Fig. 1. The Federation of the German Construction Industry awarded the BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH again with the silver SAFETY AWARD for specialist foundation engineering. Source: BAUER
The health and safety of all employees at BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, Schrobnhausen/Germany, is a top priority. This commitment has now been recognized by the Federation of the German Construction Industry with the silver SAFETY AWARD for specialist foundation engineering (Figure 1). During the General Meeting of the Federal Department (BFA) for Specialist Foundation Engineering, the award was officially presented to Florian Bauer, Member of the Management Board of BAUER Spezialtiefbau, on 25th September 2023. The award was based on accident figures reported by the member companies and the statistics collected within the BFA for the assessment year of 2022. Furthermore, the award relied on generous support from the employer’s liability insurance association for the construction sector (BG BAU). The BFA for Specialist Foundation Engineering is part of the Central Federation of the German Construction Industry and brings together the leading German specialist foundation engineering companies operating nationally and internationally. Since 2016, this award has honored specialist foundation engineering companies for above-average prevention of industrial accidents on construction sites. BAUER Spezialtiefbau previously won the silver SAFETY AWARD in 2019.
“We take occupational safety very seriously in our company, which is why we are particularly thrilled to receive this prestigious award,” says Harald Heinzelmann, Managing Director of BAUER Spezialtiefbau. “In this context, we rely on a unified Health, Safety and Environment Management system based on globally applicable standards and guidelines. Other areas of focus include personal protective equipment for all employees on construction sites, conduct-based occupational safety, an extensive accident reporting and auditing system as well as consistent further development and training for employees.”
To raise more awareness about the topic of occupational safety, an annual safety competition is held within the BAUER Group in Germany and Austria. The employees have the opportunity to win attractive prizes, including a car. And the success is impressive: All the occupational safety measures have significantly reduced the number of accidents since 2019.
High throughput, fast assembly, digital operation with remote maintenance: that’s the new BE 600-C desanding plant from BAUER MAT Slurry Handling Systems. The Allgäu branch of BAUER Maschinen GmbH recently brought it on the market as a successor of the established BE 550 that truly keeps it all together: This two-stage plant with double cyclone design is installed within a container frame, and includes a reservoir tank, solids discharge, hose guide, all-round access platform and upstream coarse screen. It delivers 174 kW of power and a considerable throughput capacity of 600 m3/h. This means that the plant can process up to 120 t of solids per hour – setting new standards in the field of desanding.
Two become one
There’s a whole lot of established technology in the BE 600-C, since strictly speaking it’s comprised of two standard Type BE 300-C desanding plants. However, the optimized separation is new: After being fully treated in a first step, the slurry is pumped through the second tank inside (rather than outside) the plant toward the desilter unit. Another feature is the comparatively low space requirement, as pumps and desilters are located within the container frame and not outside, as would be the case for standard double cyclone plants. The BE 600-C thus achieves a base area of just 6.1 x 5.9 m.
But that’s not all: Because all components are installed within the container frame, it is possible to carry out transport, assembly and commissioning on site, quickly and easily – for example for cutting, tunneling, grabbing or drilling projects. What makes it unique: As needed, the BE 600-C can be divided back into two individual BE 300-C units, and the upstream coarse screen can also feed just a single unit. “This makes our plant as flexible as our customers’ projects,” summarizes Tim Eberwein, Sales Manager at BAUER MAT Slurry Handling Systems.
Focus on digitalization and automation
The BE 600-C also excels when it comes to digitalization with several new features, explains Yilmaz Ipeksoy, Technical Manager at BAUER MAT Slurry Handling Systems: For example, each of the two individual plants features a 12-inch display with touch screen. The complete plant can also be operated from a single screen in master-slave mode. The operator can see at a glance which parts of the equipment (conveyor belt, flow meter, accessories etc.) are running and which are not; other information such as pressures, operating hours or power consumption is also displayed. An EWON router establishes a connection with the Internet, which allows all data to be called up via remote access, along with error messages. “In this way, our service specialists can connect to the equipment quickly and easily and perform a remote diagnosis if necessary. This saves lots of time as well as costs, since our customers don’t have to wait for service technicians to arrive on site.”
