Fasteners - hdgasa

FastenersGautrain uses hot dip galvanized“Lindapter” structural fixingsSummaryHot dip galvanized Lindapter steelworkfixings are currently being used to fixthe Overhead Electrical Lines installedon the electrification project of theGautrain high speed rail lineThe 77km of track runs across 10.5kmof viaducts as well as through 15km oftunnel and will link Johannesburg toPretoria when the line is completed byMarch 2011.Allan Macpherson from contractor TractionelEnterprise describes the project:"The philosophy adopted during the design ofthe electrical infrastructure for the Gautrainwas that all components (within reason) hadto be easy to handle, interchangeable, foolproof, robust and cost effective. An area ofparticular significance was selecting the mostappropriate fasteners to be used to attach theequipment to the structures.Traditional bolts, nuts and back straps werecompared and evaluated against lindapterfixings, and in the end the choice was ratherobvious. The ease of handling, application andthe relatively low weight of the Lindapterversus the traditional bolts and back strapsmade the final decision a rather easy one.Lindapter had the foresight to provide variousoff-the-shelf solutions to many of thechallenges present when attaching componentsto different shapes and sizes of steel members.The Gautrain Overhead Track Designincorporates various steel profiles, varying inboth shape and thickness.Lindapter supplied a cost effective solution toeach of these interfaces, off the shelf, supportedby a very professional Technical Supportteam. The Gautrain design relies heavily uponthe quality of the steel component interfaces toachieve the final system requirements – andthis was achieved by utilising the ingeniousLindapter design."Typical applications of Lindapterfixings on the Gautrain overhead tracksystem include firmly securingcantilevers, tiebars and outriggers. Atotal of 16 000 Lindapter products areused in this project.What is LINDAPTER?Lindapter is a long established business(since 1934) specialising in technicallyadvanced products for bolting steelworktogether.Simply bolt the sections together withoutdrilling/welding/costly on site staff/electricitywith the benefit of guaranteed loadings/onsite adjustability/no damage to protectivecoatings/no hot work permits required andsafe in hazardous environments.Lindapters can be used to bolt virtually any2 steel sections together without the need fordrilling or welding on that steelwork.All Lindapters are hot dip galvanized toSANS 121 (ISO 1461).10 Hot Dip Galvanizing Today Volume 8 Issue 1 2011