Manitowoc crawler cranes assist Pittsburgh airport transformation project

To bring this ambitious plan from vision to reality while working inside the existing airport’s active air space takes an expert team of people and equipment. That includes two 380-ton Manitowoc MLC300 crawler cranes with VPC-MAX™ leased from Maxim Crane Works to joint venture contractor PJ Dick | Hunt.

Pittsburgh’s airport serves more than 8 million passengers annually. The new 811,000-square-foot terminal will consolidate check-in, ticketing, security, and baggage while offering more open space for social distancing. By eliminating automated people mover trams and an eight-mile baggage train system, passengers and their luggage will arrive at their gates up to 50 percent faster.

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The overall design was inspired by Western Pennsylvania’s rolling hills, rivers, and parks, with a nod to its industrial heritage. The most unusual feature of the new terminal is its combined 90,000 square feet of outdoor terrace among four open air spaces, including two post-security screening where passengers can wait for their flights– a first for U.S. airports.

Four new bridges will be constructed to expedite traffic, including a three-level terminal bridge that stretches over 1,300 ft and serves as the main entrance. Over 16,000 tons of steel—all domestic and all fabricated locally—are being used in the project. That steel will be held firmly in place with 9.5 miles of field welding and fastened with 182,000 connecting bolts.

The terminal’s skeleton is framed by steel beams, each up to 120 feet long. These require a larger crane to get the needed reach while being mindful of the crane and load’s impact on the underground shuttles and gate areas.

“Maxim Crane Works has a long-standing relationship with PJ Dick | Hunt and understood that this is a key project for Pittsburgh’s growth in the years to come. We worked with the steel erector to develop a plan that would work with their lifting needs and accelerated schedule,” said Bob Fleckenstein, national accounts manager for Maxim.

Two MLC300 380-ton crawler cranes with VPC-Max variable position counterweight were moved onto the site in May 2022. Both cranes are configured with a 177-foot main boom, 157-foot luffing jib, and 97-foot back mast.

The VPC-Max attachment allows the crane’s counterweight to be positioned automatically without using carbody weights. This reduces the crane’s footprint and increases the crane’s maximum load moment, allowing it to outlift much larger cranes. In addition, the VPC-Max technology reduces ground-bearing pressures, another selling point for choosing the Manitowoc crawler crane.

The cranes, nicknamed “Big Red” by the construction crews, reach heights that require clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Even though the building is only about 100 feet tall, we have to have 290-plus feet of crane height because of how the structure’s geometry works,” said Rob Bramblett, project executive with PJ Dick | Hunt.

Just as planes need approval from air traffic controllers to take off and land, cranes need FAA permission and constant coordination with the tower to operate at airports. The review includes aircraft climb rates (with one engine out), the height and swing radius of the crane boom, and wind direction, among other considerations.

Every morning, construction crews outline their plans for the day with the air traffic control (ATC) tower. Officials then notify the team of potential weather concerns that may impact airport operations, which always take precedence over construction operations.