Anywhere bentonite or cement slurry needs to be mixed, this MAT equipment can be used. “Whether for mixing, pumping, stockpiling or separating, our products are a key element of the complete cycle,” explains Kurt Ostermeier, Head of Product Management Mixing and Separation Technology at Bauer Maschinen. More than 30 years of expertise in mixing and separation technology contribute to the process when equipment or components are newly developed or enhanced at BAUER MAT Slurry Handling Systems. But new trends such as digitalization and automation are also in focus. Kurt Ostermeier asserts: “Digitalization as well as automation are ongoing processes that will continue to play a major role in the future. Our goal is to fully and permanently integrate our equipment into the cycle of a digital site.” And with the new BE 600-C, BAUER MAT Slurry Handling Systems has taken a major step towards that goal.
Bauer brought its first cutter to the market almost 40 years ago, thereby starting a success story that has now introduced a new chapter: In April, the company presented its new BCS 185 cutter system, which has really struck a chord with customers. “Our multi-functional MC duty-cycle cranes are used for a wide range of applications, first off as base carriers for our cutters and grabs, but also for lifting work or dynamic soil compaction,” explains Leonhard Weixler, Head of the Diaphragm Wall Division at Bauer Maschinen. “For anyone who doesn’t require this multi-functionality but needs equipment that is specially optimized for trench cutting, we have extended our BCS portfolio with the newly developed BCS 185. And the feedback from our customers is excellent.” This latest model of BAUER Cutter Systems (BCS) can cut trenches up to a depth of 90 m. In addition, the special design of our BCS systems combines proven technology with a vast variety of other useful features as well as the necessary modularity for today’s ever stricter transport requirements.
Solide base The base carrier is a Bauer MT 185. The solid design offers high stability and comprehensive HSE features, including a rear view camera, integrated service platforms and ergonomic, highly comfortable cab layout. Operators used to our Bauer MC models are sure to feel at home quickly, since the inner workings of the cab are identical to the Bauer duty-cycle cranes. A variety of electronic assistance systems (integrated into the latest version of the BAUER B-Tronic system) supports the operator effectively and increase productivity at the same time. The MT 185 is equipped with a fuel-efficient, powerful Volvo engine, which complies to all different emissions standards worldwide.
Continuously adjustable cutter position The BCS 185 is of course also available with the Bauer Turning Device, which allows this cutter to work in extremely confined construction sites and will still be able to ‘cut the corners’. “This is making the difference in today’s cutter operations,” remarks Leonhard Weixler. It allows the cutter to be twisted within a range of -50 to +95 degrees from its normal position to reach every corner in the excavation pit without a problem. Together with the overall compact dimensions of the BCS 185, the range of efficient cutter applications under restricted space conditions is further enhanced.
Streamlined special equipment for mid-sized applications Attentive observers will also notice the arrangement of the hose drums in the boom, thanks to which the cutter system delivers a highly streamlined impression overall. The 30 t winch was specifically designed for use in the mid-sized range. With the maximum hook load of 43 t, the BCS 185 can be equipped with a wide range of Bauer cutters allowing trench widths of up to 1,500 mm. This makes the system as a whole even more attractive: The Bauer cutter system is not subject to crane permit regulations, hence any requirements for the operators are eliminated.
First operations in China and Europe Just on display at Bauer’s In-House Exhibition in Schrobenhausen as well as in a product launch event in Tianjin in China, the new cutter system already started its operation in the South of China. It had been shipped to the construction site beginning of June and was assembled in a record time of only 22 hours. The first unit in Europe will soon travel to the French city of Toulouse. This BCS 185 will be used on a cutter project together with other Bauer cutters. “The BCS series, our MC-based cutter systems as well as our world novelty, the BAUER Cube System complement one another fantastically,” Leonhard Weixler remarks confidently. “And with that, Bauer once again demonstrates why we are the leading manufacturer of the worldwide most productive cutter systems!”
Cementation Skanska and BAUER Maschinen GmbH have jointly brought the world’s first electric, large rotary drilling rig to the High Speed 2 (HS2) project in London. Instead of a diesel engine, the BAUER eBG33 has a powerful electric drive. Thanks to a dedicated on-site sub-station, Cementation Skanska can operate the machine with zero local emissions.
This innovative rig proves that heavy-duty, electrically powered construction equipment can perform the same tasks as conventional equipment and is a further step towards diesel-free construction sites in the future. The eBG 33 has been operational for almost 500 hours on this project which means a considerable CO2 saving. Additionally, the noise reductions are significant, with base carrier noise levels of 50% less, compared to a conventional rig.
