Heavy Construction: Setting a Large Bridge with Excavators

Equipment Mobilization and Site Preparation

• 🚚 The team arrives at a spacious job site with multiple heavy machinery units, including a 330 excavator, ready for a large construction project.
• 🚧 Initial tasks involve moving equipment off the road and preparing a foundation using ABC (Aggregate Base Course) stone to set a bridge section.
• ⚠️ Concerns are raised about the durability of the matting used for heavy loads, particularly for a 330 excavator and a 336 excavator carrying bridge sections.

Bridge Section One Installation

• 🌉 The first bridge section arrives, described as substantial, and rigging begins with chains and 4x6 timbers to support the lift.
• 🏗️ The 330 excavator successfully lifts the first bridge section, with the operator noting the machine's power and the importance of having the larger equipment for the task.
• 🚚 After the initial lift, the team prepares to retrieve the second bridge section from the truck.

Bridge Section Two and Alignment

• ⚙️ The second bridge section is offloaded, and the team observes that the sections bolt together.
• 💡 A comparison is made between a Hyundai boom lift and the 330 excavator, with the excavator proving stronger for lifting the bridge sections.
• 🚧 The 330 excavator is maneuvered backward onto mats, requiring careful guidance due to limited visibility.

Double Deck Bridge Construction

• 🌉 The project progresses to setting a second bridge across an existing one, creating a "double deck" structure.
• 🔗 Rigging is reattached to the second bridge section, and the 336 excavator on one side works in conjunction with the 330 on the other to maneuver it.
• ⚠️ A potential issue arises with a manhole, requiring careful alignment to avoid disaster and preserve nearby trees.

Final Bridge Assembly and Approaches

• ✅ The first bridge section is successfully set in place, and the team prepares to lift and slide the second section.
• 🔧 Adjustments are made to chain tension and positioning to ensure a smooth fit and prevent pinching.
• 🔩 Bolts are being installed to connect the bridge sections, and the team works on aligning both ends.
• 🚧 Once assembled, the bridge is roped off, and approaches are built using stone and baskets filled with rock to create a stable structure for dump trucks accessing a dredging site.