Involving Mammoet at the early stages of engineering helps optimize construction approaches. This improves safety and aids the successful construction, transport and installation of critical infrastructure while minimizing disruption.
Mammoet optimizes civil infrastructure projects to minimize disruption and help manage project complexity, enabling clients to focus on building the physical networks that support our daily lives.
Infrastructure is an important facilitator of economic development and prosperity. Commerce, industry, healthcare, education and culture – all these areas of life rely on a country’s civil infrastructure. As populations grow and mobility needs increase, road and rail networks, sewage systems, bridges, viaducts and tunnels need to be built, expanded or replaced. This involves the construction, and sometimes demolition, of large and heavy structures. While the work is being done, commercial and community life can grind to a halt.
By working with an expert in engineered heavy lifting and transport early on, the impact of such projects can be minimized. As specialists in the field, Mammoet explore a range of options for civil infrastructure construction companies, finding solutions tailored to a client’s main priorities. Working with our clients we seek out ways to manage complex projects, often with multiple stakeholders, in a way that reduces disruption and negative impacts on local communities. This might include innovative approaches that dramatically reduce the amount of work at the infrastructure construction site. For example, bridge and tunnel elements that are fabricated elsewhere and moved into place in one swift operation.
Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) and rapid bridge replacement (RBR) are techniques that can shorten infrastructure project schedules and reduce disruption through off-site construction of new road or rail bridge elements. With RBR, the new bridge can be constructed prior to the old one’s demolition. Once the site is prepared, it is transported from a bridge staging area (BSA) and slotted into place overnight or over a weekend. If possible, the old structure can be removed in one piece for off-site demolition, further reducing the schedule and minimizing disruption. In order to develop more efficient and cost-effective approaches, Mammoet’s engineered heavy lifting and transport professionals consider factors such as structural integrity, spatial restrictions and the order and optimal timing of component arrival.
In urban areas, civil infrastructure construction companies must often work below the surface while roads and rail lines continue to operate above. In many large tunnel construction projects, tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are the ideal option. However, TBMs and their parts or prefabricated tunnel elements are large and heavy objects. Bringing them into a city presents major logistical challenges. By drawing on the expertise of engineered heavy lifting and transport specialists, Mammoet finds ways to reduce the risk of project delays and disruption to local areas. In some cases, pre-assembling a TBM and transporting it to the site in one piece saves time and the need for multiple heavy parts to be transported through congested areas. In others, it may be possible to bring prefabricated tunnel sections to site for installation in a technique similar to ABC or RBR, removing the need to transport large and heavy drilling machinery to the site.
Infrastructure projects benefit from the insight of heavy lifting and transport experts, who can assess the optimal route to site, on-site logistical possibilities, and best methods for maneuvering TBMs or prefabricated tunnels into place. With meticulous planning and flawless execution, these operations can be realized with minimal disruption, and maximum safety and efficiency.
Good infrastructure networks provide communities with access to employment, education, healthcare and social activities. Utilities like transportation, sewage and communications networks are vital to economic prosperity. In many parts of the world, the existing infrastructure is in need of renovation, replacement or expansion to serve the needs of future generations. It is in the interest of all stakeholders to carry out these works, such as road and rail bridge replacement, quickly and cost-effectively with minimal disruption.
Mammoet realizes the visions of civil infrastructure construction companies. Our experienced engineers, project planners and crew enable us to develop and execute streamlined approaches that reduce disruption and risk for the customer. For this, we have a fleet of equipment that is unparalleled in size, variety and capacity. This enables us to manage the complexity involved in infrastructure projects during the planning, construction and demolition phases.
Wherever possible, we sit down with our clients at an early stage to discuss their projects, analyze all relevant parameters and help develop the optimal approach. For example, as part of Toronto’s Crosstown public transit project, Mammoet undertook a lift and move of two 400-ton tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that were creating new subway tunnels beneath the downtown area. In close coordination with the client, the operation took place overnight to avoid disruption to city residents. Mammoet lifted the TBMs over and across the existing subway using a gantry that was specially designed to operate in the restricted space. They were then transported along a midtown avenue and lowered back into a second launch shaft to continue their journey. By turning careful planning into safe execution, Mammoet helped the city of Toronto carry out this complex operation in the shortest timeframe, causing minimal disruption.
Bill Kimball, Account Manager for Mammoet USA and Canada, has over 20 years’ experience in civil contracting. As an expert in engineered heavy lifting and transport projects, he knows the importance of completing work on time with minimal disruption to local businesses and the community.
