Delivery of MBI 200 to Melbourne – biggest under-bridge access unit in Australia
MOOG has mastered its latest challenge.They successfully manufactured and delivered a special under-bridge access unit, model MBI 200-1,5/S, mounted on a SCANIA chassis 8×4.It was a custom designed unit made specifically for the Westgate Bridge in Australia.
The Westgate Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge with a height of 58 m located in Melbourne.The bridge crosses the Yarra River and connects the center of the city with the industrial area in the west of the city. The longest distance between supports is 336 m and the overall length is 2,582.6 m – consequently it is the third largest bridge in Australia. It had been renovated recently and now the under-bridge access unit will help to enable regular inspection and maintenance work on the underside of the bridge deck.
Australian norms and guidelines had to be considered during the engineering of the unit especially taking into consideration the ranges of the Westgate Bridge. A crossing of 4 m over the safety fence, which protrudes outward on the sides, can be reached. The maximum horizontal range of the platform is 20 m under the bridge and the maximum lowering depth is 8.4 m. With a load capacity of 800 kg the spacious platform offers enough area for several people at the same time. Therefore, all surfaces of the bridge above and under the road can be reached flexibly. With these ranges the MBI 200-1,5/S is the biggest bridge inspection unit in Australia currently.
Additional equipment requested by the customer were a pneumatic lift, an air compressor, a special camera and lighting system, a platform extension and a diesel generator. This additional equipment increases the fields of operation and offers more comfort for the customer.
