Sarens has achieved a major milestone by successfully installing a 925-tonne steel roof for the new GLOBALIA (Air Europa) maintenance hangar at Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain. Despite facing delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the project was executed flawlessly.
Using 12 strandjacks, Sarens’ crew lifted the 3D steel roof structure to a height of 25 meters. The operation, a culmination of years of planning, marked a significant triumph for everyone involved, including key account manager José Mª Martínez Gutiérrez.
The lifting process involved four 185T and eight 100T strand jacks strategically positioned around the hangar’s perimeter to handle the massive, flexible, and three-dimensional load of the 140x86x10-meter roof. The crew meticulously synchronized the strand jacks, ensuring a smooth lift despite varying loads.
Prior to the main lift, a lifting test was conducted to validate theoretical loads and roof deformations against real conditions. Weather conditions posed some challenges, causing a couple of delays, but the team eventually seized a two-day window with favorable conditions to guide the roof into place successfully.
All equipment, delivered from Sarens headquarters via truck, was on-site within a week. The setup process, spanning several weeks, involved installing strand jacks on prepared auxiliary lifting structures and towers. The crew adhered to strict time windows for equipment accessibility.
Flight regulations dictated a maximum allowed hook height for auxiliary cranes, prompting the crew to employ a special assembly method to comply. The entire operation, from November 2022 to April 2023, required careful planning and execution.
