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12th Day of Construction Gifts: A Heavy-Duty Tool Backpack
Editor’s note: Each day until Christmas, Equipment World is featuring a new gift idea for the construction enthusiast in your life. Check back each day to our Gear section or subscribe to our Equipment World Daily newsletter to see each day’s new idea.
Reinforced for more wear and tear, this heavy-duty tool backpack from Custom Leathercraft is a solid alternative to the standard toolbox.
Constructed with 1680D ballistic polyester and extra webbing around the pockets and handles, it’s strong and large enough to hold heavy tools. The backpack features two large zipper compartments, 38 reinforced pockets, a cell phone holder, tape measure clip and a padded compartment to store electronics or valuables.
The molded base on the backpack has a square bottom allowing it to lay flat when placed on the ground and consists of soft material for extra back comfort. Three large foam back pads and a 2-way adjustable sternum strap offer support and comfort.
The double-stitched tape binding helps keep tools safe and dry, while remaining light enough to carry fully loaded to the jobsite.
The molded base tool backpack can be purchased on CLC’s website for $139.00.
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https://constructionosa.org/?p=1254
Tadano names Barley president
Effective January 1, Dean Barley will take the helm as president and COO of Tadano America Corp., succeeding Ingo Schiller.
Barley currently serves as vice president of customer service and general manager of Latin America sales. He initially joined Tadano in 2019 following the acquisition of Demag to run Demag as a separate division before integrating Demag cranes into Tadano’s portfolio. Before joining Tadano, he worked at Terex for more than two decades in a variety of capacities.
“I am truly honored to have the opportunity to follow Ingo in this role. He has been instrumental in developing Tadano America to the great company it is today and the Pan-America Region into the success that we are now enjoying,” says Barley.
Schiller has been promoted to chief marketing officer of Tadano Ltd. He will be responsible for all global marketing activities for the Tadano Group of companies, as well as the director of the US entity that holds both Tadano America Corp. and Tadano Mantis Corp.
Schiller joined Tadano America in 2016, becoming its president and CEO the following year. He led Tadano America through the integration of Demag Mobile Cranes into the company’s portfolio and several crane model lineup expansions for the region.
“I could not be happier with the news that Dean Barley will succeed me as I know that he brings the right talents that will help the continued growth and success of the Pan-America team. He is the right person to take this business to the next level,” says Schiller.
Along with this change, Shinichi Iimura, a long-time veteran of Tadano, will become chairman and CEO.
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https://constructionosa.org/?p=1251
Product Roundup: JLG analyzer capabilities now available for phones, tablets
JLG analyzer capabilities now available for phones, tablets
The same functionality you find on JLG’s Handheld Analyzer is now available on customers’ mobile devices. The new JLG BluetoothAnalyzer and Bluetooth Analyzer Reader feature in the JLG Mobile Control App allows users to troubleshoot, calibrate or customize their JLG mobile control equipped scissors with a smartphone or tablet, says Ara Eckel, director of product management for JLG connected solutions.
The new Bluetooth Analyzer feature allows users to view and edit machine parameters via their mobile device through an interface that’s similar to the physical analyzer. The Bluetooth Analyzer Reader enables users to view a summary of requested machine analyzer menus, as well as the ability to download and share files through a user’s smart device.
Both new Bluetooth-enabled features are supplemental to the Remote Analyzer tool, which is currently available as an option on JLG CAN-enabled ES and R Series scissor lifts equipped with the JLG Mobile Control module. These new Bluetooth features will be available on JLG RT and ERT rough terrain models in the near future.
Kohler’s KSD engines offer multiple fuel options including diesel, gasoline and propane.KohlerNew Kohler engine family aims for small displacement applications
Today’s sophisticated machines require engines that can integrate with complex control systems, and that’s the need Kohler addressed with the launch of its new KSD series engines.
