Gulf Construction Online - Quiet hoist helps meet tight deadlines

Cranes & Hoists

Scando 650 at work on the Rostamani Tower, Dubai.

Quiet hoist helps meet tight deadlines

01 August 2005

Making its debut in the Middle East at one of the challenging projects in the UAE, Alimak's Scando 650 is helping Khansaheb Civil Engineering achieve the tight deadlines on the 79-m Al Rostamani Tower by easing material handling on site.

Although not a particularly high-rise project in comparison with others in Dubai, the location of the building in busy downtown Al Hamriya and fronting Ibn Al Waheed Road has presented the contractor with a number of material handling problems. With a basement of 60 m by 60 m, which is virtually the 'footprint' of the site, the project lacks space for on-site storage or offices – the site offices are located more than 300 m away.
With the daytime delivery – particularly of concrete – becoming practically impossible due to the heavy traffic in the vicinity, the developers have had to resort to night-time deliveries and concrete pours. As the project is surrounded by residential apartments, if faced strict noise restrictions and reduced hours of working.
Main contractor Khan-saheb Civil Engineering started work on the 420-day contract last June. Comprising three basement levels, a ground floor and two mezzanine levels, plus 13-storeys and two service floors, the tower will provide four levels of commercial office space.
It will also include nine storeys of three to four bedroom luxury residential apartments with a separate pool level, a gymnasium floor and rooftop plant room.
The three basements plus ground level will provide car parking for about 200 cars.

Alimak debut
Ordered through local distributor, Inma, the Scando 650 provides a single or twin car configuration as a modular system that can adapt to different applications using relatively few modules and components.
It offers a payload of 1,500 kg to 3,200 kg and has a standard maximum lifting height of 400 m, which can be increased to 400 m, if required.
For the Al Rostamani project, Khansaheb opted for a twin-car Scando 22/32 DOL version with a lifting height of 80 m and a speed of 40 m/min.
According to the project manager, Premarajan, the larger car body available with the new Scando 650 at 3.2 m by 1.5 m instead of 1.2 m, “allows us to take more material or carry up to 24 people.”
Alimak’s new hoist has been installed on the project's northwest-facing wall, being the only convenient position with access – even if restricted – to serve a minimal working area.
“With double deliveries, the increased capacity of the Alimak car is a tremendous boost in lifting material to the upper floors,” says Premarajan. “The hoist’s operation is extremely quiet, which is essential with our sensitive night-time operations, as the project is situated close to several residential apartments,” he adds.

Triangular tower
The 13-storey tower above the mezzanine levels, features a triangular shape with three identical 45-m-long convex walls each glass-clad with granite features.
Aesthetically enhancing the tower, two triangular-shaped ‘cores’ protrude from the main tower on two faces. Whilst one houses a lift-shaft and stairwell, the second – some 30 m-long – contains mechanical plant on alternate floors.
Constructed using post tension technology, the end-pointed void is in-filled with polystyrene blocks over an approximate area of 6 m by 3 m at its base.
The project is advancing on a seven-day floor cycle and is currently at the 13th floor. Despite earlier administrative and contractual delays, the project is back on schedule despite its location difficulties.
Alimak Hek Group is a leading supplier of mast climbing equipment and added-value services for both temporary and permanent installations, providing the most cost-efficient, reliable, and flexible vertical access solutions for people and materials in the construction and general industry. The Alimak Hek Group is jointly owned by two private equity companies, 3i plc (UK) and Ratos AB (Sweden).