Liebherr’s LRB 18 drilling rig is carrying out foundation work for residential and business sites in Lucerne, Switzerland. The rig’s compact design makes it easy to move it between jobsites quickly.

The construction of the buildings in Lucerne requires a secant pile wall, which must be erected as a lining wall for the foundation pit and piles. The jobsite is a tight space. Swiss company Birchmeier Spezialtiefbau AG is using the LRB 18 to carry out the work. The machine can be deployed for all piling, drilling and vibration applications. It has an operating weight of 50 tons, which results in low ground pressure.

Michael Kunz, director and co-owner of Birchmeier Spezialtiefbau AG, emphasizes the advantage of the compatibility with other Liebherr machines. “Since we already have an LRB 125 from Liebherr, we can interchange the attachments quickly and so remain flexible.”

The LRB is fitted with a double rotary drive type DBA 80. Due to the extremely high groundwater level on the jobsite, the double rotary drilling method is ideal for installing the piles, which have a diameter of 510 millimeters and a depth of 16 meters. Despite the difficult conditions, the Liebherr machine achieves several piles per day. The piling and drilling rig is being used in combination with a Liebherr concrete pump type THS 80 D.

The LRB 18 is fitted with a new cabin concept, which focuses on increased operator comfort. This is achieved through a modern air-conditioning system, an optimized view from the cabin and an orthopaedic operator’s seat with automatic adjustment. The compact LRB 18 can be easily transported in one piece with mounted counterweight. This ensures quick setup on site, as well as flexibility in transferring the machine between different jobsites.

Liebherr’s product range includes earthmoving and material handling machinery, mining equipment, mobile cranes, construction cranes, machine tools and automation systems as well as high-performance components for mechanical, hydraulic and electrical drive and control technology. For more information, go to www.liebherr.com.