There are three basic models in the lineup with more to come in the next few years:
KSD 1403NA, naturally aspiratedKSD 1403TC, turbocharged KSD 1403TCA, turbocharged with aftercooler
As to performance, the Kohler KSD engines develop 24 horsepower (18 kW) at 1,800 rpm and peak torque of 88.5 foot-pounds (120 Nm) at 1,400 rpm. At low speed, the KSD series offer 70 foot-pounds (95 Nm) at 1,000 rpm. In this horsepower range, the KSD engines comply with all global emissions standards and fuels. Multi-fuel solutions including diesel, gasoline and propane, are available.
According to the company, the new electronically controlled engines can be easily integrated with the more complex electronic systems of today’s machines without modifying the machine. Electronic controls allow the engine to maintain performance at high altitudes and optimize fuel consumption by matching the hydraulics to the engine load and speed. Engines can be set up for any duty cycle and can exchange data with the machine using minimal physical connections.
Dual side service access and flexibility in fan positioning enables these engines to fit a wide range of OEM machines. Remote monitoring for diagnostics and geo-location help customers stay on top of maintenance requirements. The engines are aimed at applications such as generators ag tractors, excavators, loaders, forklifts, compressors, dumpers, and mowers.
Demarec grapple with Steelwrist SQ coupler.SteelwristDemarec, Steelwrist sign cooperation agreement for quick couplers
Demand for quick couplers that enable operators to change attachments from the convenience of their cabs is growing. Demarec is jumping on the bandwagon with their agreement to use factory-installed Steelwrist automatic quick couplers.
The Steelwrist lineup adheres to the Open-S industry standard and includes the SQ60, SQ65, SQ70, SQ70/55, SQ80 and the recently introduced SQ90 — the biggest model to date. Demarec is one of the leading manufacturers of hydraulic attachments for the demolition and recycling industry with more than 25 years’ experience in the sector.
Hiab iQ.1188 HiPro in the extended mode.HIABNew super-heavy loader crane from HIAB
Hiab has launched the 110-tonne-meter ™ super heavy loader crane, the Hiab iQ.1188 HiPro with the company’s new control system to deliver new productivity and safety benefits. The new generation of loader cranes is based the SPACEevo system paired with the CombiDrive 4 remote control that is used for the first time on the Hiab iQ.1188 HiPro. Hiab is part of the Finnish company Cargotec, based in Helsinki.
The Hiab iQ.1188 HiPro is the company’s largest crane to date, offering long reach and significant lifting capacity in a lightweight, compact package. It delivers the performance of a 110-tm loader crane but is similar in size to a 90-tm model. This means it can be installed easily on four-axle vehicles, leaving room for payload, and reducing costs and fuel consumption.
The new SPACEevo control system allows the crane to be operated precisely at high speeds. The CombiDrive 4 control system provides more information, with bigger color screens, haptic feedback (vibrations) and increased battery life. Operators can personalize settings like speed and crane reaction. A new Confirm View feature increases safety by identifying the position of the operator compared to the stabilizers, so the stabilizers only open if the operator is positioned to see their movement.
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Process More in Less Time with Cat’s New MH3026 Material Handler
An advanced electrohydraulic system for Cat’s new MH3026 material handler gives you a balance of power and efficiency to improve cycle times. The result is more material processed in less time, and that spells better ROI for waste and scrap metal applications.
A Cat C7.1 engine cranks out 128 horsepower and can operate on B20 biodiesel. The maintenance-free exhaust aftertreatment system maximizes uptime and lowers operating costs. Power and economy mode choices mean you only burn the amount of fuel needed to do the job, resulting in 10% lower fuel use compared to previous models, says the company.
Stronger swing torque
A new front linkage on the MH3026 reaches up to 42 feet 8 inches. The swing torque is 20% greater to move material faster. A heavy-lift mode gives you extra capacity when you need it, and Cat’s SmartBoom can travel up and down without using pump flow. This adds additional fuel efficiency and allows the operator to focus on grapple control for smoother operation.
