November 22, 2005:
Harvesting girders
One thing that I have learned from the Unbuilding team is that nothing
is routine. Processes that seem to me to be fairly fixed are, in reality,
subject to unseen challenges. Today the issue was aligning the lift bar
over the center of the concrete girder. From here, you can see the
juxtaposition of the crane / barge and the shore - and the girders. So
there is some difficulty in aligning the lift bar when looking from below.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4160_pearman_worksite.jpg)
Never-the-less, Bob McCabe and his team are adjusting, talking, phoning etc
to get both teams synchronized. Here the ironworkers are coupling the
lift bar to the girder. I have a rather jerky
video by stiching
photos together. Maybe it will bring a few smiles.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4169_coupling.jpg)
The girder is ready for detachment from the pier cap
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4173_girder_ready.jpg)
Jack rolls in with his shear
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4176_jack.jpg)
Takes a bite or two which frees the girder
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4180_jack_bite.jpg)
Then the lift starts - you can see the closer edge. Also, note that
there are two shackles on the far end and three on this end - to provide
a way to pivot the end of the girder up (my speculation).
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4190_lift.jpg)
Then the crane operator rotates his boom
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4198_rotate.jpg)
while Brad, our safety man, looks at the process
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4200_brad.jpg)
The girder is lowered and uncoupled from the lift bar
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4218_uncoupled.jpg)
and raised for attachment to the next girder
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4227_next_girder.jpg)
Just to improve the centering of the lift bar, time to bring out the
tape measure and add a bit of precision to the adjustment
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4247_measure.jpg)
Then the slings are adjusted
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4249_adjust_sling.jpg)
the right sling is a bit uncooperative
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4255_adjust_right.jpg)
while Jack (shear opeartor), Scotty (fork lift operator) and Brad look on
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4250_jack_scott_brad.jpg)
Then Jack moves in to divide the girder into 4 segments with a few well placed
bites
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4269_girder_bite.jpg)
and a deeper bite
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4281_girder_bite.jpg)
and suddenly - a girder fragment
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4284_girder_segment.jpg)
which Jack picks up
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4288_girder_pickup.jpg)
passes to Scotty
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4290_handoff.jpg)
who transports it down the ramp
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4305_transport.jpg)
and deposits it in the girder harvest (for transplantation to a reef)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4307_deposit.jpg)
A look at the harvest - not bad for highway work
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4312_harvest.jpg)
and bye bye for today
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.oldcooperriverbridge.org/small/nov_22_4311_byebye.jpg)