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Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

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Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#21

Post by Animats »

Moving heavy things is quite routine. Mammoet [1] is one of the leading companies in that business. One of their unusual tools are fleets of Self-Propelled Modular Transporters. These are wheeled self-propelled platforms with hydraulic lifts. All wheels are powered, steerable, and liftable. [2] Each platform can lift 44 tons per axle. These can be ganged together to make big moving platforms. Hundreds can be ganged together if necessary. They're all coordinated by onboard computers, so that one person with a wired remote can control the whole system.[3]

As a company, Mammoet is unusual. The company has been in business for over 200 years. The headquarters is in the Netherlands, in a round building called "The Bollard", which they moved once. (Yes, the whole building.) They operate all over the world. They have seven locations in the US alone. Because of the nature of their business, they run a training academy and have very well trained people. Their basic approach is to plan very carefully, be very cautious, and then do the big job very smoothly. Mammoet is the opposite of "move fast and break things". They move slowly and don't break things. Yet they usually finish ahead of schedule and under budget.

They're hiring.

[1] http://www.mammoet.com/ [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL3YvOe0ZgE [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER7JKXYdIhY

Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#22

Post by Animats »

CPLX wrote: post #8
ChuckMcM wrote: post #7

I always wonder how GIS databases deal with that (since often they have the notion that buildings of this size "never" move). And I'm not only impressed with the engineering feat, but how the public and the owner worked together on a solution with both were ok with. In the US it would have sat in litigation for 15 years while no railroad work was done, and eventually the building would just be torn down even though t…

That's unrealistic as it implies we actually have rail projects in the US.

Under construction right now: California High Speed Rail bridge at the Fresno River.[1]

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmrGlu485RY

Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#24

Post by [deleted] »

JorgeGT wrote: post #10
ChuckMcM wrote: post #7

I always wonder how GIS databases deal with that (since often they have the notion that buildings of this size "never" move). And I'm not only impressed with the engineering feat, but how the public and the owner worked together on a solution with both were ok with. In the US it would have sat in litigation for 15 years while no railroad work was done, and eventually the building would just be torn down even though t…

> since often they have the notion that buildings of this size "never" move I fact OP probably got this from one of these "Falsehoods programmers believe about X" (probably this one: http://wiesmann.codiferes.net/wordpress/?p=15187&lang=en ). It's always interesting how even the most basic assumptions contain caveats.

[deleted]

Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#25

Post by rwmj »

_sunshine_ wrote: post #23

Moving massive buildings was quite common in Romania during the communist regime, to make room for large boulevards: https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/29b7pi/moving_...

I remember when this building was moved in Warrington (UK) in 1981:

http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem...

Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#26

Post by bnjm »

polemic wrote: post #19

Less impressive, but they moved a historic tavern in Auckland, NZ, recently to make way for a cut & cover motorway tunnel. http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/time-lapse-video-of-birdcage... Pricy, but I'm glad they kept the landmark.

They moved the Museum Art Hotel in Wellington in 1993. At 3000 tonnes it's half the weight of the Zurich building, but they moved it 120m, which is twice as far. Pretty impressive!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/9054381...

Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#27

Post by infectoid »

Impressive.

I also thought someone was having a laugh when they told me about the Raising of Chicago.

> During the 1850s and 1860s engineers carried out a piecemeal raising of the level of central Chicago. Streets, sidewalks and buildings were either built up, relocated, or physically raised on hydraulic jacks or jackscrews. The work was funded by private property owners and public funds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_of_Chicago

Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#29

Post by mmosta »

Animats wrote: post #21

Moving heavy things is quite routine. Mammoet [1] is one of the leading companies in that business. One of their unusual tools are fleets of Self-Propelled Modular Transporters. These are wheeled self-propelled platforms with hydraulic lifts. All wheels are powered, steerable, and liftable. [2] Each platform can lift 44 tons per axle. These can be ganged together to make big moving platforms. Hundreds can be ganged t…

That is the smoothest pitch I've had the pleasure of reading

Re: Massive Zurich building completes 19-hour trip (2012)

#30

Post by Animats »

mmosta wrote: post #29
Animats wrote: post #21

Moving heavy things is quite routine. Mammoet [1] is one of the leading companies in that business. One of their unusual tools are fleets of Self-Propelled Modular Transporters. These are wheeled self-propelled platforms with hydraulic lifts. All wheels are powered, steerable, and liftable. [2] Each platform can lift 44 tons per axle. These can be ganged together to make big moving platforms. Hundreds can be ganged t…

That is the smoothest pitch I've had the pleasure of reading

I have no connection with Mammoet. I just like the way they deal with difficult and dangerous jobs with very little drama.
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