For safety, Cat’s E-fence system comes standard and prevents the machine and attachment from moving outside parameters set by the operator in the cab. This can eliminate the possibility of hitting the cab with the attachment or running into adjacent structures in a tight work envelope. A pin code prevents unauthorized operation of the machine.
Multiple cameras
Large tempered glass windows with small pillars on the re-engineered cab protect the operator and enhance all-around visibility and operating safety. Standard right-side and rearview cameras, upgradable to 360-degree vision, display video feed on the large in-cab touchscreen monitor to further enhance work area visibility. Thicker impact-resistant windshields and roof windows meet EN356, P8B and P5A standards.
Another important safety feature, standard boom and stick lowering check valves, reverse oil flow in the event of an unexpected loss of hydraulic pressure keeping the front linkage secure in place. All daily maintenance points are quickly accessed from ground level, while a new service platform with steps provides safe and quick access to the upper service area.
Easy access
For creature comforts, Cat is offering a choice between deluxe and premium designs. A joystick option eliminates the steering column and improves forward visibility, legroom and ease of entry. The left-hand console tilts up for exiting.
A 10-inch, high-resolution touchscreen monitor with jog dial offers easy navigation of the operator controls. Different machine operators can store their specific joystick and preferred power mode settings, and the machine automatically recalls the settings based on the operator ID. The cab sits tops out at 18 feet 10 inches to improve visibility for loading and material handling.
All engine filters and the new air-intake filter are coordinated to be changed at 1,000 hours. The hydraulic oil-filter change interval has been extended to 3,000 hours, and new anti-drain values keep hydraulic fluid clean during replacement.
Quick specs:
Engine: 128 horsepowerOperating Weight: 55,601-57,651 lbs.Maximum Travel Speed:16 mph
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Manitou’s Tallest Articulated Boom in U.S., the ATJ60E, Goes All Electric
Manitou launched its tallest articulated boom lift for North America last year, and now the company has rolled out an all-electric version.
The new ATJ60E runs on lead-acid batteries, instead of the 42.9-horsepower diesel engine in its ATJ60 articulated boom work platform.
With far fewer components than a machine powered by an internal combustion engine, the electric-drive ATJ60E substantially reduces maintenance costs, the company says.
Two asynchronous, maintenance-free motors drive the ATJ60E. An integral charger is located on the turret, and the machine recharges on a standard 230-volt plug. Manitou said it chose lead-acid batteries due to their low replacement cost and recyclability. According to the company, the batteries can be cycled and recharged up to 1,500 times.
The ATJ60E offers a basket capacity of 507 pounds, a working height of 65 feet 7 inches and a platform height of 59 feet 7 inches. Up-and-over reach measures 26 feet 3 inches.
It comes with solid, non-marking tires and weighs 15,653 pounds. The axles offer a maximum tilt of 4 degrees longitudinally and laterally. High ground clearance, four-wheel drive and the active oscillating axle enable stability off road and over uneven terrain.
In the front of the basket, a large color monitor displays information. Basket-overload and tilt sensors provide audible and visual warnings when operators push the machine past safe operating parameters. The monitor also gives the operator a reading on how much time is left on the battery. A one-point slinging design without a spreader bar makes loading and transport faster and easier, the company says.
The galvanized finish on the basket resists rust, while the removable mesh floor adds visibility beneath the operator. Easy access to hydraulic cables, hoses and batteries and to centralized fill ports further reduce routine maintenance.
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New Cat attachments give carrier machines multi-dimensional functionality
Given the versatility of attachments, you might say you can never have too many. To meet that need, the engineers at Caterpillar spent a good portion of the past year developing new and improved versions of their work tools. The media got their first look at the new designs in Peoria, Illinois, recently and here’s what we found:
Selectable frequency and power settings on Cat’s new hammers match the attack to the hardness of the material.CaterpillarHigh-performance, low-maintenance hammers
Two new Caterpillar Performance Series hammers, the H190 S and H215 S are designed for high production and low maintenance. The piston and tool mass on these hammers have been closely matched in diameter and weight to pack more punch. Operators have a choice of running in the high-frequency/low-power mode or low-frequency/high power to best suit the hardness of the material being broken.