Involving Mammoet’s professionals in the early phases of a civil infrastructure project increases opportunities to reduce disruption while delivering greater efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness.
As cities grow and lifestyles change, civil infrastructure projects bring economic benefits and improve quality of life. Tight budgets and strict schedules, with built-in delay clauses, mean these projects need to be closely managed and optimized. Further challenges arise because road, rail and bridge improvement works often take place in busy, congested areas where complex requirements must be met with minimal disruption to the local community and businesses. With Mammoet’s experience in the safe, timely transport and installation of large and heavy components and structures, you can effectively manage these complexities. Our heavy lifting and transport professionals offer the planning support needed to develop safe, efficient and cost-effective civil construction projects, contributing their creative engineering solutions and logistical experience.
By determining a project’s critical path early on we’ll help you identify the most efficient construction and installation strategy for the scope of work. During the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) phase, Mammoet will consider a variety of heavy lift and heavy transport approaches. By coming on board at this stage to support your custom planning, we can contribute to well-informed decision-making, leading to the most efficient construction and erection strategy. Factors to be assessed include construction methods, the limitations of the site and ways to optimize the schedule.
There are different methodologies to consider for most civil construction projects, including ‘stick-building’, prefabrication and preassembly. The feasibility and correct balance between cost and time saving must be assessed for each option. Prefabricated components and preassembled structures minimize the amount of construction time on-site, increasing efficiency and reducing disruption to the surrounding area. For instance, a prefabricated bridge might be installed over a weekend rather than waiting several months using conventional construction techniques.
However, such an operation has logistical implications. The most suitable logistics strategy will depend on the maximum size and weight capacities of the transport and installation solutions. Further to that, the most efficient route to site must be determined, and Mammoet’s experienced team will help identify any potential logistical bottlenecks and provide solutions to mitigate them.
We help our clients optimize their on-site schedule by analyzing all the horizontal and vertical moves required for all heavy and oversized items. Managing the interface between horizontal and vertical moves saves time and demurrage cost. This approach helps define the amount and type of equipment and resources we will supply for the project, guaranteeing the best utilization and reducing the risk of on-site congestion. Less heavy lifting equipment on-site improves safety and minimizes mobilization and demobilization activities, ultimately reducing disruption, environmental impact and cost.
Engineered heavy lifting and transport is often one of the leading factors on a construction project’s critical path. At Mammoet we are deeply committed to optimizing civil infrastructure projects, balancing factors such as efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and on- and off-site mobility without any compromise to safety. The best opportunities for optimization can be found at the earliest stages. We sit down with our clients and other parties involved to ensure that the best construction approach can be identified.
Mammoet has provided heavy lifting support and expertise on a wide variety of infrastructure construction projects around the world, developing unparalleled experience in the 210 years of its existence. Our engineers and advisors provide project teams with insight into a variety of alternatives, enabling them to find the optimal solution for each scenario.
Often, we accommodate particular logistical requirements. For example, for a new 47-kilometer metro line in Dubai, our challenge was ensuring over 13,000 concrete elements arrived on-site in the right order, according to a strict schedule. Before the first transport, Mammoet engineers surveyed the entire route to identify obstructions and bottlenecks, highlighting the required modifications. Careful planning and design was essential to realizing the construction safely, on time and with minimal disruption to the city.
Mammoet is now involved in the Thames Tideway Tunnel project to renew London’s sewage system. This project is all about complex logistics in one of the most congested cities in the world. Thorough analysis upfront, and close collaboration with all parties involved, unlocked opportunities to develop the optimal logistics chain. Turning our careful planning into safe execution, we ensure disruption is kept to a minimum – keeping London running, while it builds safely for the future.
Matthew Gent, Managing Director for Mammoet UK, has over 15 years of experience in civil construction projects with Mammoet, seeing first-hand the value of early engagement with clients in the planning stages of their projects.
Mammoet delivers more than engineered heavy lifting and transport for infrastructure projects – it helps realize an efficient construction plan and manage project complexity.
Civil infrastructure construction projects require management of a complex mix of factors. They need to meet deadlines, within a tight budget. They must deal with specific challenges such as realizing complex structures in highly congested urban areas or in hard-to-reach locations, all while safely executing the project and minimizing any impact on local communities and the environment. These projects are often subject to scrutiny from stakeholders such as public agencies, investors and the public. This can result in high risks for those responsible for the construction process.
