May 11 - Sarens has transported a tunnel boring machine (TBM) which will assist in the construction of the second metro line in Warsaw, Poland.
For the project, Sarens transported the TBM sections from the storage yard to the construction site where it will be used to drill the eastern tunnel section of the second metro line.
In total the machine measured 100 m in length and 6.4 m in height, and weighed 650 tonnes. The smallest sections measured 6.3 m x 4.2 m x 18 m and weighed 60 tonnes.
According to Sarens, the biggest challenge was to transport the TBM elements from its client's suburban yard into Warsaw, which required several obstacles to be removed, including road signs and traffic lights. Project manager, Pawel Tyminski explained: "In many places the Sarens crew had to dismantle the obstacles and just crawl to pass by them."
To transport the TBM sections, Sarens utilised a semi-trailer, a four-axle lowbed trailer, a three-axle lowbed trailer, a six-axle semi low-loader as well as escorting cars.
The construction of the second metro line was awarded to a consortium led by the Italian construction firm, Astaldi. The construction began in 2016 and is expected to be complete in three years.
In a separate project, Sarens was contracted by TS Industrie lifted a 230-tonne filter at the Eqiom cement plant in Lumbres, France. The load measured 13.7 m x 10.8 m x 20 m and had a radius of 22 m.
Sarens lifted the filter, which was positioned in a confined space, by fitting slings to 12 points below the unit. A CC 2800 crawler crane with full ballast completed the lift.