Cat says a proprietary buffering material dampens vibration feedback. The automatic shut-off that prevents blank firing can be turned off for horizontal and overhead operation, but otherwise instantly stops the hammer motion when the tool breaks through the material, preventing damage to the carrier and hammer. Depending on your preference, these hammers can be configured for joystick or pedal control.
The new H190 S hammer is sized for operation on Cat 349 through 374 excavator models, while the larger H215 S is designed for the 374 and 395 excavators. The dimensions for both hammers are programmed into Cat’s E-Fence technology which will stop the carrier from positioning the tool outside of digital “fences” on the job.
All daily and routine maintenance on these hammers can be performed without removing them from the carrier. A field-serviceable and rotatable lower bushing increases service life and reduces parts costs. Standard auto-lube ensures that these hammers get continual doses of grease during operation. The operating weight of the H190 S is 11,440 to 12,430 pounds. The H215 S weighs 16,280 to 16,830 pounds. The H190 S hits with 13,000 foot-pounds of force and the H215 S pounds out 18,000 foot-pounds.
Six new, fast-cycling pulverizers
Cat has an interesting metric for its new line of pulverizers. With 52% faster cycle times these concrete demolition tools produce more tons of rubble per liter of fuel. And that matters when you have a lot of concrete to reduce.
The new line includes three rotatable primary models—the P318, P324 and P332–with 360- degree rotation, and three new fixed secondary models—P218, P224 and P232. Both series fit 18- to 50-ton machines. Bidirectional 360-degree rotation for the P300 series models positions the jaw to grab material from any angle for producing material properly sized for further processing.
Wide jaw openings allow operators to grab more material from any angle, increasing processing speed and improving overall material throughput. Bolt-on wear components can be quickly replaced in the field with no hard-face welding required for maintenance. All hydraulic components are protected inside a housing with a bolt-on removable panel that provides complete access for servicing
Cat designed its new pulverizers around the SpeedBooster technology found in the company’s Multi-Processors. The SpeedBooster design quickly closes the jaws when there is no load. As soon as the jaw taps the material the hydraulic valve switches to power mode to crush the concrete. Integral rebar knives chop up pipes, rebar and other embedded metal debris for more efficient processing.
The new pulverizers also have integrated asset tracking to help you quickly locate these attachments and deter theft and unauthorized use when subscribed through Cat VisionLink with Product Link. Cat Next Gen excavators include pulverizer settings in the controls, allowing the excavator to quickly recognize the attachment and automatically establish the proper operating settings.
New tiltrotators from Cat feature an optional grapple module that lets you move debris out of the way before getting back to the main task.CaterpillarTiltrotators attack any job from any angle
American contractors have finally caught on to versatility of tiltrotators (long popular in Europe) and Cat has obliged with a full series of these multi-dimensional work tools. Sized for carrier machines from 11 to 30 metric tons, these tiltrotators have 360-degree bi-directional rotation and 40-degree left and right tilt. This allows you to attack the work from an almost unlimited number of angles without having to reposition your excavator.
The TRS10, 14, 18, and 23 models come with pin-on or S-type coupler top interfaces and S-type coupler bottom interfaces. Using a tiltrotator with a coupler top allows the operator to maximize the versatility of attachments by switching them out for application and task appropriate purposes. An optional grapple module allows the operator to move materials out of the way, such as large rocks or pipe, without switching attachments.
An oil-filled gear box and single point lubrication simplify your tiltrotator’s maintenance. A heavy-duty bolted joint secures the housing, rotator and coupler as a single unit. Wide bearing surfaces distribute excavation force in all directions. Pins, shafts and bushings feature heavy duty construction, and the hydraulic rotator motor is protected inside the cast housing.
