French construction group Ponticelli has deployed its Terex AC 700 all-terrain crane to help raise a complex scaffolding structure at the plinth of the Panthéon in Paris, France.
The Panthéon has been used as a secular temple of the French Republic since 1791. However, over the years, the stability of the structure has been compromised by factors such as pressure on its arches, water seepage, and swelling metal components that have cracked surrounding stone. As such, the Centre des Monuments Nationaux has committed to a large-scale restoration project.
The first phase of restoration, which is scheduled to continue into 2015, will focus on the 82m-high upper portion of the structure. The major challenge for those conducting the work is that the monument must remain open to the public whilst restoration takes place.
In order to repair the Panthéon’s upper structure without using the building itself as a support, the colonnaded drum supporting the dome must be completely covered by free-standing scaffolding. Paris Echafaudage has designed a 350-tonne scaffolding structure for this purpose.
Ponticelli’s Terex AC 700 all-terrain crane successfully lifted all of the scaffolding structure’s sections – the largest of which weighed 42 tonnes – into position within the space of four weeks. To cope with the different lift profiles, the team used the crane’s 42m luffing jib across varied main boom extensions and angles.
“These manoeuvres demanded the highest level of precision, since the structure was assembled only a few centimetres away from the building,” said Dejan Kostovski, project manager for Paris Charpente. “And this shows the skill level of the crane people in this difficult site. During work hours, the Panthéon would remain open to the public, a crowded site with people milling around.
“The work went smoothly,” Kostovski added. “The crane operators are true professionals. Their advice was very useful to our team. We will likely work with them during the disassembly process too.”
