Liebherr in 52nd floor Silhouette Tower rescue

Hill International took on the half-finished tower in 2009.

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Crane operatorts are once again working on the troubled Silhouette Tower in Qatar.

The 59-storey tower has suffered several delays and internal problems since construction began in 2006 and in late-2009, Hill International took over management of the project.

With work on the tower at an advanced stage, construction had been stopped at the 52nd-storey and all construction equipment taken off the building.

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Removal of the project’s original two tower cranes posed a major problem for incoming sub-contractor Redco as did identifying a cost effective method of installing new units at short notice.

After exploring its options, Redco brought in a Liebherr self climbing 160 HC L8/16 Litronic luffing crane from Qatar crane rental company, United Equipment.

With the existing lift shaft too small to incorporate the crane’s mast, a 2.3m x 2.3m hole was cut through the slab between the two lift shafts.

Using a specially fabricated steel frame supported by slab beams on the 47th and 49th floors and further positioned through the lift shafts, the luffing jib crane was successfully installed.

The Litronic was chosen for its ability to be easily fitted within the shaft and high speed lifting capability. Its installation also means a single crane can cover the tower’s ‘footprint’ and an immediate start.

On completion the Silhouette Tower is destined to become a 365 roomed Intercontinental Hotel with 180 serviced apartments.