Andrew Entwistle, Operations Director at Cementation Skanska, emphasizes: “The emission-free capability of this rig is an exciting step forward in our net zero ambitions. This type of innovation sits at the heart of our carbon reduction strategy and supports HS2 with its ambition for all its construction sites to be diesel free by 2029. Not only has it been valuable for us to work with the eBG 33 first hand on a live project, but it has provided an important opportunity to demonstrate the potential of all-electric heavy plant to the wider industry.”
Warren Arnold, General Manager of BAUER Equipment UK Ltd, says: “We are delighted to be working with Cementation on this project to deliver this world first use of a fully local emission free, high-capacity drilling rig. We are all incredibly proud of this unique rig which is setting standards. All the data recorded during operation will help Bauer in the further development of our environmentally friendly rigs and in our ambition to be the leading supplier of sustainable equipment for specialist foundation engineering. This really is a great opportunity to showcase what the eBG 33 can deliver in real terms and the benefits to the local community and environment.”
This deployment run is a continuation of work carried out as part of the HS2 project in Birmingham, where the rig was powered by a generator. There, the cable handling was tested for the very first time in a live environment. With the ability to connect the unit to the local power grid in London, Bauer and Cementation were able to put the eBG 33 through its paces and gather valuable data on power consumption throughout the piling operation. This data will be used in the further development of the battery-powered eBG 33 H all electric recently introduced by BAUER Maschinen GmbH.
Carbon is one of the most important building blocks of life. It serves as the basis of all natural materials and forms numerous bonds. When forests die, e. g., CO2 enters the atmosphere and is bound by plants or rivers somewhere else. As a result, carbon is simply everywhere. And there’s now more of it in the air than the natural cycle is able to neutralize. Carbo-FORCE GmbH has a strategy to counteract this: This startup from the northern German town of Preetz has developed groundbreaking plant for the carbonization of biomass. On 1st January 2023, BAUER Resources GmbH, Schrobenhausen/Germany, acquired 50 % of the company’s shares (Figure 1).
But how does this innovative plant work? The technology is based on the traditional principle of carbonization. This is none other than pyrolysis, in which the biomass, from (scrap) wood and horse manure all the way to fermentation residues or sewage sludge, is heated to very high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. As a result, a large share of the carbon is bound and not entirely emitted into the atmosphere as it would be with incineration. The end product is biochar, which has a variety of possible uses: in agriculture for soil improvement, in livestock farming as feed charcoal, as an insulating material or as activated carbon filter. “Depending on the initial material, 1 t of biochar can bind more than 3 t of CO2,” explains Kai Alberding, Managing Director and founder of Carbo-FORCE. In this way, the equipment actively produces carbon credits as well as exhaust heat. Hardly any energy is required during operation, just at the start of the combustion process. “Far more energy is generated than consumed – the plant is almost self-sufficient,” summarizes Alberding. Due to their modular design in the form of containers, these durable plant can be individually adapted and positioned in a decentralized manner.
“For a long time now, Bauer Resources has stood for simple technologies combined with decentralized solutions. This is why the groundbreaking carbonization plants from Carbo-FORCE are an ideal addition to our portfolio,” underscores Roman Breuer, Managing Director of BAUER Resources, and adds: “At the same time, we are reinforcing the expansion of our energy division with this step.” For Carbo-FORCE, the collaboration offers considerable added value in other respects: “In Bauer Resources we have found a long-term partner who provides us with the necessary production capacity and a suitable sales network,” says Alberding. The equipment will be constructed by a subsidiary of Bauer Resources – SCHACHTBAU NORDHAUSEN GmbH – a specialist in plant engineering with more than 30 years of experience in the field.
As a result, both companies will benefit from the future collaboration as they join forces to address important topics: the reduction of CO2 emissions and the generation of sustainable energy. (BAUER/Si.)
After three years, it was finally time again on October 24: Bauma – the world’s leading trade fair for construction equipment, construction material equipment, mining equipment, construction vehicles and construction machines – opened its doors at Munich’s exhibition grounds. In a hall area of roughly 200,000 m2 and an outdoor area of more than 400,000 m2, more than 3,000 exhibitors from 58 countries presented exhibits until October 30. Among them, of course, was once again the BAUER Maschinen Group, which welcomed numerous guests at the entirely redesigned and certified climate-neutral exhibition stand with an urban character. Apart from Bauer drilling rigs, duty-cycle cranes from the MC series and diaphragm wall equipment, Bauer also displayed equipment and machines from the subsidiaries KLEMM, RTG and Bauer MAT – including some world firsts.
