Precast Solutions - September/October 2008 - (Page 18) would create some challenges for the precaster, whose largest overhead crane can safely lift only 30,000 pounds. To get the 49,000-pound pieces manufactured and moved, the precaster had to cast them, tip them up, and then use its largest (62,000-pound) forklift to pick up the sections and take them outside. The unusual maneuvering took time and required Hancock to limit its other production in order to complete four sections daily for the box culvert. “We cleared out half of the building to make room for the forklift,” Schmidgall said. “Frankly, the forklift did most of the work,” he added. “Once we got in a rhythm, it went well.” To transport the huge sections from the yard to the job site, Hancock had to lay them down on a truck and deliver the pieces as “wide loads,” which in turn meant maneuvering the trucks around cities and other congested areas. Obstacles aside, Schmidgall said precast was a natural fit for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it – like the new I-35W bridge – will likely be around for 100 years or more. “For a structure to be buried that long in the ground and used by bikers, walkers and inline skaters, you can’t get any more secure than precast,” Schmidgall said. Precast also helped to keep the project on track. Minnesota’s limited number of “outdoor workdays,” for example, creates the perfect environment for products that can be manufactured indoors. “It was early in the year, and the project owners wanted all of the precast concrete pieces made in a controlled environment,” says Schmidgall. “Anything 18 PRECAST SOLUTIONS | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
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