Dubai continues its growth, and every square metre counts as potential new building ground, so land reclamation is an important objective. Patrick Smith reports.
Bilal General Transport (BGT) is using a
Over two decades Bilal has been recognised as one of the leading construction and development services providers in the United Arab Emirates, working with many regional and international companies.
It offers specialised services ranging from transportation and supply of construction materials, such as rocks, sand, aggregate and cement, to the supply of construction equipment for excavation, levelling, temporary road construction and maintenance of stock piles and quarry management, and the loading and off-loading of marine vessels on site.
An international team of skilled Bilal staff, from engineers to excavator operators, takes care of the implementation of complex construction projects.
Staff from over 15 countries are employed here, with official figures suggesting 1.5 million employees in the building sector in the UAE.
Together, they drive forward major projects on a daily basis, helping skyscrapers rise upwards or reclaiming land bit by bit from the sea.
To achieve the objectives of the La Mer project in Dubai around 9 million m³ of sand and up to 6 million tonnes of rock must be moved and positioned.
With a reach of 35m the Sennebogen 880 EQ material handler is specifically designed to allow the precise placement of rip-rap stones down to the nearest centimetre to shape the new coastline.
The special gripper, known as the Cactus Grab, allows up to 7tonnes of heavy rock to be accurately positioned. A GPS system helps position the rocks precisely, even under water, moulding the coastal profile like part of a gigantic puzzle.
The operator can place materials with accuracy in around 40 seconds. Previously, the limited reach of earlier machines meant that the rocks had to be positioned from the water as well as from the shore, but the Sennebogen 880 EQ now accomplishes the work exclusively from on land.
This means that work is no longer constrained by the tides and, thanks in part also to the EQ principle using interconnected counterweights, the 880 EQ is said to only consume about half the fuel of previous models.
The machine was delivered to Bilal in September 2016 by Sennebogen’s sales and service partner, Swaidan Trading.
The equipment measures 35m in length and is fitted with a 470kW diesel engine and a broad gauge crawler track undercarriage. The upper carriage sits on a 3.3m pylon and the forward position of the Portcab cabin is said to offer the operator an ideal overview of the work area.
The easily accessible Powerpack facilitates servicing because the engine and components are co-located in a compact energy station, protected from the wind and weather. All components are designed for the demands of constant use and, in addition the machine has been given a special anti-corrosion varnish for use in ocean environments.
For the operators, all that is required is to switch over from an excavator to a large material handler with a bit of acclimatisation and driver and technology training from staff at the Sennebogen Academy in Dubai.