Cat tiltrotator safety features include double-acting tilt cylinders that have built-in load holding valves to keep the attachment secure to the unit in the event of a pressure loss. Additionally, operators can remain inside the cab while switching to the optional grapple module to move heavy objects.
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Dealers, Take Note: 89% of Customers Prefer Texting
During the pandemic, we have seen an uptick in equipment purchases, and with that comes an increased demand in service departments.
This can be a good thing, especially during slower months, but many dealers are now complaining about slower response times from customers, and a backlog in equipment being worked on.
According to a recent study, more than 88% of dealers said that they need to save time and be more efficient in their service department. Around 61% of dealers said that saving time in parts and service was their big focus on 2022.
One of the main issues we are seeing so far is centered around communication between customer and dealer.
New data shows that 89% of customers prefer to have businesses send a text rather than call. This is a trend that has been growing through the pandemic. Customers want simple and direct responses to get what they want.
We also found that 98% of all text messages sent to customers are opened, and customers are seven times more likely to text you back after getting a text, than call back after getting a voicemail. This means dealers don’t need to play phone tag with customers anymore, they can text and get a response within minutes.
Make sure you don’t wait for the customer to reach out to you. Send customers a quick text with updates even if they aren’t asking for it. Tell them what you are working on, and maybe tell them what they can do to improve their equipment.
This will significantly cut down on time in service departments. If you need approval to fix something, send the customer a text with an update. You will get a quick response, rather than waiting for the customer to call you back or return a voicemail.
In recent months, we found 95% percent of all text messages are responded to within 3 minutes. No waiting around. You can get approval, get to work, and get the customer out the door.
In addition to getting approval for fixes, dealers need to have a quick and easy plan in place to allow customers to pre-pay or set up a time to come get their equipment. During the pandemic, we saw that customers do not want to wait around in-person. They want to stay distant, get updates, and limit interactions.
In the data we collected from dealers, we have seen a four-fold increase in text-to-pay in just the past year. We are also seeing some dealers running 80% of their parts and service payments through text-to-pay.
One of the key things to remember is to make the customer feel like they are part of the team. Anyone in the service department can send reminders, pictures, and videos showing what’s being worked on to let the customer experience what is being done first-hand.
If you somehow get into a lull and are looking to increase traffic in your service department, there are some simple things you can do to get things moving, and it doesn’t need to center around cold calling.
Text everyone who has bought from you in the last three years. You can set up automated reminders through any texting platform, so you don’t have to call. You can also space out these reminders to keep things flowing at a good pace in your service department during slower months.
Have a plan in place to ensure things keep moving. Make sure you keep track of who has come through your service department in recent weeks, who you have sold to, and who you are trying to target to the work flowing.
KenectKeep in mind, customers want to be texted. Phone calls just won’t cut it anymore. The pandemic has changed the way service departments operate, not just in-house, but for customers as well. Make sure you are meeting the customers in the platforms they are getting used to so you can keep communication clear, and service departments operating fully.
Ben Leighton is a Content Marketing Specialist with Kenect, a provider of simple texting tools to connect businesses with their customers.
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Test Drive: Mack’s Return to Medium-Duty Trucks Doesn’t Disappoint
Mack’s MD Series is a rebirth of sorts for a company whose mantra is “Born Ready.”
Mack exited the medium-duty segment almost 20 years ago with the retirement of the Freedom, which was mostly a rebadged Americanized Renault. The Freedom concluded Mack’s 20-plus-year run with its medium-duty Mid-Liner.
The MD entered production just 13 months ago at the company’s new 280,000-square-foot Roanoke Valley Operations (RVO) facility in Roanoke Valley, Virginia. Mack announced its re-entry into the medium-duty market in January 2020, but COVID protocols delayed production from July to September 2020.
