A trio of Doosan machines for Beller GmbH & Co. KG

German contractor uses three Doosan excavators for time-critical demolition project

BELLER GmbH & Co. KG have utilized three Doosan excavators – a DX255LC-5, DX340LC-5 and DX380LC-5 – to help demolish and replace a dilapidated road bridge that ran over a busy railway line in Germany.

The contractor had 72h to complete the time-sensitive engineering project, and to meet the strict deadline, Beller were able to win this race against time thanks to the Doosan machines’ power, reliability and perseverance. The company had bought the excavators from Doosan dealers Ummenhofer, based in Pfullendorf, over the last two years and was, therefore, well equipped for the mammoth job.

It was clear that the old bridge had had its day after more than 100 years in use. The strong vibrations caused by the rail traffic had led to instability, which meant the bridge could no longer be used by heavy vehicles. The simple solution was to demolish the old structure and construct a new bridge.

During the short timescale of the project, the Doosan excavators showed their full potential. After the railway line was covered, a gravel bed was created by the machines to protect the line and initiate demolition works. Particular attention was also paid to protecting the overhead lines.

With the help of several pulverizers, chisels and grabs, the DX340LC-5 and DX255LC-5 machines tackled the old foundations, while the DX380LC-5 dismantled the superstructure. As part of Beller’s recycling agenda, approximately 800 tonnes of concrete were removed and reused at the contractor’s own reprocessing plant.

The spaces left by the removal of the foundations were subsequently filled in and compacted. This was extremely important as the foundations reached a depth of 2m below the rail tracks and without this work, railway line stability would not be guaranteed especially when heavy rail vehicles are in use.

The route was reopened to traffic again on time after 72h. The Doosan excavators also took care of the subsequent earthworks and the loading of the trucks.

As well as heaping praise on the Doosan excavators, Adrian Beller, owner of Beller GmbH & Co. KG, highlighted Ummenhofer’s after-sales and customer service as key contributing factors in purchasing more Doosan machines for challenging projects such as the time-critical bridge demolition contract.

‘With Ummenhofer, we have a competent partner by our side that we can always rely on,’ said Mr Beller. ‘The fast service and the great knowhow of their employees guarantees the best cooperation.’