INTERNATIONAL
successful with several major infrastructure projects in Peru and
Ecuador from major roadways, bridges, drainage and commercial
building construction.
Numerous challenges
The challenges on a project of this magnitude have been plentiful
for the team and primarily consist of three main issues:
•• A remote project location with the closest airport more than
three hours away through winding, single-lane roadways
•• A prolonged rainy season that lasts the majority of the year.
Crews must deal with water-saturated ground conditions,
landslides and occasional river floods.
•• An environmentally sensitive area with plenty of wildlife
Pareja says access to the project site has been difficult with
the transportation of heavy equipment and construction supplies a
constant challenge. Makeshift platforms (steel road plates, timber
matts, etc.) have been built on the winding access roadways.
“The contractor built a steel/mechanic shop facility onsite in
order to stock the required equipment to fabricate ‘in-house’ many
of the steel components used for the pile templates, insert modifications,
temporary pile caps, etc.,” he said. “Also, during the heavy
rainy seasons – besides the normal impact on production that a
prolonged rainy season has on any project site – the contractor had
to constantly monitor the water level of the adjacent river and take
necessary precautions against floods.”
In addition, the working radius for the cranes was constantly
changing due to shifting water levels. Operators and managers
constantly check load charts before continuing with any piling
operations.
“Having a unit stuck in the mud is a normal occurrence,”
said Pareja. “The fact that the cranes available to the contractor
are wheel-mounted and not crawler type becomes a real problem,
Photos courtesy of ICE® – International Construction Equipment, Inc.
EQUIPMENT SNAPSHOT
As construction continues on the new $43.7-million port terminal
in the Nueva Reforma area of Peru, the site’s remote
location (on the left bank of the Hualaga River, approximately
20 km downstream from the port town of Yurimaguas
in the province of Alta Amazonas (High Amazon), combined
with a long rainy season, contractors CASA and Hidalgo &
Hidalgo have overcome many challenges to date – largely
due to the equipment used on this mega project.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the equipment:
Hammers:
•• ICE I–46v2 diesel impact hammer with 42-inch open
box swing leads
•• ICE I–19v2 diesel impact hammer with 26-inch open
box swing leads
•• ICE 44B vibratory hammer with power unit
Sheet piles and pipes:
•• Sheet pile – profile: PU28 – approx. 12 meters long
•• Sheet pile – profile: AU25 – approx. 12 meters long
•• Steel pipe pile: 32-inch diameter x 0.625 wall thickness
– approximately 35 meters long
•• Steel pipe pile: 12-inch diameter x 0.5 wall thickness –
length varies depending on application
All material listed above are to be driven into the ground.
Excavator and cranes:
•• Dooson excavators (Solar210W-V)
•• 180-ton crane – make: American, model number 8470B
•• 150-ton crane – make: Lorain, model number MC–8150
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