Yawalpha Road Pimpama – Bridge Girder Installation Stage 1 & 2
Universal Cranes installed 18 Super Tee girders for a two-span overpass across the South Coast rail line and Old Pacific Highway in Pimpama, working around overhead powerlines, limited access and a critical rail closure.
Georgiou
Yawalpha Road Pimpama, Qld – Overpass – 2 x Span
Liebherr LTR 11200 (1200t Hydraulic Narrow Track Crawler)
2 x 350t All Terrain Cranes
1 x 450t All Terrain Crane
Jinker transport system
SCOPE
- Bridge girder installation, Stage 1 & 2
- 2 spans, 9 girders per span (18 girders total), 87t each
- Span 1: 3 x All Terrain cranes, with stockpile and reload for dual crane placement over rail
- Span 2: 1200t heavy lift crawler crane, 95t @ 29m radius
OVERVIEW
Georgiou engaged Universal Cranes to support the construction of a two-span, three-lane road bridge with a shared path over the South Coast rail line and Old Pacific Highway in Pimpama, QLD. The full bridge spanned approximately 83 metres and included 18 x 1825mm Super Tee girders, a cast in-situ deck, abutments and pier construction.
The core objective was to deliver heavy lift and installation services for this complex structure. Innovative planning and equipment selection ensured smooth delivery despite a challenging environment, including overhead powerlines, access limitations and a critical rail closure.
STAGE 1: DUAL CRANE LIFTS OVER RAIL
Girders were unloaded and pre-staged on site by two 350t All Terrain cranes ahead of the Queensland Rail closure, eliminating transport risk on the day. During the closure, the 350t cranes lifted the girders from the stockpile and transferred them onto specialised transport to the install position. A 350t crane positioned at the stockpile then dual lifted with a 450t All Terrain crane set up on the Old Pacific Highway to install the girders safely over the rail line.
STAGE 2: LIFTING BENEATH POWERLINES
Stage 2 required girder installation over a roadway beneath high-voltage powerlines, which ruled out conventional long-boom crawlers and dual crane lifts.
To solve this, the Liebherr LTR 11200 narrow track crawler was rigged outside the powerline exclusion zone and tracked into position fully assembled, overcoming the space and access limitations.
DELIVERING ON SCHEDULE
The team also had to manage variable weather and live traffic management. Coordination with multiple stakeholders was critical to maintaining schedule and safety across both stages. Despite the complexity, all lifts were delivered on time, without incident, and with minimal disruption to the surrounding infrastructure.
KEY EQUIPMENT USED
- 2 x 350t and 1 x 450t All Terrain Cranes: enabled dual crane lifts over the rail line during limited closure windows
- Jinker system: efficient girder movement from staging to lift positions
- Liebherr LTR 11200 (1200t Hydraulic Crawler): able to rig outside powerline exclusion zones and track into final position fully assembled, allowing complex lifts under tight spatial and regulatory constraints
