BUILD No. 2 / 2013

build

a magazine from atlas copco construction technique no. 2 / 2013

Test The

Brazil countdown * solar piles * delhi metro

I n Sweden, Peab’s Kim Fornes is helping to construct one of the most advanced vehicle test driving facilities in the world.

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The construction industry continues to consolidate.

Contents issue 2/2013 FRANCE FUME-FREE Road workers who deal with asphalt can benefit from fume extraction systems (page 4).

A promising market

While this issue of Build includes inspiring construction stories from around the world, I’d like to highlight the fact that North America is once again being viewed as a promising market by the global industry (see our profile of Albert Cervero of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers on pages 6–7).

Although cuts in government spending have affected a number of construction projects, the economy is recovering and the housing market is gaining traction. The energy sector is booming, and technological development in shale gas will surely change the global picture.

The construction industry continues to consolidate as bigger players buy up smaller ones – especially in the rental market. Rental penetration is on the rise, so in cooperation with rental companies Atlas Copco has developed rental-optimized models of its equipment.

As engine emission compliance legislation for off-road equipment moves from Tier 3 to Tier 4 Interim to Tier 4, manufacturers have to keep up. But innovation is one of Atlas Copco’s core values; we view these transitions as opportunities to leverage our technological advantage and cement our market position.

With local production, local distribution centers and a dedicated team of more than 500 people in North America, we’re ready to help our customers achieve sustainable productivity.

USA MANUFACTURING LOWDOWN Al Cervero shares his views on the U.S. market (page 6).

BRAZIL GAME ON Construction races forward to prepare for two major global sporting events (page 8).

Enjoy your reading,

Nico Delvaux Business Area President Atlas Copco Construction Technique

build a magazine from atlas copco construction technique PUBLISHER Mercedes Hernandez EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anna-Karin Stenlund

COPYRIGHT 2013, Atlas Copco AB, Stockholm ADDRESS Atlas Copco (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd.

anna.stenlund@se.atlascopco.com EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Mercedes Hernandez, Anja Kaulbach, Anna-Karin Stenlund and Elsie Vestraets PRODUCTION Appelberg Publishing Group, Sweden EDITORS Linas Alsenas and Lena Nilsson AD Ersan Cürüklü

– Construction Technique, 16/F China Venturetech Plaza, No 819 Nanjing West Road 200041 Shanghai, PRC WEB www.atlascopco.com COVER PHOTO Pontus Johansson

NEWS

PROJECT runway With only four days to renovate 36 000 square meters of runway track at Airbus’ Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport in Germany, contractor KEMNA BAU needed its machines to work in parallel. “In order to progress as quickly as possible, we decided to use two staggered machine units, consisting of a paver and a feeder,” explains Kemna’s Henning Peter. A third paver-feeder combination was on-site, just in case. Atlas Copco’s Dynapac pavers SD2550CS with the rigid screed R300TV were operated in combination with Dynapac’s new MF2500CS feeder for a successful result.

American acquisition

Atlas Copco has acquired a leading U.S. supplier of pneumatic light construction tools. Based in Santa Fe Springs, California, Pneumatic Holdings Inc. provides light pneumatic construction tools such as paving breakers, chipping hammers, rivet busters and rock drills, largely for contractors and rental companies within the construction industry. “This acquisition strengthens our distribution and presence in the North American construction market,” says Nico Delvaux, President of Atlas Copco’s Construction Technique business area.

Ready for monsoons

To keep its anthracite coal-mining operations in Laos going during the rainy monsoon season, the Phonesak Group has selected Atlas Copco WEDA pumps for the necessary dewatering. The group has placed a first order of six large pumps ranging from 11.8 to 54 kilowatts, part of a projected 20 units, through longtime distributor DKSH.

Introducing Asphalt Masters Asphalt applications are incredibly complex, so they need extra support. Accordingly, Atlas Copco is establishing a dedicated “Asphalt Master” position in selected Customer Centers around the world. This person will have all the necessary competence regarding technical knowledge and supply-chain logistics to quickly resolve customer issues – a single contact for a faster response.

