibrators AR26.
Twelve internal vibrators in rigid version IREN58 in different lengths were used in areas that were particularly difficult to access. Wacker Neuson was able to respond flexibly to customer requirements with this custom-made internal vibrator: Guide tubes, which were shortened specially according to customer requirements, replaced the protection hoses of this internal vibrator. In this way, the vibrator head could be directed to the area to be consolidated in the concrete.
In all 20 electronic frequency converters FUE ensured the correct power supply on the construction site to operate the internal and external vibrators. The advantages of Wacker Neuson’s electronic vibration equipment compared to compressed air driven systems convinced the site management right from the start of construction: reliable operation, low noise emission, low operating costs, easy assembly!
Convincing result: optimum concrete consolidation, surfaces in exposed concrete quality
The positive feedback on this mega-project once again showed that complex process sequences in concrete construction prove to be a challenge even for the most experienced construction companies. It is precisely for this purpose that Wacker Neuson offers the right solution package consisting of application consulting and associated concrete technology.
Concrete specialists from Wacker Neuson concrete solutions are not only on hand to provide advice and support for major projects, but also for all questions relating to concrete consolidation and concrete technology on the construction sites and in precast factories. In addition to the planning of vibration systems and the subsequent project support, the main focus of concrete solutions is on national and international sales support of Wacker Neuson sales organization in the field of concrete technology.
For more information, see: https://www.wackerneuson.de/de/dienstleistungen/concrete-solutions/ or https://www.wackerneuson-concretesolutions.com/
Wacker Neuson is proud to be a global brand. Products and services vary from country to country and may not be available in your local market.
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