Utilising Scheuerle clamp systems, with in-house designed transport brackets, Collett has delivered the first of three cold box sections to the English West Midlands.
Due to the dimensions of the 4.4m high, 35m long cargo, the company was required to engineer a bespoke solution to deliver the first, and largest, of the three cargoes. Flat trailers and turntable technology would provide an unsuitable option as the loaded cargo would prove unable to traverse the UK motorway network, therefore, Collett began developing a solution in which the cargo would be suspended between two multi-axle bogie trailers.
Employing the clamp trailer, which is predominantly used for the transportation of wind turbine tower sections, would provide the necessary hydraulic capabilities. This would allow the Collett Team to raise and lower the height of the load as the route demanded but would require additional modification to engineer a suitable system for securing the load to the trailer.
Engineered in meticulous detail, the company designed a bracket system to secure the load to the trailers. This bracket and pin system would attach to the cold box, providing an anchoring point for the clamp to secure to the load. Each of the brackets, pins, adaptors, box sections and lugs were fully BS EN:1993 and PD 970:2005 compliant, and would allow Collett to securely transport the loaded 45m long rigid cargo the 110 miles from collection to delivery.
Once design of the system was complete, and having undertaken 3D Solidworks simulations to analyse the behaviour of the components, fabrication of each element began. Whilst Collett’s Engineering Team manufactured the loading solution, the Collett Consulting Team analysed the route, undertaking extensive swept path analysis reports to ensure the safe delivery of the 76 Tonne cargo. Due to the length of the cargo and loaded vehicle, numerous sections of the route demanded street furniture removal, road widening, parking restrictions, tree pruning and manual steering requirements. This also included full motorway closures to allow the combination to undertake contraflow manoeuvres and continue on the route.
Employing its in-house designed and engineered bracket system, Collett loaded the cold box to the clamp trailer and set off on their 110 mile journey. Departing early afternoon the Collett Team exited Eggborough under the escort of their Code of Practice pilot cars and accompanied by Humberside Police. With the movement through South Yorkshire taking place at night, the convoy parked on the M62 at Hensall, and as darkness fell Collett began the evening stage. Having been met by Leicester Police the following morning, the Heavy Transport Team completed the final stage of the journey, from Junction 28 of the M1 safely arriving at the delivery site.
With the largest of the three cargoes safely delivered to site, the two smaller 29m and 25m loads followed the same route over the proceeding days successfully completing the project.
See more about the company here.
