Stevenson Crane & Rigging supplied a new Link- Belt 150-ton (136-mt) 238 HSL lattice crawler crane at a hospital construction project in Crown Point, Indiana. The seven-story, 497,000-squarefoot (46,172 sq/m) hospital is composed of 4,600 tons of structural steel fabricated by nearby Lenex Steel of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Ben Hur Construction of Fairfield, Ohio was awarded the contract for steel erection and is set to complete the structural steel contract in six months.
“We are able to set 40-50 pieces of structural steel per day, and once we get in a nice rhythm we can safely set up to 80 pieces in a day,” said Frank Hiatt, senior project manager for Ben Hur Construction, Central Division-Indianapolis. Ben Hur Construction stages structural steel, and other building materials nearby for the 238 HSL so that construction can move at a steady pace.
“More speed and less distance to travel to place the Christmas tree rigging allows multiple steel beams per lift and expedites each hoist. It (238 HSL) still has the reach needed to place up to five beams, spaced seven feet apart in one lift to the far, top reaches of the structure, which saves the crew time in placement of each beam,” Hiatt explained.
Job requirements determined that Ben Hur would need 200 feet (60.9m) of main boom, with 50 feet (15.2m) of jib offset at 25 degrees for their 238 HSL. The heaviest load is the 40-foot (12m) steel columns that weigh 20,000 lbs. (9,071 kg) and form 40-foot (12m) squares. Structural beams weigh between 3,000 lbs. (1,360 kg) and 4,000 lbs. (1-814 kg).
“When spec’ing out this crane we discussed with Stevenson what our heaviest, farthest and tallest lifts would be. That determined how much boom and in what configuration we would need,” said Hiatt.
Operation
“I call it a dance, when everyone works safely together and things run smoothly, including the crane,” Hiatt said. “The columns are the heaviest pieces. The columns are about 40 feet (12.1 m) tall and weigh up to 20,000 pounds (9,071 kg) apiece. Structural beams (W36’s) are generally 3,000 to 4,000 lbs. (1,360–1,814kg) apiece, with the bays generally in a 40-foot square. When lifting a ‘Christmas tree’ configuration for the top building floors, the total weight may be around 9,000 pounds (4,082 kg).
“The other feature I like about this machine, especially in this region of northwest Indiana, which has a lot of wind, is the swing break,” said Ben Hur Construction crane operator Justin Nebors. “You have a couple of different options to deal with windy conditions. One, you have the main swing brake, but you also have a foot swing brake. Once you get your iron set where you need it to go, you just use your foot and hold it in place. You don’t have to worry about the boom swinging anywhere when you have a lot of wind. Normally, you don’t use that so much but when you are setting precise iron, it’s nice to be able to just hit the brake and you can then let off the brake, if need be, very easily. No delays. I can ease into it, in or out with my foot brake. That feature is very nice.”
Tonn & Block, also of Indianapolis, is the general contractor for the nearly $333-million project which began in early 2021 and is scheduled for a fall 2023 completion date. The project is part of an overall $500-million investment that will eventually cover over 540 acres and include residential and commercial developments.
Reprinted from Marine Construction Magazine Issue III, 2023.