5050+

The number of consecutive days without a lost-time accident at Atlas Copco’s Service Center in Covington, Georgia, USA.

Bright racers

Come together

Atlas Copco Construction Technique (CR) customers in North America may have already noticed that their orders – spare parts and machines – are coming from Charlotte, North Carolina. The distribution center there has consolidated all CR products, making logistics more efficient and increasing service levels.

Teams from around the world compete in the World Solar Challenge, a race for solar-powered vehicles that runs across Australia, from Darwin to Adelaide. The Punch Powertrain Solar Team, largely made up of students from Belgium’s University of Leuven, participated this year. At night, in the desert, the team’s vehicle maintenance work was lit by Atlas Copco-sponsored QLTH 40 light towers. Ben Van Hove, Vice President Marketing Portable Power at the company, says, “By supporting these forward-thinking students, we show that we believe in innovation and that our light towers are ideal for safe work in remote areas."

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PHOTO GETTY IMAGES

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They were concerned about having to work in an enclosed cab … they wouldn’t go back to the old way now.

Thomas Neeb, CEO, Pontiggia

Running off fumes A new system improves the daily work environment of paver operators.

Text Anna McQueen, LINAS ALSENAS PHOTO Bob Kegelaers

There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh

asphalt, is there? But road workers are confronted with it all day. New technology is helping to make their work more comfortable.

Asphalt is a complex mixture consisting of paraffinic and aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic compounds containing sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen.

Emissions from heated asphalts include both vapors and fumes – particles created by condensation from the gaseous state after volatilization – which are typically one micrometer or less in diameter. To control the movement of small particles, one must control the motion of the air in which they are suspended.

That’s why a sophisticated fume extraction system has been developed for asphalt work at the source, integrated into the pavers. On Atlas Copco’s Dynapac SD2500 and SD2550 large tracked pavers, the

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Pontiggia’s new paver is equipped with a fume extraction system.

optional installation includes a large fan positioned over the paver tracks. It sucks up the fumes and pulls them forward, in front of the hopper containing the asphalt. Also, the operator cab is now enclosed for even further protection.

The American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requires 80% indoor capture efficiency for hot mix asphalt pavers. The Dynapac range was tested in July 2012, and achieved 94.3% efficiency.

A new initiative from the French national health insurance fund provides financial help for small and medium-sized enterprises to upgrade the equipment they need. For example, in February 2013 the AlsaceMoselle Retirement and Occupational Health Insurance Fund (Carsat), a state-run organization which is part of the health insurance network, helped fund a fume extraction system on a new paver for Pontiggia, an Alsace-based road builder which employs 180 people.

“We were delighted to benefit from this program, which funded 97% of the price tag of the fume extractor option on our new Atlas Copco Dynapac paver,” says Thomas Neeb, CEO of Pontiggia.

He adds, “Without the scheme, we would have gone for the extractor option anyway, but it’s very helpful to smaller companies like ours to have such financial support from the state; it demonstrates a very forwardthinking approach.” Pontiggia has also equipped some of its fleet with reversing cameras, paid for in part

by Carsat to further improve safety. Neeb notes that

initially there was some resistance from Pontiggia’s workforce regarding the new pavers. “People tend not to like change, and they were concerned about having to work in an enclosed cab, which they thought might restrict them,” he says. “But they soon realized the benefits of such a system, and they wouldn’t go back to the old way now.”

Bob Kegelaers, Regional Business Line Manager, Road Construction Equipment for Atlas Copco in France, says the demand for fume extractors on pavers first came from big players such as Colas and Eurovia, but smaller companies are now coming on board. “For them, it represents an important investment, which is why programs like Carsat’s are extremely important,” he says.

Demand for fume extraction systems is growing in France. Atlas Copco has been offering the option since early 2013, and Kegelaers notes that this year about 20% of all new orders will be equipped with it. “This is the future of road building in France,” he says.

