Typically, an expensive steel plate deck and an elaborate strand jack pulling system are required in the launch shaft for the assembly of TBMs. Barnhart Crane & Rigging offers an optional method for moving the TBM during assembly, which does not require the laying of steel plate or using a strand jack system, says the the company. Barnhart’s “slide system” is comprised of beams, which are pin connected. The top flange of the beam is “notched”. The notches allow for “gripper lugs” attached to hydraulic rams to grab the notches, then systematically stroke out, release, stroke in and grab again.
“This repeated provides the horizontal force along the beam, which moves the TBM,” says Barnhart. The load of the TBM is transferred to the TBM cradle, which in turn rests on customised “slide shoes” that slide on two parallel beams. A material with a very low coefficient is on the underside of the slide shoes, which allows the hydraulic force of the rams to move the TBM easily along the slide beams.
While much of the load of the TBM is carried by a rail system, the main load of the TBM is moved by the slide system. Unlike the typical method of laying steel plate for the whole length, the slide beams can be “hop scotched” forward.
Barnhart Crane & Rigging
Tel: +1 251 654 0541
Web: www.barnhartcrane.com
A Steel plate deck Barnhart’s ‘Slide system’