“For more than half a century, our high-performance and highly efficient equipment has been setting standards in specialist foundation engineering,” says Dr. Rüdiger Kaub, Managing Director of BAUER Maschinen GmbH. “We are proud of this, but we don’t rest on our laurels: we are making great strides on the path to a sustainable future with our numerous innovations that we presented at Bauma. We look forward to taking this journey together with our customers and partners.”
Michael Stomberg, CEO of BAUER AG, adds: “The topics of urbanization, energy supply and climate change pose a variety of challenges for us. With our machines, equipment and digital solutions, we contribute to mastering these challenges and building the foundation for the world of tomorrow.”
Alternative drives for increased flexibility on construction sites This year’s Bauma was entirely focused on digitalization and sustainability – two keywords that also play a central role at Bauer. In mid-2021, Bauer brought its first drilling rig with an electric drive on the market, the eBG 33. Now the company has opened up another chapter in electrification at Bauma and presented the new, fully battery-powered version of its electrical drilling rigs: the fully electric BAUER eBG 33 H all electric. With the additional electrification of the main consumers such as the rotary drive and main winch, it defines new standards for energy efficiency. Locally CO2-free operation with highly efficient energy use and low noise emission values are benefits for operators, residents and ultimately the environment as a whole. This new eBG model relies on a completely new generation of the B-Tronic control and visualization system, the B-Tronic 5, with innovative solutions in human-machine interaction and additional functions in the area of data management.
One of the highlights this year: the BAUER eBG 33 H all electric. Photo: BAUER Group
First hybrid model in the telescopic leader segment RTG Rammtechnik GmbH also unveiled a true world first: the RG 19 T hybrid. The system capacity is achieved with a diesel engine and an additional electric drive, which considerably reduces the CO2 and noise emissions. With this model, RTG is setting standards in the telescopic leader segment. All RG models on the BS 55 RS and BS 65 RS base carriers can be offered with this hybrid technology in the future. Of course, the “operate” remote control is also available in the hybrid version. The new RTG Pile Driver app allows the operator to handle the machine quickly and safely. In addition, complete service can be carried out on the equipment with the help of the app.
With its new RG 19 T hybrid, RTG Rammtechnik GmbH is setting standards in the telescopic leader segment. Photo: BAUER Group
KLEMM Bohrtechnik GmbH also presented an electric model, among other equipment: the exhibited KR 806-3E features proven technology from the KR 806-3GS rig, however as an electrohydraulic, emission-free variant. The intelligent control system enables the use of batteries as a booster for drilling operation to reduce the required electricity load. Compared to the diesel-hydraulic variant, there are no restrictions when it comes to power and application. .
The electric equipment portfolio of the BAUER Maschinen Group is rounded off by the electrically powered duty-cycle crane from the MC series, which already attracted attention at Bauma 2019, as well as the innovative BAUER Cube System. Bauer brought the system on the market in 2021 and now presented it at this year’s Bauma to a wider audience of international professionals. Since its market launch, the system has gone through a number of tests. In order to demonstrate this at the trade fair, a complete overhaul of the equipment was deliberately avoided. What makes this world first unique: the cutter system, including hose drum system, fits into three conventional 20-foot high cube containers. As a result, it can be easily used in 3 x 3 m diameter tunnels, which is a major advantage for trench cutter projects in densely populated large cities. Whether for above-ground or underground use, large-scale closures of urban areas could potentially be a thing of the past, since the impact of construction sites on traffic, businesses, and residents (in particular) are minimized. Last but not least, the electric drive considerably reduces the ecological disturbance of a trench cutter jobsite.
“With our extensive product range, which includes specialist foundation engineering equipment with classic diesel, hybrid and electric drives, we allow our customers to have the highest possible flexibility for their construction site,” says Dr. Rüdiger Kaub.
