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    1. Construction Lifting & Concrete Placement

    Liebherr Cranes Replace Germany's Second Longest Road Bridge

    Aug. 8, 2024
    Eighteen cranes are helping to rebuild individual segments of the structure.
    Related To: Liebherr USA, Co.
    A Liebherr LR 1250 crawler crane, manufactured in Nenzing made the assembly possible.
    A Liebherr LR 1250 crawler crane, manufactured in Nenzing made the assembly possible.

    By: Liebherr

    The replacement of the Rader High Bridge in Schleswig-Holstein is one of the largest bridge modernization projects currently underway in Germany, and 18 Liebherr cranes have been deployed for its construction. The 18 include six Liebherr 125 EC-B and seven 150 EC-B crawler cranes, as well as five fast-erecting cranes: two 65 K.1s, and three 81 K.1s.

    The bridge, built in 1972, spans the Kiel Canal and is part of the A7 highway. Measuring just under 1,500 meters in length, it is Germany's second-longest steel road bridge and plays an important role in the flow of traffic to and from Denmark and the Scandinavian peninsula, according to Liebherr. 

    Liebherr
    The first crane used for the replacement of the Rader High Bridge was assembled on the new pile cap of the first bridge pier.
    The first crane used for the replacement of the Rader High Bridge was assembled on the new pile cap of the first bridge pier.

    The first crane to arrive on site, a 125 EC-B, was assembled at the end of 2023. Assembly took place in the waters of Lake Borgstedt, where the crane stood on the first pier’s pile cap secured by foundation anchors. This involved working with a Liebherr crawler crane from Nenzing. The 250-ton LR 1250 crawler crane required for the assembly was positioned on a floating platform between the crane site and the ferry used for transporting parts. 

    Three 125 EC-B cranes were also assembled using the 250-ton crawler crane, from its floating platform on the water. The cranes were initially assembled at a height of 30 meters and then climbed to their final hook height of 50 meters using hydraulic climbing equipment. 

    A 150 EC-B 8 Litronic started off working on the bridge pier on land, but the progression of the site required the crane to be moved to a new location. At the end of June 2024 it was time: the flat-top crane was moved from the north side of the bridge to the next bridge column and reassembled in the water. 

    The new build is happening in two stages with traffic flowing along the existing bridge as well as the Kiel Canal. The eastern half of the bridge is being built first, next to the existing bridge, and is expected to be opened to traffic in 2026. Following this, the original bridge will close and be demolished, with the western bridge section being built in its place. 

    On 28 June, the first bridge segment reached the first pier. This segment is 56 meters long, 14 meters wide and six meters high. The replacement structure will consist of a total of 14 sections, with one advancement planned for every six to seven weeks.

    The new structure is projected to finish in 2031.