Targeting medium-duty trucking vocations with frequent urban stop-and-go cycles like dry van/refrigerated, stake/flatbed, dump and tank, the 25,995-pound gross vehicle weight rating MD6 and 33,000-pound GVWR MD7 are both exempt from the 12% federal excise tax, and the MD6 model slides in just under the cutoff for requiring a commercial driver’s license for non-hazardous payloads.
Nextran Truck Centers Sales Manager Bruce Graham said the bulk of the units moving through his Birmingham, Alabama, dealership have been spec’d with flatbeds, but service bodies have become increasingly more common, with some vans mixed in.
Bruce and his team at Nextran loaned me an MD6 to shuttle around the greater Birmingham-area – a Glacier White Class 6 outfitted with a Lyncoach box. This is a fairly standard configuration for a local-route beverage hauler, which is exactly where this unit was headed.
Mack didn’t have to look far for inspiration for its MD Series. There’s no denying the influence of Mack’s on-highway flagship Anthem. The squared-off nose; the grille; the body lines; a wrap-around dash with ergonomic controls; a tilt telescopic steering column with flat-bottomed steering wheel; power windows and door locks; cruise control and a driver air-ride seat are all regular long-haul driver comforts found in the MD Model. Anthem’s paw prints are all over the MD inside and out.
The MD6 and MD7 models feature a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability, and their air-suspended steel cab features an industry-best bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement of 103 inches. Eight wheelbase lengths will support typical bodies from 10 to 26 feet. My test drive model was a 270-inch wheelbase.
The wheels are a standard 22.5 inches, but 19.5-inch wheels are available. Other standard features include the basics like power windows and locks, cruise control and air conditioning. An optional two-passenger bench seat allows fleets to deploy crews of three, and a flip-up bottom grants access to a large bin for storage.
MD’s turning radius was tight, making navigating crowded surface streets easy and safe when coupled with the shorter nose and improved visibility.
The view from the standard air-ride driver’s seat is commanding, and the air-suspension cab is comfortable. Base models get a spring rear suspension, but Mack’s Maxlite air suspension is available. My test unit had air.
It would be easy to assign a lot of the truck’s pleasant on-road manners to the air system, but that would overlook the durable yet lightweight chassis (7mm thickness for the MD6 and 8mm thickness for the MD7), constructed to an industry standard 34-inch frame width using 120,000 psi steel rails – a considerable bump from an industry standard 80,000 psi.
The MD is Mack’s first all-new truck model since the 2017 debut of Anthem. It’s also one of very few bulldogs to offer a non-Mack powertrain. Both MD models are equipped with an inline 6-cylinder Cummins B6.7 engine, making up to 300 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque.
The B6.7 is the most popular diesel engine Cummins builds, and its B Series has been on the market for nearly 40 years in various iterations. It’s pretty much the ubiquitous medium-duty engine. Cummins’ Single Module aftertreatment bundles the diesel particulate filter, selective catalytic reduction and diesel exhaust fluid doser into one unit.
In the MD, the B6.7 is matched with an Allison 2500HS transmission and Meritor axles. An Allison 2500RDS is available for applications needing a PTO.
My drive around Birmingham covered a little less than 100 miles, not an uncommon daily trip shunting around Coca-Cola products, and the truck felt just as at home at 70 mph pulling a grade as it was at 15 mph navigating a loading zone, or low-speed in a crowded Buc-ee’s parking lot. Yeah, I know. Buc-ee’s isn’t truck-friendly, but sometimes, when you want a Coke Icee, you have to take matters into your own hands.
Now that a formal infrastructure plan has finally passed, Mack couldn’t have picked a better time to get back into medium duty – especially with a model as versatile as MD.
In all, the MD Series is a comfortable and capable traffic fighter with plenty of workhorse capabilities and flexibility that both fleets and drivers will love, especially if you need to make a black-ops Icee run.
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https://constructionosa.org/?p=1221
Yanmar’s First Electric Prototype: the SV17e Compact Excavator (Video)
Is it too soon to talk about Bauma, the big European equipment show held every three years in Munich?