DRIVER COMFORT The Atlas Copco Dynapac SD paver range, which features a fume suction system option, was designed with the operator in focus. igher sitting position, with an adH justable ergonomic seat (available with heating) Improved visibility, for example

toward the front because of repositioned A-pillars t the press of a button, the platA form slides out up to 50 cm on both sides ab has generous headroom, flat C floor, large storage space wo integrated working lights in the T roof, to the front and to the rear.

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Al Cervero Age: 57 Home: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA Occupation: VP of Marketing and Global Business Development, Association of Equipment Manufacturers Family: Wife, three grown children, one grandson Hobbies: One of the first Americans in Milwaukee to play soccer (association football), Cervero spent many years coaching youth soccer teams. Now he cheers for his local American football team, the Green Bay Packers.

Navigating an uncertain

market

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Al Cervero from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers says success requires more than just high quality in an unpredictable equipment market.

Text Michael Miller Photo jennifer brindley

Al Cervero, Vice President of Marketing and

Global Business Development at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, keeps an eye on all aspects of the heavy equipment industry. He leads the construction sector of the U.S.-based association, which represents about 900 makers of equipment for the construction, agricultural, mining, forestry and utility sectors.

Equipment manufacturers are always trying to peer around the next curve in the road, but Cervero says that the future is becoming more unpredictable.

“It’s a foggy crystal ball at the moment,” he says.

Highway construction has always been a big driver for manufacturers of off-road heavy equipment, but the current political climate in Washington has meant that road-building legislation has been subject to a series of short-term extensions.

“When our members try to plan what to build, they look to the contractors,” Cervero says. “The contractors look at the highway bill and say there’s no certainty whether they’re going to cut 30% out of this bill or whether it’s even going to be passed.”

A brighter area is energy, which saw an increase of about 20% in private-sector spending in 2012. “That drove a fair amount of equipment acquisition,” he says, and investment is continuing, although at a slightly slower pace.

Residential construction, another driver of equipment purchases, was up significantly in the first few months of 2013, but it has slowed since then. Demand for agricultural equipment is holding up well, Cervero says, thanks to strong crop prices.

The uncertainty that plagues many business operators has one bright side: the rental market for heavy equipment. “About 45–48% of equipment purchases go into the rental market, and uncertainty drives the rental business,” he says.

One big hurdle, Cervero notes, is the implementation of strict US Tier 4 emission standards for off-road diesel engines. “The initial acquisition for the rental companies requires a tremendously higher price, and there is no real ‘green’ movement by contractors, so nobody is really paying more for the rental of that product,” he says. The rental companies’ return on investment goes down, so they keep the product in service longer, which

means slower sales for equipment makers.

“The challenge for manufacturers will be to educate the customer on life-cycle costs,” Cervero says. “How can they help a customer drive down costs for the end user?”

The equipment industry has seen sweeping consol-

idation in the past 10 or 15 years. At the same time, new competitors have arisen in other parts of the world.

“This competition is a threat to existing manufacturers,” he says. “Manufacturers need to educate and communicate the value of the products they build, and not assume that the end user will recognize that the new players are just using cheaper prices to penetrate the market.”

Another challenge is the need to keep up with technology. “Customers are expecting a tremendous amount of connectivity, and that connectivity is going to have to be much different than in the past,” he says. “The operator will not only connect with his machine, but he will want to connect with his dealer and the manufacturer, not just through equipment telematics but through mobile telematics.”

It’s a foggy crystal ball at the moment.

Cervero says machines could soon be able to tell when a part needs to be replaced, so that manufacturers can deliver the part to a customer the day before it is actually needed.

The big event for the construction industry will be the Conexpo-Con/Agg trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, which takes place once every three years. Scheduled for March 4–8, 2014, this next show will feature 2 400 exhibitors and is expected to attract 120 000 industry professionals. “The manufacturers’ equipment innovations and introductions drive a significant amount of equipment acquisitions and efficiency ideas for contractors,” Cervero says.

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The Maracana Stadium is undergoing renovations for the FIFA Brazil 2014 World Cup. A new roof has been constructed.

The countdown With the World Cup and the Olympic Games fast approaching, Brazil scrambles to provide the necessary infrastructure.

