Nederhoff Lifts Hollow Core Slabs for Amersfoort Warehouse

30 Second Takeaway

Kraanbedrijf Nederhoff is using a Liebherr LTM 1130-5.1 All Terrain crane to install hollow core concrete slabs during construction of a new warehouse in Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

The five axle crane is lifting the precast elements individually and positioning them on the developing ground floor structure. The work requires close coordination between the crane operator and assembly team to control each slab from the initial pick through final placement. The LTM 1130-5.1 has a maximum lifting capacity of 130 tonnes and a 60 metre telescopic boom, providing the reach needed to serve successive installation areas from its established lifting position.

Ground Floor Construction Progresses in Amersfoort

Kraanbedrijf Nederhoff is supporting construction of a new warehouse in Amersfoort by lifting and placing the hollow core slabs forming its ground floor.

The precast concrete elements are installed one at a time, progressively creating the structural floor system. Each lifting cycle involves connecting the selected rigging, raising the slab from its delivery or storage position, moving it across the construction area and lowering it onto its prepared supports.

The process is repeated as the assembly team works across the building footprint.

Although the individual lifts follow a similar sequence, each movement must remain controlled. The operator needs to account for the current lifting radius, available clearance, position of the assembly crew and changing condition of the structure as more slabs are installed.

Hollow Core Slabs Installed One by One

Hollow core slabs are precast concrete floor elements containing continuous longitudinal voids. These voids reduce the amount of concrete and the self weight of the element while retaining the structural properties required for the designed floor system. The slabs can span between prepared supports and provide a platform for subsequent construction activities. At the Amersfoort warehouse, the elements are being placed individually so that the assembly team can confirm the position and bearing of each slab before the next lifting cycle begins.

A typical installation sequence covers:

• Confirming the identity and orientation of the slab

• Inspecting the lifting points and rigging equipment

• Connecting the slab to the crane

• Completing a controlled initial lift

• Moving the load towards the installation area

• Aligning the slab with its intended position

• Lowering it onto the prepared supports

• Releasing the lifting equipment after placement is confirmed

Working systematically helps maintain the planned slab layout and supports an orderly progression across the floor.

Crane Operator and Assembly Team Work Together

The installation depends on precise cooperation between the crane operator and the onsite assembly team. From the crane cab, the operator controls the hoisting, slewing and boom movements. The assembly team monitors the slab as it approaches the structure and provides the information needed to complete the final alignment. Clear communication is especially important when the operator does not have an uninterrupted view of the load or its final landing position.

A designated signaller can provide instructions using agreed hand signals or radio communication. Maintaining one clear line of communication helps prevent conflicting directions during the lift. The crew must also remain aware of the suspended load and avoid positioning themselves beneath it. Hands and feet need to remain clear of potential trapping points as the slab approaches the supporting structure. Final placement is completed at a controlled speed, allowing the team to guide the element without sudden movement.

Repetitive Lifts Still Require Individual Control

Installing a series of similar slabs can create a repetitive lifting cycle, but every lift remains a separate crane operation. The lifting radius can change as the floor installation advances. Delivery vehicles or stored slabs can also occupy different positions during the working day.

Factors requiring continued attention include:

• Confirmed slab weight

• Crane configuration

• Operating radius

• Boom length and angle

• Rigging arrangement

• Wind conditions

• Ground support beneath the crane

• Clearance from the structure

• Personnel working nearby

• Condition of the prepared bearing surfaces

The crane’s available capacity must be checked for the actual configuration and radius of each lift. Its maximum rated capacity does not apply throughout the complete working range. Maintaining a consistent sequence can improve productivity, but the crew must remain prepared to stop the operation if the load, rigging, communication or work area differs from the approved plan.

LTM 1130-5.1 Provides Reach Across the Building

The Liebherr LTM 1130-5.1 combines a compact five axle carrier with a long telescopic boom. Liebherr rates the model at a maximum lifting capacity of 130 tonnes. Its telescopic boom extends to 60 metres, allowing the crane to reach installation points distributed across a sizeable construction area.

For precast floor installation, reach is often as important as maximum capacity. As the horizontal distance between the crane and the placement position increases, the crane’s available lifting capacity decreases. Selecting the crane therefore requires consideration of the complete installation area rather than only the weight of an individual slab.

The LTM 1130-5.1 can be positioned and configured to serve several lifts before relocation is required, subject to the approved lift plan, ground conditions and applicable load chart.

Reducing the number of crane moves can help maintain continuity between slab deliveries, lifting operations and the assembly crew.

Crane Configuration Supports Controlled Placement

The LTM 1130-5.1 uses Liebherr’s TELEMATIK single cylinder telescoping system to extend and pin the individual boom sections. The system allows the crane to establish a boom configuration suited to the required lifting height and radius. Liebherr’s LICCON crane control system monitors operating information and incorporates the load moment limiter.

According to the manufacturer’s technical information, the crane provides:

• Maximum lifting capacity of 130 tonnes

• Maximum telescopic boom length of 60 metres

• Maximum lifting height of approximately 91 metres

• Maximum working radius of approximately 72 metres

• Five axle carrier

• Counterweight configurations up to 42 tonnes

• Five steering programmes

• All axle steering capability

• Fully hydraulic outriggers

The precise configuration used in Amersfoort has not been disclosed. Boom length, counterweight, outrigger position and rigging must be selected according to the engineered requirements of the project.

Five Axle Carrier Supports Site Mobility

The crane’s five axle chassis allows it to travel between projects as a road mobile unit and manoeuvre within construction sites. Liebherr designed the LTM 1130-5.1 with several steering modes, including road steering, all wheel steering and crab steering. These modes help the driver position the crane where access routes or available setup areas are restricted.

