Unique Lift Proves Successful at Liberty Memorial Landmark

Enlarge Image Image 1. The Terex TX55-19 compact telehandler supplied by RSC Equipment Rental.

August 17, 2005 — Imagine taking a 5,000-pound telehandler with a 19-foot reach and lowering it by a crane nose down through a ventilation shaft with only 2 inches of clearance from one side of the wheel to the wall and about 10 inches to spare from the top of the cab to the bottom of the unit — all without causing any damage to the machine or a historic landmark. That's exactly the scenario general contractor Turner Construction faced recently when it needed to get a Terex TX55-19 compact telehandler down into the lower level of the historic World War I Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., for material picking and carrying work on this renovation job.

 

Enlarge Image Image 2. Belger Cartage Service oversees rigging of the telehandler on this unique lift.

Through a cooperative effort by Turner Special Projects, RSC Equipment Rental, which supplied the telehandler, and local crane company Belger Cartage Service, the rather unique lift went off without a hitch.

 

Turner Special Projects began working on Phase III of the Liberty Memorial project this summer, which includes the upper and lower level interior finish work of the new museum, said Brian Curtin, project superintendent for Turner Special Projects, Kansas City, Mo. Because there is limited access to the lower level, Curtin needed to lower the telehandler down to the lower level from the upper level mezzanine — the only possible entry point into the basement. According to Curtin, upon completion, the 30,000-square-feet lower level will support the Liberty Memorial staff and research center for World War I, as well as a two-story Horizon Theater visitors can view from the upper museum level. The museum level and theater is approximately 38,000 square feet.

 

Enlarge Image Image 3. And the lift at Liberty Memorial begins.

After pumping 250 yards of concrete through the ventilation shaft a week ago, it was time for the Terex telehandler to follow suit. After removing the grating, a space remained barely large enough for the unit to pass through, explained Jerry Leach, service manager for RSC in Lee's Summit, Mo. “I've done all kinds of different things, but this was the first time I'd seen and had to be responsible for something like this.”

 

According to Leach, it took roughly an hour and a half to set up and then the same amount of time to lower the unit through the hole. According to Leach, one of the biggest challenges was the possibility of the boom telescoping out as the telehandler was lowered nose first. “Basically, the only thing holding that material in there was the hydraulic check valve,” Leach said. “So I had to make sure it was secured and tied back well, ensuring it would not slip over and swing out as it became perpendicula

Enlarge Image Image 4. The crane operator positions the telehandler above the ventilation shaft opening.

r to the ground. After we drained out all of the hydraulics fluid, there was so much air in the systems there wasn't a whole lot other than check values keeping everything in place.”

 

In addition to his own planning, Leach had to get in touch with Terex for advice on rigging the telehandler to prevent damage on the new TX55-19, which only had logged five hours since it got to RSC's yard. “Anytime we're involved with doing something out of the ordinary, manufacturers want to know about it,” said Leach, explaining that he made contact with Terex in the States as well as the manufacturing people in Italy. “I wanted to know what their structured procedures for something like this were before the lift. A lot of times manufacturers will make us question their safety and service people, actually getting their authorization and input on seen or unforeseen problems beforehand.”

 

In this case, it only took about a day to get clearance from Terex, as well as the proper disclaimers.

 

Enlarge Image Image 5. It's a tight squeeze, but the lift goes off without a hitch.

For this lift, Belger Cartage Service chose a Link-Belt Model 8670, 70-ton crane, equipped with all of the features available for this unit, including an LMI that provides an instant readout of the weight being hoisted for the operator's safety, said Art Griffin, vice president of Belger. The crane carried 176 feet of boom and jib on-board, which allowed for quick setup and tear down. The Cartage team on-site included Dave Ratliff, crane operator, Tina Croucher, also a certified crane operator who served as the oiler on the lift, and Nic Smith, who was responsible for directing and special rigging of the unit.

 

According to Griffin, the main challenge on this project was the fact that the operator couldn't see the 6'x7' opening through which the telehandler was being placed. Therefore, he had to rely solely on the signals from the rigger to fit the machine through a very tight opening — all while being able to change the orientation of the machine from horizontal to vertical and back to horizontal.

 

Enlarge Image Image 6. The telehandler is placed securely on the lower level, where it will perform material handling duties for the next four months.

“The ability to accurately place the telehandler was accomplished because of the years of experience  the rigger and operator had from working together and the confidence they had in each other,” Griffin said. “The switch from horizontal to vertical and back to horizontal during the lift was accomplished through the use of specialized rigging equipment and prejob planning by the team.”

 

According to the Kansas City Business Journal, Turner Construction Co. won the $9.7 million design-build contract from Kansas City to build a World War I museum under the Liberty Memorial after deterioration had caused the landmark to close in 1994. The project is expected to be completed for a grand opening on Nov. 11, 2006 — Veteran's Day — 80 years after it originally opened in 1926. In addition to Turner Special Projects, local subcontractors involved on the project include Capital Electric for electrical work, Alexander Mechanical for mechanical and plumbing, and Barnes and Dodge for HVAC.

Photo credit: All photos were taken by Jerry Leach, service manager, RSC, Lee's Summit, Mo.