Text Michael Miller Photo getty images

To say Brazilians are passionate about sports would be an understatement. Pelé, the only footballer to be a part of three World Cup-winning squads, is a national hero. His countryman Ronaldo, the highest goal scorer in World Cup history, is revered as a football god.

So Brazilian fans have plenty to look forward to, as their country is set to host football’s World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016.

The World Cup matches will be held in 12 cities, where construction workers are racing to complete seven new stadiums and refurbish five existing ones.

The Olympic Games will be held in 18 existing venues, nine new ones and seven temporary facilities in the Rio de Janeiro area, plus four football venues outside Rio. World Cup preparations, including stadium construction, are expected to cost more than 13 billion U.S. dollars, while the infrastructure budget for the

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Under the spotlight

wn Paulo Oscar, Odebrcht’s Equipment Trading Superintendent

To prepare for the World Cup and the earlier Confederations Cup, construction at several Brazilian stadiums is ongoing day and night. At Arena Fonte Nova, Arena Castelão, Mineirão and Mané Garrincha stadium, Atlas Copco lighting towers are providing good visibility for the night shift. Developed specifically for the Brazilian market – where diesel has slightly different formulations – these lighting towers also feature spillage-free technology.

“Since this equipment is produced in Brazil, construction companies can access special government financing programs,” says Fernando Groba, Business Line Manager for Portable Energy, Atlas Copco.

Olympics – including subway and highway projects as well as housing for the athletes – is more than 14 billion U.S. dollars.

Officials from football’s international governing body (FIFA) and the International Olympic Committee have been conducting inspection tours amid concerns that a slow start to some construction projects and delays in others could hamper plans for the sporting events.

The stakes are high. When World Cup tickets went on sale in August 2013, FIFA was flooded with more than a million requests in the first seven hours. The Olympics here will be the first time that South America hosts the games.

“I truly know the construction will get done, as

I truly know the construction will get done, as there is no Plan B. Jonathan Kendall, Co-founder, TSS Brazil

there is no Plan B,” says Jonathan Kendall, Co-founder of Rio-based TSS Brazil, a consultancy to the energy, construction and technology industries. “But there is not enough project management expertise here in Brazil, so this is an opportunity to bring in the best and the brightest from outside.”

Odebrecht Engineering and Construction, Latin America’s largest engineering and construction company, is involved in the construction of several World Cup venues, transport infrastructure for the Olympics and the vast housing complex for the Olympic athletes, which will contain 3 600 apartments in 31 buildings.

Paulo Oscar Auler Neto, Equipment Trading Superintendent for Odebrecht, says his company runs extensive training programs in cooperation with the federal and local governments to boost workers’ skill levels.

“We don’t lack the quantity of manpower; the problem is skills,” he says. (Odebrecht’s construction division employs some 170 000 people.)

The final World Cup match is to be held in Rio de Janeiro’s newly refurbished Maracana stadium, the biggest football venue in Brazil. The stadium will also host the opening ceremony for the Olympics two years later.

FIFA says it is committed to making the World Cup a sustainable event. Many of the stadiums will apply for LEED certification as green buildings, with solar panels on the roofs and systems to capture rainwater for reuse. Moreover, many are being planned with an eye to future use for shows, exhibitions and trade fairs.

Oscar says the future of Brazil’s construction industry is bright even beyond the World Cup and Olympic Games.

“We believe our company can keep growing at more than 10% a year,” he says. “In Brazil we have a lot of needs regarding infrastructure, everything you can imagine – roads, subways, sewage treatment, potable water, railroads, energy, power plants, harbors. I think we will be busy for the next 30 or 40 years.”

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Tested by test In Sweden, a state-of-the-art driving environment is being constructed for road safety research.

Text Cari Simmons PhOTOS PONTUS JOHANNSON

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sting grounds

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eep in the Swedish woods there

is a cluster of roads where pushing vehicles to their top speeds won’t get you a ticket.

When it opens, AstaZero will be among the most advanced vehicle testing grounds in the world, a place where car and truck manufacturers will challenge the speed and safety of their products.

