Two-track farm road and kerb-gutter profile in the space of one week
Wirtgen SP 33

Video of the SP 33 at work in Sieghartskirchen and in the Semmering Tunnel, Austria

From the plains of Lower Austria to the mountains of Styria

Two construction sites, numerous challenges and a machine that demonstrates its abilities as a real all-rounder.

After the team from Bickhardt Bau had been impressed by the new SP 33 at its market launch in January, the company decided to purchase the machine, which was then delivered to them at the Wirtgen factory in Windhagen. Shortly afterwards, the machine celebrated its first practical deployment on two projects that enabled it to demonstrate its enormous flexibility.

From left to right: Michael Auer, CEO Bickhardt Bau; Bernd Michel, Head of Equipment Technology Bickhardt Bau; Martin Datzert, Product Manager Wirtgen GmbH; Jürgen Seidel, Sales & Distribution Wirtgen Germany.

Tolles Produkt

With flexibility and precision on the road to success

On the first deployment in Austria, Bickhardt Bau worked together with the construction and civil engineering company, HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft. It soon became clear just how different the applications for which they used the SP 33 could be. Within a week, two projects were in planning, on which the advantages of the versatile slipform paver soon became apparent. The first project on the agenda required the paving of a two-track road for agricultural use in Sieghartskirchen. After this, the machine was moved to the Semmering Tunnel to pave a kerb-gutter profile.

Thanks to the ability to quickly exchange the slipform moulds, the paving of the two radically different profiles was able to be completed in only a short space of time.

Two-track road for agricultural vehicle access in Sieghartskirchen

The SP 33 was first deployed in Sieghartskirchen, Lower Austria, where it was used to pave a two-track road for agricultural vehicle access. The project brief specified the paving of two tracks with a width of 1 metre and a gap of 1 metre between them. The verges on both sides and the gap between the concrete tracks were later filled with crushed stone or gravel. To produce the two tracks of the farm road, the machine was fitted with two slipform moulds, one on the left side of the paver and one on the right. The material was fed to the paver via the belt conveyor and evenly distributed to the two slipform moulds via a split chute.

Portrait photo of Michael Stefaner, member of the HABAU group management team

‘I have to say that the crew was over the moon from the first day on, and that no one has ever been so excited about a machine on its first day out.’

Michael Stefaner, Group Manager, Civil Engineering and Road Construction East, HABAU

As with all slipform paving projects, precise regulation of the height, cross slope and steering also played a decisive role in the construction of the two-track farm road and ensured production of the profiles in strict compliance with the project specifications. On the project site, the machine was controlled by means of a stringline – one of the many options offered by Wirtgen. An alternative would have been, for example, to use the stringline-free AutoPilot 2.0. The satellite-based control system automatically controls the height, steering and cross slope of the machine and replaces the conventional stringline with a virtual 3D model. The SP 33 also offers an option for height regulation and steering with the aid of a 3D system. Very useful alternatives that, in addition to high precision, offer several further advantages through the elimination of a physical stringline.

The compact slipform paver SP 33 enables precise paving of a range of different profiles, such as, for example, two-track road profiles.

The good all-round visibility from the operator’s platform and the improved handling of the machine also guarantee ideal monitoring of the concrete paving process in every situation and short operator familiarisation times.

The quick-change option for the slipform moulds of the SP 33 ensures maximum flexibility on the construction site.

SP 33 paving two-track road profiles in Sieghartskirchen with meadows and fields in the background
View from the operator’s platform of the SP 33 over the front part of the machine
Changing the slipform mould on the SP 33

Kerb-gutter profiles in the Semmering Tunnel

A couple of days later, following the completion of the first project, the team from HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft was already on its way to the next job, this time in the Semmering Tunnel in Styria.

The task that faced them there was the paving of kerb-gutter profiles on both sides of the tunnel. The particular challenge here was that the new kerb-gutter profile had to be paved on top of the existing kerb profile in the tunnel. This meant that the work had to be carried out with extreme precision in order to ensure the structural stability and durability of the profiles. Following the completion of this work, a two-layer concrete track was paved between the two profiles with an SP 1500.

Portrait photo of Bernd Haberl, Foreman at HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft

‘We got the job that would usually take us two or three days over and done with in just one day.’

Bernd Haberl, Foreman at HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft, underlining the flexibility of the slipform paver.

As the tunnel is an important north-south traffic route, the construction project had to be completed as quickly as possible. Since only eight bolts need to be loosened when exchanging moulds on the SP 33, the team was able to save a lot of valuable time.

It is essential to ensure a continuous supply of wet concrete during the paving process.

The profiles were paved on both sides of the tunnel.

The SP 33 made it possible to pave over 400 m of kerb-gutter profile-in a single working day.

Working with the SP 33 in the Semmering Tunnel
View of the paved profiles in the Semmering Tunnel
View of the paved kerb-gutter profile in the Semmering Tunnel with workers and the SP 33 in the background

Two construction sites, numerous challenges and a machine that demonstrates its abilities as a real all-rounder. The projects in Austria once again demonstrated the importance of flexibility and adaptability on the construction site and the contribution that the SP 33 can make in this respect.

Two-track farm road in Sieghartskirchen

Two-track farm road in Sieghartskirchen

Two-track farm road in Sieghartskirchen

Two-track farm road in Sieghartskirchen

Kerb-gutter profiles in the Semmering Tunnel

Kerb-gutter profiles in the Semmering Tunnel

Kerb-gutter profiles in the Semmering Tunnel

Kerb-gutter profiles in the Semmering Tunnel

Bird’s-eye view of the SP 33 in Sieghartskirchen, a straight road between meadows and fields
SP 33 in Sieghartskirchen, view of the construction site from the front, straight road between meadows and fields
Farm road with paved two-track profile in Sieghartskirchen
Paving a two-track road profile in Sieghartskirchen, with the SP 33 in the background and workers in the foreground
SP 33 paving the kerb-gutter profile in the Semmering Tunnel with a worker standing alongside checking the results
View from above of two workers next to the paved kerb-gutter profile in the Semmering Tunnel.
View diagonally from below of the SP 33 during paving in the Semmering Tunnel.
Paving kerb-gutter profiles in the Semmering Tunnel, two workers shovelling material in front of the SP 33.

You can find more details and further information on our product pages.

Isolated image of slipform pavers

Slipform Pavers

Press/media kit

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