(photo is courtesy of CalTrans)
Honeywell announced that its high-strength Spectra® fiber is serving as a key component of industrial slings that are lifting the tower sections of the reconstructed San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
The fiber, which is pound-for-pound 15 times stronger than steel but light enough to float, is used as a reinforcement material in the Holloway Houston HHIPER LIFT™ slings used to raise multiple sections weighing up to 2.6 million pounds for the construction of the new earthquake-resistant self-anchored suspension span of the bridge. When the project is completed in 2013, it is expected to be the largest self-anchored suspension bridge in the world.
Spectra fiber’s unique properties allow the slings to lift up to 4 million pounds at a time. The slings have also been used to lift heavy equipment and materials for offshore oil and gas construction, as well as deepwater recovery operations. Other industrial applications for Spectra fiber include security netting, rope, cordage, and fishing line, as well as curtains designed to protect windows and doors during hurricanes. The fiber is also commonly used in bullet-resistant armor.
For more information, read the press release.