Located some 60 kilometers east of Gothenburg and scheduled for completion in September 2014, this facility will test vehicle dynamics, driver behavior, and measurement and positioning technology. At the researchers’ disposal will be six kilometers of country roads, one kilometer of multilane roads, three bridges, two acceleration stretches (each a kilometer long), a simulated city area and a 240-meter-diameter vehicle dynamics area (VDA).

“There is nothing like this VDA anywhere else in the world,” says Bo Wirén, Quality Engineer at Peab, the construction and civil engineering company contracted to build all of the paved areas. “It’s the biggest.”

At the AstaZero site, Wirén is one of about 60 people from Peab, which began work in September 2012.

The company has had, at most, 65 active machines in the area, including three compactors. That is the largest concentration of machines Peab has ever had in an area this size.

Wirén says that completing the job in less than two years is perhaps the biggest challenge, noting that it has been particularly difficult transporting such huge volumes in such a short time; by the time Peab leaves the site in July 2014, the company will have extracted approximately 620 000 cubic meters of rock and 350 000 cubic meters of peat. The team is using the Atlas Copco Dynapac CA6000D compactor, the first to be put into operation when the model was launched

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Peab’s operator Kim Fornes (left), seen here with Quality EngineerBo Wirén, enjoys the quiet cab.

The driver’s view

at the end of 2011. “We were a little concerned before starting because of the huge amount of rock to move, but the compaction has gone well,” says Wirén.

Good drivers and precision instruments are vital for this project, he says. Peab must meticulously pack an 80-millimeter layer of gravel before covering it with three layers of asphalt. “We really pack in the gravel and drive back and forth, watering it for optimum sealing,” Wirén says. “We have tougher demands for these roads than when we build highways.”

Peab uses Atlas Copco Dynapac’s Compaction Analyzer software to map ground conditions and calculate compaction, checking for weak areas. “It’s a very clear system,” says Wirén. “We used to have to write everything out on paper, and it was never as good. Now, just a few clicks on the computer and you have a detailed report. And, with a centimeter-accurate GPS on top of it, you can see where you are driving at all times.”

” We have tougher demands for these roads than when we build highways.”

Operator Kim Fornes hops out of the Atlas Copco Dynapac CA6000D with a smile. After more than 3,000 driving hours, he feels quite at home in Atlas Copco’s latest compactor. The Dynapac CA6000D is built for comfort. The combustion air intake is placed at the top of the hood with the outlet down the sides, combined with the ejector exhaust outlet. The result? “This is a quieter machine than the others I’ve driven,” says Fornes.

“I don’t need to wear headsets when driving, and I can listen to the radio while working – which is nice, especially during a long workday.”

The driver’s seat rotates and has a steering module that allows movement of up to 180 degrees.

This helps take away any stress or strain on the neck and body.

The cab is also well insulated and air-conditioned, which Fornes says he appreciated during the hot summer. Whenever possible – particularly when moving the machine from one area to another – Fornes uses Atlas Copco Dynapac’s ECO mode to minimize fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Fornes also uses Atlas Copco Dynapac’s documentation system daily. “Most compactors don’t come with a documentation system, but I think having one makes a big difference,” he says. “I record everything to ensure that I don’t miss a surface. At the same time, we can make a print-out and show our progress.” Moreover, if Fornes misses a day on the job, another driver can easily pick up where he left off.

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Atlas Copco’s new Dynapac compactors use 20% less fuel than the previous generation of compactors, thanks to the engine’s ECO mode, with lower carbon dioxide emissions, as well.

Safety zone

Such energy efficiency is important for Peab. “We

have ECO driver education courses, for example, and we’re looking into alternative forms of energy, such as adding pine tree oil to fuel,” says Wirén. “We’ve made a big improvement in gas efficiency and emission levels in our vehicles, compared to just a few years ago.”

Nearly SEK 500 million (EUR 57 million) has been invested in the AstaZero project, so it has attracted a great deal of media attention. Those curious about seeing the VDA better look now; once AstaZero is up and running, its fences will hide the latest top-secret developments in the automotive world.