The exhibits from KLEMM Bohrtechnik GmbH (at the front of the picture), including the electrohydraulic KR 806-3E, were also very well received. Photo: BAUER Group
Sustainability – also a question of efficiency When it comes to sustainability, in addition to the type of drive in the equipment, another factor plays a decisive role: how efficiently the equipment operates on site. A decade ago already, Bauer Maschinen laid the foundation for today’s modern diesel-operated drilling rigs. The TEAM project, which addressed the development of technologies for energy-saving drives in mobile working equipment, resulted in the creation of the EEP Energy-Efficient Power package. It includes numerous modifications to improve efficiency. The drive system of the main winch, which represents a significant share of energy consumption especially in Kelly drilling, was thoroughly reworked. The system makes it possible to recapture energy released during the lowering process. Particularly with deep drilling operations, this allows for significant reductions in fuel consumption. Other advantages include needs-based output control of the fan speed. This not only affects efficiency, but also the drilling rig’s considerably lower noise emissions compared with earlier generations. The same applies for optimized engine control: depending on the activated consumer function, the speed of the diesel engine is controlled intelligently to the lowest possible value using the eco mode. A large-scale hydraulic system reduces output losses to a minimum. Consequently, in addition to the fuel savings, more power is generated at the consumer. Reduced losses, i.e. improved efficiency, also means more power where it is needed: at the rotary drive and at the main winch.
All these are installed as standard features in today’s diesel-operated Bauer drilling rigs and contribute to sustainability, efficiency improvement and reduction of operating costs. Depending on the equipment size, up to 30% in fuel can be saved – with productivity increases of up to 10% and considerably reduced noise emissions by up to 50%.
The partners of the Deep Sea Sampling project were delighted to receive the Bauma Innovation Award in the Research category. Photo: BAUER Group
Sustainable methods reduce the carbon footprint In addition, the choice of method has a significant impact on the CO2 footprint of a site. Soil mixing techniques that are sustainable because they conserve resources, like the cutter soil mixing (CSM) method patented by BAUER Maschinen GmbH or the single column mixing (SCM) method, offer a major advantage: the existing soil is loosened and mixed with a self-hardening slurry. This significantly reduces the number of transports that are needed (e.g., to bring concrete to the site, or excavated soil from the site to the landfill). Demand for such methods is increasing globally, and here Bauer not only delivers the equipment but also the right tools.
At Bauma, two exhibits with equipment for soil mixing were presented: a BG 45 with a single column mixing double head mixing drive (SCM-DH) that can be used to construct columns with a diameter of up to 2,400 mm through the reverse rotation of the mixing tools, and also an RG 21 with the new BCM 5L cutting and mixing unit to execute the CSM method.
For the innovative Stability Plus assistance system, Bauer received the EuroTest Prize 2022 from BG BAU. Photo: BAUER Group
Innovation Award and EuroTest Prize BAUER Maschinen GmbH was delighted to receive two prestigious awards during Bauma. On the eve of the opening of the trade fair, the Innovation Awards were presented. In the Research category, the Deep Sea Sampling joint project took first place. Martin Sobczyk from the TU Bergakademie Freiberg accepted the award on behalf of the project participants. About the project: Whether copper, cobalt or rare earths, the global demand for these and other raw materials is already enormous. And it will continue to increase in the coming years. To meet the demand for raw materials in the long term, existing capacities must be expanded and new deposits sustainably developed. The issue of deep-sea mining is therefore more topical than ever. It requires a consideration of the potentials and impacts across all disciplines. The Deep Sea Sampling research project is making an important contribution to this. Project partners are the TU Bergakademie Freiberg with its Institute for Processing Machines and Recycling Systems Technology and the Institute for Mechanical Engineering, the University of Rostock, the FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg as well as Krebs & Aulich GmbH and BAUER Maschinen GmbH. The German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) as well as the Deep Sea Mining Alliance (DSMA) are also represented in the committee accompanying the project.
Just a few days later, Bauer received the EuroTest Prize 2022 from the German Employers’ Liability Insurance Association for the Construction Industry (BG BAU) for its innovative Stability Plus assistance system. It aims to further increase the safety and user-friendliness of the drilling rig while significantly improving its performance. Stability Plus optimizes the horizontal extension of the drill mast, the positions of the main consumers and the slewing speed of the upper carriage. The operating forces according to the stability tables in the respective rig state are displayed to the operator in real time on the B-Tronic user interface. This significantly reduces the operator’s workload, eliminating the need to look up and memorize the complex data tables. In addition, the operator can independently select data records already stored in the B-Tronic control system for various equipment configurations and flexibly load them into the machine control system. This eliminates the need for service technicians. If new equipment data sets are required, they can be ordered from Bauer Maschinen and imported into the machine control system via the Internet using Data2Rig functionality via the DTR module.
