Leading bridge and engineering services specialist Mabey Hire has unveiled a ground-breaking innovation for its hire business; the Super Bracing Strut-1000 (SBS-1000).
Currently making its debut in Canary Wharf, the SBS-1000, so called because of its 1067mm diameter tube extensions, has broken Mabey Hire’s record for its largest and highest load capacity strut. The new feature is currently bracing the basement excavation of London’s Wardian residential development. Once completed, the development’s two towers will be 50 and 55 stories high, with a single basement underneath.
Intended for horizontal strutting applications, the SBS-1000 is capable of supporting axial loads of 350 tonnes up to a span of 34.4 metres – a significant step up from the previous 185 tonne maximum capacity of the SBS-600 system. With a reduced load capacity, the span can be further increased to 45 metres, while the powerful hydraulic unit is fully interchangeable with the SBS-600 system to increase its capacity up to 350 tonnes over short spans.
Alongside this, the SBS-1000 has removable hydraulics, which make it more versatile than similar struts available. A single hydraulic cylinder can service an entire scheme and built in pre-camber helps counteract the strut’s deflection due to self-weight. This means engineers can get a greater capacity out of the strut at longer spans.
With a full installation service available, the SBS-1000 eliminates the need for bespoke steel solutions and enables project managers to work with larger loads more quickly, safely and efficiently.
This pilot project in Canary Wharf was monitored by Mabey Hire’s LIVEpin feature, a new innovation developed to measure applied load on groundworks equipment in real time. This provides invaluable measurements to engineers via the Mabey Hire Insite, and enables increased accuracy, speed and efficiency during construction projects like this.
Chris Carter, Mabey Hire Contracts Director said: “The ground-breaking SBS-1000 will provide our customers with a more sustainable and robust solution for temporary works. As we’ve seen in Canary Wharf, this latest innovation eliminates the need for typical structural steel that can often slow down a project, making large excavation construction faster, safer and more efficient. With the addition of LIVEpin, alongside designing, supplying and installing this Wardian London project, we were also able to monitor every step of the process in real time. We’re looking forward to seeing how the SBS-1000 can help similar projects in future.”
