On its first deployment in Austria, the SP 33 slipform paver demonstrated its enormous flexibility on two radically different paving projects.
Two projects were scheduled for completion within the space of only one week: the first of which specified the paving of a two-track road for agricultural use in Sieghartskirchen. After this, the machine was moved to the Semmering Tunnel to pave a curb-gutter profile.
Two-Track Road for Agricultural Vehicle Access in Sieghartskirchen
In Sieghartskirchen in lower Austria, the project brief specified the paving of two tracks with a width of 3.3 ft. and a 3.3 ft. gap between them. The verges on both sides and the space between the concrete tracks were later filled with crushed stone or gravel.
For the paving of the two-track farm road, the machine was fitted with two slipform molds, one on the left and one on the right. The material was fed to the paver via the belt conveyor and a split chute that evenly filled each of the two molds.
"I have to say that the crew was over the moon from the first day on, and that no one has ever been so excited about a machine on its first day out," said Michael Stefaner, group manager, civil engineering and road construction East of HABAU, who worked together with Bickhardt Bau on the completion of the construction project.
As with all slipform paving projects, precise regulation of height, cross slope and steering also played a decisive role in the construction of the two-track farm road and ensured production of the profiles in strict compliance with the project specifications. On the project site, the machine was controlled by means of a stringline.
A potential alternative would have been the use of stringless control with AutoPilot 2.0. The satellite-based control system automatically controls the height, steering and cross slope of the machine and replaces the conventional physical stringline with a virtual 3D model. The SP 33 also offers an option for height regulation and steering with the aid of a 3D system.
Curb-Gutter Profiles in Semmering Tunnel
Following the completion of the first project, the lead contractor's team had to make its way to the next job, this time in the Semmering Tunnel in Styria.
The task that faced them there was paving curb-gutter profiles on both sides of the tunnel. The particular challenge here was that the new curb-gutter profile had to be paved over the top of an existing curb profile in the tunnel. This meant that the work had to be carried out with extreme precision in order to ensure the structural stability and durability of the profiles. Following the completion of this work, a slipform paver SP 1500 took over and laid down a two-layer concrete pavement between the two profiles.
As the tunnel is an important north-south traffic route, the construction project had to be completed as quickly as possible. Since only eight bolts need to be released when exchanging molds on the SP 33, the paving team was able to save a lot of valuable time.
"Reconfiguring the machine, which would usually take us two or three days, was over and done with in just one day," said Bernd Haberl, foreman of HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft, underlining the flexibility of the slipform paver.
Two project sites, numerous challenges and a machine that demonstrated its abilities as a real all-rounder. The projects in Austria illustrated the importance of flexibility and adaptability on the construction site and the contribution that the SP 33 can make in this respect.
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