“The inventive spirit in the many large and small companies is paving the way for Vision Zero in the construction industry. After all, their ideas for occupational safety and health help prevent accidents and work-related illnesses and make construction sites safer,” said Prof. Frank Werner, Deputy Head of BG BAU’s prevention department, at the awards ceremony. “With innovative work equipment and approaches to solutions that ensure greater safety on construction sites and in the skilled trades, this year’s winners of the EuroTest Prize impressed the expert jury.”
Apart from all these innovations and world firsts, Bauer did not neglect cherished traditions this year, such as inviting customers and partners to a Bavarian evening at the headquarters in Schrobenhausen, Germany. “Our guests particularly appreciate our friendly, down-to-earth atmosphere. We have known many of them for decades,” says Dr. Rüdiger Kaub. “It is important for you and for us that you feel that when you purchase Bauer equipment, you’re not just a customer. You become part of our global Bauer family.”
A long-established tradition: For more than 30 years, BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH has been hosting the “Schrobenhausener Tage” event. This traditional event was held in early June this year under the slogan “B.sustainable: Sustainability in specialist foundation engineering.” What made this event unique: After a three-year break, it was finally possible to welcome the guests personally again in Schrobenhausen.
In the morning, guests were given an introductory talk from Arnulf Christa, CEO of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, in the Old Welding Shop: “Sustainability requires taking on responsibility. Accordingly, the development of resource-efficient, environmentally compatible innovations and technologies has for years now been a clear focus at BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH. We are proud to make an important contribution with our ideas.” The goal is to reduce the impact of specialist foundation engineering on humans and the environment, use raw materials more efficiently and manage projects in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Looking back on the past two years, he reported in continuation: “Because of the pandemic, we had to deal with many challenges that required us to react flexibly. Nevertheless, our site teams around the world were fully committed – where possible – to successfully executing projects.”
Fig. 2. Information and expert exchange: In the exhibition area, various booths of the Design department, the Technical Service department and BAUER Maschinen GmbH awaited the participants. Photo: BAUER
In the exhibition area, participants were then able to visit various stations of the departments Technical Services, Design and Digitalization. The latest developments from Bauer were presented here – an excellent opportunity for guests to engage in dialogue with the experts. Last but not least, BAUER Maschinen GmbH also presented its innovative BAUER Cube System as well as its first electrified drilling rig.
The main series of lectures was then held in the afternoon as a hybrid event, with national guests participating on site and international guests participating via webinar. Hans- Joachim Bliss, former Managing Director of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, led the guests through the program with exciting and varied project presentations, live transmissions from sites in Germany and abroad as well as interactive discussions. For the international guests who participated virtually, the presentations were translated simultaneously.
Fig. 3. The digitalization experts also presented Bauer’s latest developments. Photo: BAUER
Florian Bauer, Member of the Executive Board of BAUER AG and Managing Director of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, opened the series of presentations. He emphasized how important the topic of digitalization has become for specialist foundation engineering in his presentation “Digitalization at Bauer – Solutions for today‘s Construction Sites”. “The digital site is versatile. Apart from the use of digital tools such as data management software, databases or artificial intelligence, it is people, our employees, our teams, who are responsible for the success of our sites. Without them nothing would be possible,” he remarked.
This was followed by the first live transmission, from the Cairo Metro site in Egypt. Mohamed Sherif, Project Manager at Bauer Egypt, reported on the project, where top- down construction is currently being executed for the rapid transit system. Next came another live report from a site in Munich, Germany, given by Jee-Sun Rössler and Stefan Jäger, Sales Engineers for the south region of Bauer Spezialtiefbau. “For this project, the mixed-in-place method is being used. This involves using the existing soil as an aggregate. Removing the material becomes unnecessary, which can save time and money, but first and foremost CO2.
After the live transmissions with Cairo and Munich there was a talk by Dr. Karsten Beckhaus, Head of the Technical Service Department at BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, dedicated entirely to the topic of “B.sustainable: Sustainability in specialist foundation engineering.” He explained: “Our top sustainability goal is to be climate-neutral by 2050.” He further emphasized: “In this context, we are focusing on providing sustainable products for our customers.”
