Dam and bridge construction

Cable crane systems for dam and bridge construction

Even at considerable heights and in direct confrontation with one of the strongest elements – the water – our cable crane systems move reliably and safe.

The construction of hydro power plants demands a lot from man and machine alike: Huge quantities of construction material and concrete is transported in considerable heights over great distances. Our cable crane systems are ideally suited for these requirements. They ensure that the transport on site is performed safely, comparatively fast, and cost-efficient. Cable crane systems are conveyor systems which operate according to the ropeway principle. They can both lift and lower loads. For this purpose, a free-tensioned track rope runs between two anchor points at the respective end points of the construction site. During operation, it serves as a roadway for the crane unit. An additional lifting rope is used to lift and lower loads of up to 30 tons with precision.

In 2020 LCS took over the technologies for radial, parallel and luffing cable crane systems from the company Thyssenkrupp AG and markets, distributes and manufactures them exclusively worldwide.

Luffing cable crane system

In the case of the Thyssenkrupp technology “luffing cable crane systems”, one tower or even two towers are tilted by up to 15° transversely to the crane axis. The tilting movement is performed by multiple reeved ropes. They are driven by a luffing winch located at the base of the tower. Depending on whether one or two luffing towers are used, the working area resembles a triangle or rectangle. The working width depends on the height of the towers.

Case study: Three Gorges Dam

The luffing cable cranes for the Three Gorges Dam in China were one of the largest and most complex installations in the world. With a completely new assembly concept it was possible to install the four masts, each 150 metres high, on an available area of only 20 x 65 metres at a height of 80 metres above the accessible terrain.

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Parallel cable crane system

The Thyssenkrupp technology “parallel cable crane system”, also called parallel crane, makes it possible to move the counter side and machine side parallel. Depending on the topography, this is possible by means of movable towers or also with a “low” machine and counter carriage. The working area forms a rectangle, whereby the working width depends on the length of the parallel track.

Case Study: Deriner Dam

The parallel cable crane systems for the construction of the Deriner Dam in Turkey had a lifting height of 280 metres due to the large dam height. With a span of 740 metres and three parallel cranes it was possible to successfully realise the project.

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Radial cable crane system

The Thyssenkrupp technology “radial cable crane system” differs from a parallel crane in that one side of the radial crane is fixed, and the other side is arranged on a radial track. Depending on the topography, this can be implemented by using movable towers with “low” and “high” carriages. The working area forms a circular sector. The corresponding width depends on the span and radial track length of the system.

Radial cable crane system with spherical track

Due to the topography, the radial track of the cable crane system has a vertical curvature in addition to its horizontal curvature. Geometrically, it therefore follows a spherical surface. The counter carriage is equipped with a special climbing undercarriage that functions according to the principle of a rack-and-pinion railway to overcome the spherical track. Since the inclination of the track changes constantly, the tower must be automatically kept in the vertical position by means of a spindle drive for rope deflection of the crane unit.

Case Study: Leibis Lichte Dam

The radial cable crane systems which were used for the construction of the Leibis Lichte Dam in Germany were completely dismantled after completion of the dam. Afterwards, a comprehensive reinstatement of the track and fixed points was carried out.

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