Cranes lift cranes

Turkey: In Istanbul, the Asian and European continents are being connected by means of a double-tube train tunnel. Known as the Bosporus, the tunnel will traverse the straits 56 meters (183 feet) below sea level. Ankara, Turkey-based CKV Heavy Lifting & Assembly has provided the necessary lifting force for the Yenikapi-Yedikule segment using three Terex Demag cranes.

The task of the cranes, including telescopic wheeled mobiles type AC 700, AC 650 and AC 350, was to assemble a tunnel boring machine that is 106 meters (347 feet) long and weighs 1,000 tons. To complete the work, the AC 350 and AC 650 were lowered into the construction pit 15 meters (50 feet) below for the installation work, since the dimensions and weight of the tunnel boring machine necessitated its assembly directly at the entry point of the tunnel. First, the AC 650 lowered the AC 350 and next the AC 700 lowered the AC 650 into the pit.

Lifting the AC 650, which weighs 120 tons, was a challenge. The AC 700 crane stood p arallel to the excavation trench and the AC 650 was driven behind it The star-type outriggers in front and back were turned and fixed in a working position. The AC 700 swung the AC 650 over the trench wall and, with a reach of 14 meters, lowered it precisely into its new application area at the bottom of the construction trench.

With 700 tons lifting capacity, the Terex Demag AC 700 can travel with a complete main boom. The 60 meter main boom can be carried without exceeding the 12 ton axle load. The increase in the lifting capacity, especially at steep boom positions, is achieved by the Sideways Superlift (SSL) boom suspension system patented by Terex Demag. The crane is powered by a DaimlerChrysler engine (480 kW, EuroMot3) and a fully-automatic ZF TC-Tronic transmission with integrated torque converter.