MISSION CONTROL Puts you in full control of the entire compaction process. The simple display includes the compaction meter, and progress is recorded by the DCA+GPS documentation system.

LOW NOISE and modern, spacious cab The position of the engine is one important reason for the very low noise level in the cab.

www.astazero.com

CROSS-MOUNTED ENGINE Access to all daily maintenance points enables easy serviceability.

ACTIVE BOUNCING CONTROL Prevents over-compaction as well as damage to the machine.

OPTIMIZED PARAMETERS Superior compaction performance with increased amplitude and high static linear load (60 kg/cm).

The AstaZero (Active Safety Test Area) test facility is being built for the research and development of future road safety systems.

This collaboration between academia, industry and authorities welcomes international stakeholders such as vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, legislators, road agents, universities and technical institutes from around the world. Among AstaZero’s partners are Volvo, Scania, the Swedish Transport Administration and Autoliv, a global automotive safety supplier.

Driver Control The new cab still allows rotation of the seat.

LOW FUEL CONSUMPTION Optimized losses for increased sustainability. ECO mode achieves a 15–20% reduced diesel consumption compared to previous models.

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In India, specialist contractor Indigo InfraProjects needs reliable air power for its ground engineering work on the Delhi metro.

Text Linas Alsenas Photo john hooper

Under Delhi Delhi, one of the world’s largest and most con-

gested cities, began construction in 1998 of a metro network that will have the capacity to carry 6 million passengers daily.

The first phases are now completed, and 2 million passengers currently use the six metro lines. Phase 3, scheduled for completion by 2016, will add two new lines and 10 route extensions. The project will be fully completed in 2021.

Indigo InfraProjects specializes in ground engineering techniques, including anchoring, shoring, shotcreting and rock bolting. The company has won a number of contracts on Phase 3 from the main contractors, L&T Construction and Pratibha Industries.

“We maintain a 100% Atlas Copco fleet of portable air compressors,” says Anil Singh, Site Manager with Indigo. “Our Delhi Metro fleet consists of XAH 210, XAT 266 and XAHS 486 models, all of which are ideal for our needs.”

At Kalkaji station, near the ancient Kalkar Temple, Indigo uses an Atlas Copco XAT 266 for slope stabilization shotcreting on the excavated slopes of the cut-

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In this type of situation, it is essential to have equipment that you can rely on.

Anil Singh, Site Manager, Indigo InfraProjects

and-cover station. Over an area 20 meters deep, 25 meters wide and 500 meters long, a mix of cement, aggregates, sand and crushed dust is sprayed to a depth of up to 100 millimeters over predetermined areas. “In this type of situation, it is essential to have equipment that you can rely on,” says Singh.

At the site of the Vasant Vihar underground station Indigo is installing rock bolts along the cut-and-cover excavated station. Using an XAT 266 to power an Atlas Copco ROC 203 drill, the company must drill anchor holes that are 15 meters deep with a diameter of 152 millimeters and an angle of 20 degrees in predominantly fragmented rock.

The XAT 266 provides a free air delivery of 550 cubic feet per minute at 10.5 bar. Singh says that compared with the older model, XAH 210, the extra pressure of the XAT 266 is invaluable. “If the hammer becomes ‘locked’ in the rock, the instant extra power is easily able to retrieve it,” he says. “Fuel consumption is also really good for the extra power output, using less than 20 liters per hour.”

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The Apennine In Italy, a tunnel project takes on one of Europe’s most geologically complex areas.

Text Daniel a Stasi, courtesy of Le Strade Photos COurtesy of Le Strade

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ome 90 000 vehicles a day travel the section of the A1 motorway that connects Bologna and Florence in Italy. A new alternative route, part of the Variante di Valico project administered by Autostrade per l’Italia S.p.A., is being constructed to improve travel time and safety.

The road traverses the Appenines, a mountain range that includes unstable combinations of gas, rocks and faults. This geological mix is a major challenge for tunneling projects such as the 3.4-kilometer Val di Sambro tunnel, located in the La Quercia-Badia Nuova section of the Variante di Valico route.