Whatever the project’s specific circumstances are, Mammoet’s engineered heavy lifting and transport expertise is pivotal in meeting deadlines and managing risks for civil infrastructure construction companies. The complex logistical and installation requirements of large and heavy components such as bridge, viaduct or flyover sections often present challenges for the project’s critical path. We can meet those challenges, and at the same time our professionals will identify opportunities for efficiency gains and project optimization.
The overall efficiency of an infrastructure project benefits from an integrated approach – aligning and optimizing the construction work with all heavy lifting and transport activities on-site. Mammoet’s engineered heavy lifting and transport specialists can help ensure all items arrive on-site safely, in the right order and at the right time for installation. For some projects, a modular approach brings benefits. The use of preassembled structures or prefabricated components enables parallel activities to take place, reducing the overall schedule, and reduces disruption as construction work can take place off-site. The size and weight of these prefabricated structures often present logistical and installation challenges. Early consultation with engineered heavy lifting and transport experts enables those challenges to be addressed and opportunities for optimization to be realized.
Any construction process is vulnerable to contingencies. For example, supply chain delays or safety concerns during construction may require last-minute changes to the operational plan or design adaptations. However, careful assessment during the FEED and planning stages of a project allows many supply chain delays or safety concerns to be addressed and scenarios planned that make it possible to find alternatives in case of last-minute changes. As the delivery and installation of main infrastructure components are always on the critical path of a project, an effective response to a contingency may be significantly assisted by the expertise, ingenuity and agility of the engineered heavy lifting and transport specialists.
Mammoet’s purpose is to help civil infrastructure construction companies deliver their projects in the best way possible. Each project brings its own complexity and opportunities for increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In some cases, this may include pushing boundaries to realize spectacular designs.
Mammoet has a long history in developing and executing optimized construction approaches in civil infrastructure. Our professionals are experienced with the modular approach now being taken during many large-scale infrastructure projects. This often involves the horizontal and vertical positioning of large and heavy construction components. Our expertise and fleet of appropriate heavy lifting and transport equipment can dramatically shorten the construction schedule. We will efficiently install the parts, meeting the highest safety standards and with minimum disruption.
Mammoet’s expertise and flexible, creative approach is of great value when needing to adapt quickly and safely to last-minute changes or contingencies during a civil infrastructure construction project. Even when deadlines are tight, we can assemble an international team of the right experts, provide the most suitable heavy lifting equipment, and come up with a logistical approach that solves the problem flawlessly, safely, on time and on budget.
Michel Bunnik is Mammoet’s Sales Director for the Middle East. Since 2000, he has been involved in a wide range of engineered heavy lifting and transport projects, drawing on his experience to realize efficiency gains in infrastructure construction projects.
As cities grow, civil infrastructure projects are becoming more complex. Mammoet’s professionals help clients manage this complexity through the transport and relocation of large and heavy structures.
As urban areas expand, infrastructure such as transportation and drain and sewer networks need to be scaled up, renewed and extended to meet the demands of the population. Infrastructure projects often benefit from modular or whole structure construction off-site, ready to be transported into place for new transit links or other public works to become operational. In other cases, conflicts of interest can emerge when important cultural, historical or economic buildings are in the path of a development. Rather than demolishing them, an alternative option is carefully relocating these buildings in one piece out of the construction zone.
Constructing a road, rail or footbridge off-site and moving it to its foundation in one piece offers multiple benefits, from increased efficiency and higher safety levels through to better economies of scale. During urban renewal works, sometimes the best option is to remove an existing structure in one piece for off-site decommissioning and demolition. Mammoet’s expertise in heavy lifting and its state-of-the-art fleet of equipment are ideal for construction, relocation and decommissioning projects like these, where abnormal loads are the norm and creative engineering solutions are required.
New civil infrastructure construction projects often benefit from preassembling elements or the entire structure in a designated fabrication area. Constructing in a controlled environment mitigates weather impacts and enables safety factors, such as working at height, to be eliminated or carefully managed. Once complete, these structures need to be transported from factory-to-foundation safely, efficiently and cost-effectively with minimal disruption to local traffic. This method is increasingly common in bridge building and other areas of civil infrastructure construction. Mammoet’s creative engineering and specialized equipment is crucial for the safe, optimized execution of rapid replacement or accelerated construction techniques.
