cw-6-2i

Turner Access
Launches the New
Turner Beam
Working with leading industry suppliers, Turner
Access has developed the Turner X500 series of aluminium
beams.
The access scaffolding not only had to support the
various shape characteristics of the statute but also
had to provide access for the skilled Chinese artisans
to work from.
Göppingen based Strassacker art casting foundry, together
with the Stark engineering consultancy, from Ludwigsburg,
who were commissioned to undertake the costing, calculation
and design of the steel structure, developed an implementation
concept.
As a result, this allowed 250 t and 400 t of bronze and
steel respectively to be formed in a period of only 2 years
thus realising the customer’s conceptual presentation in a
larger than life format.
A total of 1,250 bronze parts were ultimately needed
to assemble the sculpture as a 3D puzzle around the supporting
steel structure. The dimensions were truly enormous:
each of the castings was approximately 3 m² large
and weighed 200 kg, having being elaborately produced by
a partner company in China according to Strassacker specifications
and then shipped to Florida.
The bronze sections, with a combined weight of 268
ton, required 26 shipping containers whilst the associated
440 tons of steel required a further 23 containers. All taking
6 weeks to travel from China to Florida. To hold the
structure together there are are in excess of 18,000 bolts.
The $30 million project is on schedule for completion
by Summer 2015 with finishing touches being finished to
associated features These include a waterfall, fountain,
landscaping and a theatre on Greek mythology. The future
may see a large ferris wheel added to the complex as it
broadens its visitor appeal beyond that of horse racing and
gambling.
• Peri Formwork
• Liebherr
• Skanska USA
• Strassacker Foundry
The Turner Beam (X500) is 500 mm deep and
designed to be stronger and provide greater load
carrying capacities than deeper beams. The new beam
delivers lower weights, better handling and higher installation
productivity.
By comparison with similarly sized beams, design engineers
will need fewer of the new beams to achieve the
same loading, resulting in savings in storage, transport
and handling costs.
The X500 is available in modular lengths from 1 m
to 7 m that can be quickly and simply connected using
aluminium spigots and locking pins, manufactured from
high strength corrosion resistant steel suitable for marine
corrosion environments, to make-up custom lengths
whilst maintaining regular node and vertical spacing.
The beam’s top and bottom horizontals and main
verticals are made from high strength 48.3 mm OD aluminium
tube capable of accepting standard scaffold
couplers.
The beam design also allows for fixing connections
to be made near structural node points. Fixing connections
must only be made and loads must only be applied
directly to the main top and bottom horizontal 48.3 mm
OD tubes and to the main 48.3 mm OD tube verticals
and not to any other part of the beam.
The beam is manufactured in Scotland under a BS
ISO 9001 approved Quality System and has been independently
analysed, assessed and tested to the requirements
of BS EN 12811 and BS EN 1999.
• Turner Access
Contractors World International Vol 6 No 1
Page 25