“The material that we found when excavating is what we call the ‘chaotic complex,’ consisting of clays and sandstones,” says Fabio di Giancinto, Project Manager and Environmental Officer for Lagaro, a consortium comprising CMB, Consorzio Coop Costruzioni and CFM. Responsible for building 1.8 kilometers of the tunnel, Lagaro uses excavation methods based on prediction, monitoring and deformation response to excavation that employ conservation systems to maintain the structural characteristics of the soil.

Due to the presence of gas pockets, all the machines and equipment used for the construction of the tunnel are equipped with explosion-proof protection systems.

Excavation of the tunnel begins with Atlas Copco HB 4100 breakers.

way

Lagaro Foreman Alberto Perretta describes his team’s progression through the rock: “A breaker carries out the removal of the front, from the foot to the back to the core. Then the breaker is replaced by a debris excavation shovel.” Afterward, an excavator is used to excavate the future position of the arch; the arch is opened, and a flashcrete sprayer creates the initial covering of the rock face.

“Given that we are dealing with a particularly fractured face, we opted for a flashcrete with fiber reinforcing,” says Perretta. “This means we do not have to position mesh over the arches later.”

When the flashcrete operation is complete, the arch is covered with three layers of sprayed concrete (shotcrete). Every three arches, struts are put in place to give continuity to the previous arches. They become a single body, counteracting material subsidence, thus preventing any sagging. The waterproofing is composed of two layers, the first made of a nonwoven fabric, the second

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Full Care Service Because Lagaro has a Full Care Service Contract with Atlas Copco, a service team provides 24-hour support, including routine and one-off maintenance as well as regular visits to the site to check upgrading, settings and correct use of the equipment.

“The supplier’s availability has proved to be hard to match,” says Lagaro Foreman Alberto Perretta. “We bought three breakers and the company has another breaker on hand, ready to be used in case of an emergency. This consideration is of paramount importance to us, as it means we have zero downtime and do not feel abandoned by the supplier.”

Excavation of the tunnel begins with Atlas Copco HB 4100 breakers.

of PVC. Perretta says that on average the team constructs three arches in a 24-hour working day divided into three shifts. “Potentially we produce 2 000 cubic meters of material every 12 linear meters,” he says. “After weeks of monitoring rock face blasting times, the technical director of construction, Lorenzo Contin, has developed a monthly production program that has allowed us to significantly speed up execution times.”

The excavation team is using three Altas Copco HB 4100 breakers. The latest models have a significantly improved power/weight ratio, weighing less with greater efficiency. Ennio Pierdicca, Central Italy Sales Area Manager for Altas Copco Construction Tools, explains that using smaller machines reduces investment expense.

“Operating costs are generally lower because the hydraulic system used to operate the breaker requires less power and consumes less fuel,” he says.

Dust suppression is an essential task when working in tunnels. Lagaro proposed changes to the breaker’s spray stick to increase its effectiveness. “In place of the spray adapter plate, which for our purposes was too big, we asked for more compact nozzles to be positioned closer to the tool,” Perretta says. “In this way, the spray is more localized.”

Perretta is pleased with Lagaro’s collaboration with Atlas Copco. “The HB 4100 has completed about 200 hours of work to date and has not caused us any problems,” he says. “We are pleased not only with the high quality of the product but also with the after-sales services, which are really flawless.”

“ Operating costs are generally lower because the hydraulic system used to operate the breaker requires less power and consumes less fuel.”

Clean and green The Variante di Valico’s Val di Sambro tunnel worksite is a model of cleanliness and order.

Lagaro Environmental Officer Fabio Di Giacinto explains: “We have been subject to several environmental audits, by both CMB (Lagaro) and Autostrade per l’Italia. We have actively implemented a waste recycling system for the entire operating life of the site. Boxes of different recyclable materials are distributed along the tunnel, ranging from mechanically removed mud to packaging, and water is channeled into a purifier and only drained after analysis.”