When entire structures need to be moved for preservation or decommissioning purposes, Mammoet carries out a careful analysis first. This is required to assess how the building or piece of infrastructure can be disconnected from its foundation, then safely moved and relocated. We have the necessary experience and expertise to design and implement dedicated reinforcement or support structures to allow for transporting or skidding without compromising the object’s structural integrity. Mammoet will plan your relocation, transport and/or decommissioning project, carefully selecting the right kind of equipment based on the transport weight, relocation distance and route.
Due to their sheer size and weight, operations to transport entire bridges or other large structures may encounter logistical challenges along the way. Mammoet conducts route studies to identify potential obstacles, and our professionals develop a detailed engineering plan that avoids or mitigate risks. Solutions, such as temporary bridge constructions and road reinforcement, can be used to bypass logistical bottlenecks. Alternatively different routes or modes of transport may be identified that avoid or overcome potential obstacles. Our teams work with local transport authorities to ensure all the correct abnormal load permits are acquired, and regulations adhered to. In one streamlined operation our professionals can transport the new piece of infrastructure to its location, lift and move an existing structure, install the new piece, and transport the old structure for decommissioning off-site.
The combination of our experience and expertise with our global fleet of state-of-the-art heavy lifting and transport equipment enables us to optimize relocation and decommissioning projects to minimize costs and keep these complex projects on schedule, while maintaining the highest standards of safety. This ensures that civil infrastructure projects can be executed with minimum disruption to the local economy and community.
In emergency situations, such as the unexpected failure of a piece of civil infrastructure, Mammoet’s safe, swift, response reduces risks, downtime and disruption.
Unplanned events can easily occur. Unforeseen complications during civil engineering projects, or unexpected failures of key infrastructure, can cause significant disruption, time delays and costs. The associated safety issues that may arise when a building, bridge or other structure is compromised are always the major concern. A rapid response is called for to reduce the risks, recover the situation, and minimize loss of revenue and disruption to local commerce and the community. With Mammoet’s expertise, equipment and creative engineering skills, we are ideally positioned to get things back on track, recovering assets, improving safety and minimizing the knock-on effects of such an event.
Our engineered heavy lifting and transport professionals have responded to situations around the world, and can apply their extensive experience to assessing the best solution when the unexpected occurs. With their can-do approach, they will put safety and the environment top of the agenda and find ways to swiftly reduce the impact of the emergency or failure. We have a global pool of expertise to draw on, and a fleet of state-of-the-art equipment — suitable for the biggest infrastructure construction projects — ready for mobilization from all corners of the world. In addition, our familiarity with local rules and regulations in territories around the globe is vital for an effective response to an emergency situation.
When failures or accidents occur involving a piece of infrastructure, or a civil infrastructure installation project, the number one concern is safety. Once the situation has been made safe, recovery operations can begin. For example, in one operation a 360-ton prefabricated bridge slipped from its piers into a river, blocking the waterway, halting the bridge construction project and threatening the integrity of the old bridge next to it. Mammoet’s response included deploying a semi-submersible and two floating sheerlegs to lift the bridge onto a pontoon where the steel structure could be surveyed and repaired. We were then commissioned to help complete the construction by placing the bridge back onto its piers.
Other cases have involved large and heavy items of construction equipment, which fail or become stuck during a project. This happened in Seattle in 2015. During the digging of a tunnel as part of a new road system for the city, the drilling module of Bertha — a tunnel boring machine — was damaged. Mammoet was called on to lift the machine’s cutter drive unit out for repair then lower it back in so that Bertha could continue boring the tunnel. Fast mobilization was essential to minimize disruption to Seattle’s roads, and a specially engineered solution was required to create a tower gantry capable of lifting and maneuvering the heavy component in a tight space in the city.
Once Mammoet professionals are on-site, the situation can be thoroughly assessed and a plan agreed upon. Mammoet will carry out logistical route planning to ensure the equipment arrives safely on-site. The right heavy lifting and transport equipment can be supplied for the salvage, repair or restoration work, bringing the area, piece of infrastructure or construction project back on stream swiftly and safely. Broken or damaged structures or equipment can be removed from the site for repair or demolition via optimal routes as determined during our logistical planning. Contact will be made with the relevant transport authorities to gain abnormal load permissions as required.
Our heavy lifting and transport specialists bring a wealth of experience whenever a rapid response is required during a civil engineering project. With in-depth knowledge of both the equipment and construction processes, combined with our ability to find creative engineering solutions, Mammoet is the key to a safe and cost-effective recovery operation.
