Bridge Inspection and Repair from Uneven River Bank
How to Inspect Metal Fatigue Under a Bridge from a Rough, Uneven River Bank in a Couple of Hours
What was the challenge?
The RFK Bridge (f.k.a. Triborough Bridge) is one of the busiest bridges in the country, connecting Manhattan with its two boroughs, Queens and Bronx. It carries approximately 200,000 vehicles per day. New York City bridges are some of the best-maintained bridges in the nation, undergoing regular inspection and maintenance. Upon a routine walk-through, structural engineers noticed a crack in the metal pillar construction just under the deck. They needed to get closer to assess the wear and tear and develop a plan of repairs.
The crack was in the most inaccessible location: under the deck in the middle of a pillar standing on very uneven ground, above the fence behind the shrubs along East River bank.
Renting a typical JLG was not an option, as the only approach to the site for a trailered JLG was over a curb and down the river bank, a perfect recipe for tipping over the boom lift. Moreover, JLGs have a high risk of tipping over on rough, uneven ground.
One of our clients referred Alpha Platforms as a solution to the engineering firm.
What was the solution?
What was the outcome?
Our experienced professional operator lifted two engineers to the observed crack to complete all documentation, including measurements, videos, and pictures.
- 12-foot extra large cage
- 1,320 lbs lifting capacity for crew, equipment, and materials
- Side reach up to 95 feet
- Parking on a slope up to 10°
- Jib length 31’ 6’
- Parking in tight spaces 8’6’’ wide
- Cage rotation 2 x 80°
Alpha Platforms has helped hundreds of teams like yours
Customer Testimonials
from Case Studies
We wanted to give it a try and see what this boom truck could do. We loved the idea of a wide basket that could reach up to 30 feet and get to the brick wall over the roof. The main reason we loved the truck was how it maneuvered the boom to lower the bricks inside a dumpster, which was located behind the truck. It saved us at least one extra day of work. It all went great.
The project was performed successfully, and we were really glad to have contactless means of reaching the building, as we all know that pipe scaffold might damage the structure, in this case, very very sensitive.
Alpha has the most efficient and leanest site setup time I’ve ever seen. My brother, who is the top climber of our group, first struggled to understand how this cage could go around the tower better than the crane - and when it did the whole 360°, he became a believer. Also, each laborer said how incredibly safe they felt - very different from the small crane basket. We were able to secure and push back the panels in place without the basket ever moving.
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