Precise installation of extremely large glass panels
Spectacular projects from Heavydrive’s 20-year history
"Large-format glass panes have long been more than just an architectural highlight. Every project presents its own unique challenges, whether due to weight, dimensions or the often difficult on-site conditions.” says Günter Übelacker, Managing Director of Heavydrive. A review of projects over the last twenty years highlights both the wide range of these challenges and the highly customised nature of the solutions developed for them.
In Dubrovnik (Croatia), a pane weighing around four tonnes (8,818 lbs) had to be installed beneath a three-metre (9.8 ft) overhang at the Grand Villa Argentina. Yet there was hardly any space for the installation, the tolerances were just six millimetres (0.24 in), and the site could not simply be cordoned off. Heavydrive provided the solution: Two construction cranes, linked by a crossbeam, moved the section into position in a controlled manner. Although the strong wind delayed the start of the installation and made the work more difficult, the glass pane was eventually fitted perfectly into the frame in just an hour and a half.
Conditions were very similar during the Heavydrive assignment in Trieste (Italy). Right by the sea, with no staging area and under the influence of the Bora – a highly unpredictable downslope wind – several façade glass panels weighing up to four tons (8,818 lbs) were installed. The elements measured up to 18 metres in length (59 ft) and 3.4 metres in height (11 ft) and had to be moved a distance of 12.2 metres (40 ft) to the façade. As the wind intensified, controlling and positioning the massive glass panes became increasingly challenging. Nonetheless, the installation was completed within a tight schedule, just before the forecast storm forced the work to a halt.
In Rovinj (Croatia), Heavydrive had to lift a glass pane measuring 15 metres (49.2 ft) in length and weighing 5.2 tonnes (11,464 lbs) to a height of 19 metres (62.3 ft) above a building and install it into the façade. The key factor here was preparation. Various scenarios had already been rehearsed in advance to avoid wasting any time on site. The result was the safe installation of the XXL pane in just one day.
In Schlanders, South Tyrol, it also became clear that size is not the only challenge involved. Different pane sizes within a façade call for flexible processes. Among other tasks, Heavydrive installed glass elements there measuring 10.7 metres (35.1 ft) in height and weighing up to 2.8 tonnes (6,173 lbs), as well as narrow panes 0.57 metres (1.87 ft) wide and weighing around 750 kilograms (1,653 lbs). Rather than repeatedly adjusting the setup, two Heavydrive systems were operated in parallel. As a result, the installation was finished far faster than initially scheduled.
Ultimately, success is not defined by the size of the glass pane, but by how effectively planning, experience, and execution come together. Only through this combination can reliable and precise results be achieved, even in the most demanding conditions.
Tags: #Heavydrive #GlassInstallation #FaçadeConstruction #GlassFaçade #SpecialInstallation #VacuumTechnology #Schlanders #Rovinj #Trieste #Dubrovnik #20YearsExperience
