Building bridges with ALE Mega Jack

Global heavy lift and transportation specialist ALE, which is head-quartered in the UK, used its Mega Jack system to lift both halves of the main arch of Matagarup Bridge in Perth, Australia.

The bridge comprises two 400-tonne, 120-metre-long steel wishbones that come together to form the central arch. ALE utilised barges on the Swan River to float the wishbones to designated piers where the Mega Jack was used to form two temporary 50m towers that helped pull the wishbones up into position. Once in position, ALE used strand jacks to secure them until they were welded into place.

The new Matagarup Bridge, located on the Swan River, will connect the eastern side of Perth city with the Burswood Peninsula, where a new 60,000 seat stadium has opened. It is built for pedestrians and cyclists only.

Frank Janssen, ALE’s project manager, explained, “We are delighted to be involved in this landmark project for the city. This was a technically challenging operation involving the majority of our transport systems and technical knowledge such as SPMTs, strand jacks, barges, hydraulic jacks and the Mega Jack System. We provided a time and cost-effective solution using our specialist equipment and expert operators. The successful arch installation marks a significant milestone towards the completion of the bridge.”