This year’s series of presentations concluded with a live transmission from Alaska: Bruno Luz, Project Manager at the US subsidiary BAUER Foundation Corp., reported on the extreme working conditions and logistical challenges involved with reinforcing the Moose Creek dam in the northern Arctic Circle. Between the presentations, the guests had the opportunity to ask questions through an online voting portal and engage directly in dialogue with the presenters.
The event was a resounding success, with approximately 150 participants on site and around 300 online viewers. This year, the traditional event concluded with lively discussions during a relaxed dinner.
Sankhuwasabha District, Nepal – The Arun River in Nepal flows from Tibet through the Himalayas into China. Of all Nepalese river basins, it has the largest area covered in snow and ice. A new hydroelectric power plant is currently being constructed on this river, and it is expected to produce up to 900 MW of electricity.
BAUER Engineering India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, was tasked by the Indian company Jaiprakash Associates Limited with the construction of a cut-off wall as part of the project Arun III HEP. The goal is to achieve a seal and reduce seepage water below the upstream cofferdam and in the left and right abutments.
The scope of service provided by Bauer includes the execution of 3,500 running meters of drilling and injection work on the cofferdam. In the granular construction soil, composed of sand, gravel, rubble and boulders, the pore injections are executed by means of tube-à-manchette and annular grouting.
“Using the pore injections, we are able to fill the pores in the very loose soil with cement slurry and thereby reduce its permeability”, explains Project Manager Satish Kumar. He continues: “Injections require a high degree of quality assurance and quality control. We are able to meet the strict demands thanks to our many years of experience.” In addition to the pore injections, Bauer will also carry out rock grouting in order to fill gaps, fractures and cavities in the rock.
Due to the remote location in the Himalayas, not only the construction soil poses a challenge, but also logistics. On top of that, the schedule is very tight: this is because snow starts to melt in March, causing the water level in the river to rise and making work more difficult.
A KLEMM KR 909 is being used for the drilling and injection work. The work executed by Bauer started in December 2021 and is expected to be completed by May 2022.
Fig. 1. The first Bauer cutter at work sealing the Brombach reservoir in 1985. Photo: Bauer
Since the mid-1980s, hardly any other method has changed specialist foundation engineering as markedly as the development of diaphragm wall equipment. One milestone in this process was the introduction of the first Bauer trench cutter, which was used in 1984/85 to seal the Brombach Reservoir in Franconia (Figure 1). In just four months, this innovation conceived by Bauer engineers was designed, constructed and brought to the site – with resounding success: Despite some initial difficulties, the prototype was used to construct a wall 60 cm thick and 40 m deep. “This ‘technical adventure’ marked the start of a true success story, which has repeatedly gone beyond the limits of what was previously feasible and that is far from over,” says Leonhard Weixler, head of the Diaphragm Wall Equipment division at BAUER Maschinen GmbH. Since 1985, he has overseen the development of Bauer cutter technology in various roles.
Special applications for Bauer cutters
Fig. 2. Depth record: In 2019, a depth of 251.4 m was reached for the first time with a Bauer cutter. Photo: Bauer
In the following years, cutter technology at Bauer advanced in great strides – “always highly pragmatic, but also at times very bold and creative,” recalls Leonhard Weixler. The first cutters were sold to Japan and Turkey. In collaboration with a French partner, the maneuverable City-Cutter BC 15 was created for work in tight spaces and with working heights of just 5 m. New applications were later opened up with the Low Headroom machine that Bauer introduced on the market at the end of the 1990s. This was used to execute the encompassment of a subway station in Singapore underneath an existing airport building. Another machine of this type was used in China a few years later, in the Yeleh Dam project, to construct the sealing wall for a reservoir dam in a narrow tunnel.
Then in 2014, the CBC 40 Silent Cutter ushered in a new generation of equipment for projects in urban environments. The equipment performed impressively when it was used for a subway project in Singapore, particularly due to its low noise emissions, but also thanks to its compact dimensions, which were possible because of measures such as attaching the hydraulic power pack on the side. Next in summer 2019, an impressive depth record was set by a BAUER BC 50 cutter on an MC 128 duty-cycle crane: During a mining project in Canada, cutter excavation was for the first time carried out up to a depth of 251.4 m (Figure 2).
