Demanding Crane Logistics at New Vienna Campus

Created: October 21, 2011

Simultaneous operation of up to 17 tower cranes on the WU Campus requires careful planning and coordination.

In order to ensure maximum availability, minimal downtime and expert support, project management at Campus WU brought in the complete crane service from Liebherr.
In order to ensure maximum availability, minimal downtime and expert support, project management at Campus WU brought in the complete crane service from Liebherr.
At peak operating times, up to 17 tower cranes are in use simultaneously throughout the Campus WU in Vienna, Austria.
At peak operating times, up to 17 tower cranes are in use simultaneously throughout the Campus WU in Vienna, Austria.
The crane park assembled at Campus WU at the start of building construction consisted of 12 Liebherr cranes.
The crane park assembled at Campus WU at the start of building construction consisted of 12 Liebherr cranes.
Careful coordination has been required to ensure efficient, and safe, operations on the project.
Careful coordination has been required to ensure efficient, and safe, operations on the project.
The site, located on an area of roughly 10 hectares (24.7 acres), is divided into East, Middle and West sections connected by a site road.
The site, located on an area of roughly 10 hectares (24.7 acres), is divided into East, Middle and West sections connected by a site road.
Over the course of construction, an average of 500 workers will be laying 15,000 tonnes of reinforcement and 150,000 cu. m (196,193 cu. yds.) of concrete.
Over the course of construction, an average of 500 workers will be laying 15,000 tonnes of reinforcement and 150,000 cu. m (196,193 cu. yds.) of concrete.
In the center of the Campus WU stands the "Library und Learning Centre", a physically dominating building with a striking sloped facade, connected to five building complexes. Once completed, Campus WU...
In the center of the Campus WU stands the "Library und Learning Centre", a physically dominating building with a striking sloped facade, connected to five building complexes. Once completed, Campus WU will be the largest economic and business university in Europe.

In order to shorten the construction time, two additional tower cranes – a 200 EC-B 10 Litronic and 154 EC-H 6 Litronic - were brought into operation in late summer of 2011. These units offer hook heights of 32 and 38 m (105 and 125 ft.), respectively, and radii of 50 and 45 m (55 and 49 yds.).

All of the Liebherr cranes in action at Campus WU are designed for high handling capacity. Even the two cranes with 70 m (77 yd.) radii provide lifting capacities of up to 3,000 kg (3.31 tons).

Once the WU Campus is completed in fall of 2013, it will play host to more than 27,000 students and 1,500 staff members, making it the largest economic and business university in Europe. Check out this video taken from the site to learn more about the design concepts and logistics behind the project.