We think not, especially when the previews demonstrate what is arguably the biggest and most significant trend in heavy equipment — electrification.
In this particular case, Yanmar gave the press a preshow preview of its first electric mini excavator prototype: the new SV17e. The company positions this machine as an important strategic step in the transformation for Yanmar Compact Equipment and indicative of the direction of the company.
“Our transformation will embrace our entire business and will encompass new products with alternative-fuel technologies,” says Giuliano Parodi, CEO of Yanmar. “The SV17e prototype is a demonstration of our intent to build a sustainable business for our customers and dealer partners.”
Without a diesel engine the overall size and weight of this excavator can be greatly reduced.YanmarThe SV17e mini excavator is aimed at customers in the European market and plays in the 1.5- to 2-metric-ton segment. It is powered by an electric drive with 48-volt batteries and fast charging capability. At zero emissions it not only passes the greenhouse gas test but is also quiet and suitable for indoor and confined-space operations where diesel exhaust emissions pose health hazards to workers.
“The operator is at the heart of this machine, and we have challenged ourselves to deliver the comfort, power, control and precision which we believe will surpass the expectations of professional operators,” says Cedric Durand, director product management.
In preparation for its sales start at Bauma 2022 (October 24 – 30), the prototype SV17e is currently undergoing a product testing regime including field tests.
If you don’t want to wait until Bauma to see the new SV17e in action, Yanmar Compact Equipment has prepared a short film. Watch the SV17e video here:
And Yanmar isn’t alone in this race to electrification. Check out our other reporting on this topic at the links below:
Cat on electric construction equipment: “We are ready.”Bauma Preview: Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe to show company’s first electric compact excavatorKomatsu, Honda Team Up to Build Micro Electric ExcavatorsJCB, Takeuchi, Ditch Witch and Toro show off electric compact construction equipment at rental show
Tunnel Machine “Mary” Arrives for Virginia’s Largest Ever Road Project (Video)
“Mary” the tunnel boring machine has arrived for Virginia’s largest ever infrastructure project.
The 9-million-pound TBM will dig two 8,000-foot-long tunnels for the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project.
The new tunnels will take more than two years to build and will be about 50 feet deeper than the existing tunnels. The $3.8 billion project will increase tunnel capacity and widen 10 miles of Interstate 64 between the cities of Hampton and Norfolk from four to eight lanes in places, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
It is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country and is expected to be completed in 2025.
The interstate section is one of the state’s most congested, with traffic backing up as much as 6 miles during rush hour, VDOT says.
The Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project is expected to be completed in 2025.Virginia DOTMary is named after Mary Winston Jackson, an African-American mathematician and aerospace engineer at NASA from Hampton. The TBM was built in Germany and then disassembled to be shipped to Norfolk.
It will take about six months to reassemble the 170-piece TBM in a 65-foot-deep launching pit on South Island. When reassembled it will be 46 feet tall and more than 430 feet long. It will tunnel at 50 feet per day, not only digging but installing concrete panels along the way.
The TBM will start on the South Island and tunnel to the North Island. That should take about a year. Then the machine will be turned around, a four-month process, and dig back to the South Island for another year of tunneling.
The project is expected to create 28,000 jobs and generate $4.6 billion in economic impact, according to VDOT.
Check out this concept video of what the future HRBT will look like when completed:
Mary was built by Herrenknecht at a cost of $101 million, which included shipping.
Here’s a video that demonstrates the tunneling process, provided by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel District and Dragados/Chesapeake Tunnel Joint Venture:
The contractor on the HRBT Expansion is a joint venture with Dragados USA serving as the lead contractor and HDR and Mott MacDonald as lead designers. Other team members: Flatiron Constructors, Vinci Construction, and Dodin Campenon Bernard.
The South Island of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel is being prepared for tunnel boring machine Mary’s reassembly in a 65-foot-deep launching pit.Virginia DOT
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