Once the crane reaches its lifting position, the outriggers transfer operational forces into the prepared supporting surface. Suitable ground bearing capacity is essential. The crane setup must account for the forces generated through the outriggers, which can vary with the load, boom position and working radius. Outrigger mats or other load distribution measures can be used where required by the engineered setup. Before lifting begins, the crane must be levelled and its working area checked for obstructions, underground services and other site hazards.

Rigging Must Match the Precast Element

Hollow core slabs must be handled using equipment and lifting methods approved for the particular element. The rigging arrangement depends on factors such as the slab design, weight, length, lifting points and manufacturer’s handling instructions. The selected system must keep the element suitably supported throughout the lifting cycle. Connections need to be checked before the slab is raised clear of its initial support.

An initial test lift allows the crew to confirm:

• The lifting connections are correctly engaged

• The slab remains stable

• The load is balanced

• The rigging is carrying the load as intended

• The crane responds normally

• The lifting path remains clear

The load can then be raised to the height required to clear the surrounding structure.

Taglines or other approved control methods can assist with orientation when included in the lifting procedure. They must be used without placing personnel in the load path or creating an additional entanglement hazard.

Final Alignment Requires Slow Crane Movements

The final stage of each lift requires particularly careful control. As the slab approaches its intended position, the operator reduces movement speed and responds to instructions from the assembly team. Small hoisting, lowering or slewing movements allow the element to be aligned with the surrounding slabs and supporting structure.

The crew confirms that the required bearing has been achieved before the rigging is released. Accurate placement is important because an incorrectly positioned slab can affect subsequent elements. Small alignment differences can accumulate as installation progresses across the building. The assembly sequence therefore connects lifting accuracy directly with the quality and efficiency of the wider construction programme.

Precast Installation Supports Faster Construction

Precast hollow core systems allow structural elements to be manufactured away from the construction site and delivered in an installation-ready condition. This approach can reduce the amount of onsite formwork and concrete placement associated with an equivalent cast in place floor.

The installation still requires detailed planning. Slab production, transport, delivery order and crane operations must be coordinated with the building sequence. Elements are normally delivered in an order corresponding with their intended positions. This reduces additional handling and helps the crane lift each slab directly towards its installation area.

Once the floor elements are secured and the required follow-on work is completed, the developing floor can support later stages of warehouse construction in accordance with the structural design.

Building a Stable Base for the Warehouse

The ground floor installation represents an important stage in the development of the new Amersfoort warehouse. As each slab is positioned, the construction team extends the structural platform across the building footprint. The work demonstrates the role of mobile cranes in repetitive precast construction. The crane must combine sufficient capacity with the reach and movement control required to place multiple elements accurately.

For Nederhoff, the LTM 1130-5.1 provides a versatile platform for completing the lifts while working in coordination with the assembly contractor and other onsite personnel.

About Kraanbedrijf Nederhoff

Kraanbedrijf Nederhoff is a Dutch provider of lifting, machinery relocation and specialised transport services. The company has operated for more than 75 years and supports projects across construction, infrastructure, industry, energy and petrochemical markets.

Its equipment and services include:

• Mobile telescopic cranes

• Mobile tower cranes

• Crawler cranes

• Telehandlers

• Loader cranes

• Compact cranes

• Machinery relocation

• Specialised transport

• Temporary roadway and ground protection systems

• Lift planning and project coordination

Nederhoff operates from locations serving Utrecht, Rotterdam and Pernis, Gouda and Vianen. The company provides operated crane rental and can coordinate complete lifting, relocation and transport projects.

Company website: www.nederhoff.nl

About Liebherr

Liebherr is a family-owned equipment manufacturer established by Hans Liebherr in 1949.

Its product portfolio covers mobile and crawler cranes, tower cranes, maritime cranes, earthmoving equipment, mining machinery, concrete technology, components, aerospace systems and other industrial equipment.

Liebherr’s mobile and crawler cranes are developed and manufactured by Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH in Ehingen, Germany. The company produces All Terrain cranes across a wide range of capacities, together with lattice boom and telescopic crawler cranes for construction, industrial, infrastructure, wind energy and heavy lifting applications.

Company website: www.liebherr.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Which crane is Nederhoff using in Amersfoort?

Nederhoff is using a Liebherr LTM 1130-5.1 All Terrain crane.

What is the lifting capacity of the LTM 1130-5.1?

Liebherr rates the crane at a maximum lifting capacity of 130 tonnes.

How long is the telescopic boom?

The LTM 1130-5.1 has a maximum telescopic boom length of 60 metres.

What is the crane lifting?

The crane is lifting and installing precast hollow core concrete slabs for the ground floor of a new warehouse.

Where is the project?

The warehouse is being constructed in Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

Why are the slabs installed individually?

Individual placement allows the assembly team to align each slab with its intended position and confirm its support before the next element is installed.

What are hollow core slabs?

Hollow core slabs are precast concrete floor elements containing longitudinal voids. The voids reduce self weight while the element provides the structural performance required by its design.

Why is communication important during installation?

The operator and assembly team must coordinate the slab’s movement and final alignment. Clear communication is especially important when the crane operator has limited visibility of the landing area.

Does the crane’s 130 tonne rating apply at every radius?

No. Available lifting capacity changes according to boom length, radius, counterweight, outrigger configuration and other operating conditions. Each lift must be checked against the applicable load chart.

What happens after a slab is positioned?

The assembly team confirms that the element has been placed correctly and has the required bearing before the lifting equipment is released.