Standard equipment in specialist foundation engineering
“In addition to all these special applications – some of them in difficult geological conditions – our cutters have also become established as reliable standard equipment in specialist foundation engineering, for example in the construction of diaphragm walls that can serve as retaining structures, for cut-off wall construction or as a foundation element,” emphasizes Leonhard Weixler. In addition, cutters also play an important role in soil mixing techniques such as Cutter Soil Mixing (CSM): Cutting wheels loosen the soil and mix it with a slurry to form a homogeneous soil-bentonite mortar. The method can be used to construct cut-off walls and retaining structures in various soil types, including hard soils.
Over the decades, Bauer has built and sold hundreds of cutter and CSM units. “The reliability of our equipment is largely also based on our decades of experience,” says Leonhard Weixler. “And our customers can also depend on that.” In recent years, however, the orientation for new developments and enhancements in Bauer cutter technology has been provided not only by customer requirements, but also by two major trends. “The topics of urbanization and sustainability are becoming increasingly important. They require proactive solutions, such as our first electrically powered cutter unit based on a BAUER MC 96 duty-cycle crane, which we presented in 2019 at the Bauma in Munich,” continues Leonhard Weixler.
New applications
Fig. 3. BAUER Cube System. Photo: Bauer
Finally, Bauer presented an innovation last year that opens up entirely new applications for the future of diaphragm wall construction: the electrically powered BAUER Cube System (Figure 3). This was developed precisely in the dimensions of a container. As a result, it can be easily used in tunnels with a diameter of just 3 x 3 m, a major advantage for cutter projects in densely populated large cities, for example. “The BAUER Cube System can be used precisely where the diaphragm wall needs to be constructed: underground,” summarizes Leonhard Weixler. This means that large-scale closures of urban areas could potentially be a thing of the past. The impact of construction sites on traffic, businesses, and residents (in particular) are minimized, even during daytime use. Another advantage is that the electric drive system considerably reduces the ecological disturbance of a cutter site. When it comes to logistics, the system’s compact dimensions are another major advantage. Instead of expensive heavy haulage, individual elements of the system can be easily transported to their place of deployment as conventional containers. “All in all, the BAUER Cube System sets new standards when it comes to sustainability in cutter technology,” concludes Leonhard Weixler.
BAUER Technologies Ltd, the UK subsidiary of BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH, Schrobenhausen/Germany, is now a leader in the field of sustainable resourcing and has been accredited with the sustainability certificate BES 6001.
BES 6001 is a certification method developed by Building Research Establishment (BRE) England. This “Framework Standard for Responsible Sourcing” outlines a framework for company leadership, supply chain management, as well as ecological and social aspects. These factors must be addressed to ensure sustainable procurement for construction products. In October 2020, BAUER Technologies Ltd began the application process for the BRE BES 6001 standard for the sustainable construction of pile foundations – and their efforts have now paid off: BAUER Technologies obtained the certificate in November 2021.
Bauer Technologies specializes in the design and execution of complex foundation projects in Great Britain and Ireland. The company has been procuring materials responsibly for many years. Nevertheless, demonstrating the company’s commitment to sustainability has been difficult and time-consuming until now, both for Bauer Technologies and for clients who require an easier option for evaluating this type of certificate. Obtaining the BES 6001 certification for responsible procurement now provides security for the clients of Bauer Technologies. Certification by a third party clearly shows the company’s commitment to managing the long-term environmental footprint of the sector.
Fig. 1. Michael Jones, Managing Director of BAUER Technologies Ltd. Photo: BAUER
Commenting on the accreditation, Michael Jones (Figure 1), Managing Director of BAUER Technologies Ltd, said: “We are proud to obtain this certification. The fact that we are the only specialist foundation engineering company in the UK with this certification fills us with pride. Sustainability in our supply chain, our processes, our construction and business activities, as well as all areas of the construction sector is absolutely essential for us. Last but not least, this certification is also of major importance for our clients.”
By checking for the BES 6001 certification of Bauer Technologies in the Green Book Live Service provided by BRE Global, clients can quickly and easily review the company’s sustainability certificates and obtain additional BREEAM points for their projects thanks to this certification. BREEAM stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method and is the oldest and most widely used certification system for sustainable construction.
