HiSCS Engineers & Technicians successfully accomplished the Jacking & lifting, of the main terminal bridge of Athens Int’l Airport El. Venizelos in Greece.
The bridge, which was designed and erected between 1999 & 2001, serves as the main access to the departure hall of the airport. It has the form of a prestressed solid slab with voids, and it is composed of a complex of ramps, whose width ranges from 7.7m to 32m.
The routine inspection of the bearing revealed extensive punctures, extreme bulging and debonding phenomena in the elastomer, depicting its deficiency to bear loads and movements, thus the need of its replacement.
Four (4) hydraulic jacks, with a total lifting capacity of 1000 tons, connected in parallel with a hydraulic pump, were used to lift the superstructure (max 15mm), remove the existing bearing and replace it with the new one. Moreover, construction of new plinths took place, as well as repair of contact surfaces between bearing and superstructure.
The rubber bearing that was installed, was a non-anchored elastomer bearing, formed by layers of rubber and steel plates (reinforcement), factory bonded (vulcanized), and it had a diameter of 450mm and height of 189mm.
HiSCS studied and designed the jacking & lifting methodology, provided the equipment (hydraulic jacks, pumps, hoses, gauges, distribution plates etc.) and coordinated the onsite works of the bearing replacement following all safety precautions and requirements.
