A Lampson model LTL2600 mobile crane, which has become a landmark towering above the new Olympic Stadium in Sydney, will soon be derigged after “raising the roof” of this spectacular structure.
The crane has been rigged with 122 m of boom and 61 m of fly to lift up to 600 tonnes in the lifting and positioning of steel arched roof trusses onto two megashore supports measuring 42 m high and 16 m wide. The roof measures 30,000 sq. metres.
Toted as one of the world’s largest mobile cranes, it was erected on the 16 hectare stadium site, in early 1997.
The building, being constructed by Stadium Australia, a consortium comprising Multiplex and Hambros companies, at a cost of A$690 million, is designed to seat 110,000 people for the Sydney Olympic 2000 Games.
The LTL2600 crane was designed by Lampson International and has been fitted with contemporary parts and systems developed by Lampson (Australia). This includes strobe lighting attached to the jib to alert aircraft flying in the area.
The crane measures 35 m by 12 m at the base, has a 1200 t counterweight and weighs a total 2200 t. It has 10 motors and the boom can be constructed to a height of 323 m. The boom was erected at the Homebush Bay site using two 4100 Manitowoc cranes each with lifting capacities of over 200 t. All the crane elements were delivered to the site using 25 trucks. Ten workers assembled it in six weeks.
Once the roof arches are in place and fixed to permanent concrete columns at each end of the megashores will be removed. When the roof is finished it will be wider than the Sydney Harbour Bridge according to the Olympic Coordination authority (OCA). The crane is scheduled to leave the Olympic site late March this year.
Up to 26 cranes, including mobile tower, crawler mounted and hydraulic truck cranes, with capacities ranging from five to 250 t have also been used at the stadium site, supplied by various hirers.