Tunnel team Works management and coordination: Spea Ingegneria Europea, a subsidiary of Gruppo Autostrade per l’Italia Tunnel design: Rocksoil Contractor: The Lagaro Consortium, comprising CMB, Consorzio Cooperative Construzioni and the CFM cooperative.

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Pile on A contractor installs hundreds of piles a day for solar energy projects in South Africa.

Text Anja Kaulbach PHOTO Amanda roets

“

So far our average pile production rate is five minutes per pile.

Jared Prowse, Operations Manager, Geopile Africa

Solar radiation levels in South

Africa are among the highest in the world. The country’s solar energy industry is heating up with a number of project sites in the Northern Cape.

“These solar field sites are generally very large, in some cases three kilometers long and 1.25 kilometers wide,” says Jared Prowse, Operations Manager at Geopile Africa, a specialist contractor for pilings and foundations.“For us this is not a problem because our piling rigs are extremely flexible.”

Geopile Africa employs the Duktus piling system using Atlas Copco HB 2000 hydraulic breakers mounted on Volvo excavators.

The high power and blow frequency of the HB 2000 breakers are major advantages for pile-driving operations of

this type. The Duktus system concentrates 4 000 joules of energy per blow of the hydraulic breaker down onto the pile-driving shoe. With the breaker delivering at a rate of 400 blows per minute, piles can be driven easily and rapidly through the hard, abrasive layers of the upper soils.

“So far our average pile production

rate is five minutes per pile, and ­ with four piling rigs on-site we can install up to 400 piles per day,” says Prowse. “These projects require us to install more than 50 000 piles in a working period of just over six months. My aim is to complete these works safely and ahead of schedule for my clients.”

Atlas Copco HB 2000 hydraulic breaker he HB 2000 has a service weight T of 2 000 kilograms.

The VibroSilenced System protects operators and environment against noise and vibrations.

The AutoControl adapts the blow frequency and impact energy to the rock hardness.

he ContiLube™ II integrated autoT matic lubrication system provides continuous and adjustable lubrication.

The PowerAdapt system shuts down the breaker if the oil pressure is too high.

Launch pad

SOLID ADDITION

As drainage pumps get smaller, solids become a problem. But with the introduction of Atlas Copco’s WEDA 04S, a 0.4kilowatt sludge/trash pump with a maximum flow of 270 liters per minute and a maximum head of 10.5 meters, there’s a solution. Weighing only 10 kilograms, this robust little pump travels easily.

HANDY BROCHURE

For a comprehensive look at Atlas Copco Construction Technique, down-load the new corporate brochure at www.acprintshop.com, part no. 2915 8060 00.

Explore the organization’s structure and check out the overview of its products and services – and don’t miss the Go Mobile section at the end.

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

Under the supervision of TÜV Nord, Atlas Copco conducted a study to measure the comfort and safety of handheld breakers according to ISO standards.

Incredibly, the hand-arm vibration value of its CobraTM Pro was shown to be 3.8 on Dynaload and 5.8 in real work on concrete, with 61 Joules of impact energy – better values than what the company claimed. For more info, go to www.cobra-pro.com.

TIGHT TURNS

A fixed-frame roller with steered drums, the Atlas Copco’s Dynapac CG2300 is easy to transport and maneuver in confined spaces. The new model is only 3.99 meters long and 2.99 meters high, with an inner turning radius of 2.65 meters and an offset of 1.2 meters. Along with reduced fuel consumption and noise levels, it has optimized ergonomics, excellent drum-edge visibility and an advanced electronic mini steering wheel with a four-piston steering system.

CUSTOMIZED POWER

Within Atlas Copco’s QAC range of large diesel generators, a new set of models follows a more modular philosophy. The offer for QAC 1000 flx, QAC 1200 flx and QAC 1250 flx starts with the base machine and allows local market conditions to determine which options are most cost-effective. These models are best suited for applications that need large power nodes.

Join readers from more than 86 countries who have downloaded the Build magazine app to their tablets or smartphones (Apple or Android). Just search for “Atlas Copco Build” in the App Store or Google Play. The app has been updated to make it easier to find the articles you are looking for in different categories.

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Build ON THE GO