The new campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration is set to become an architectural masterpiece. No less a person than Zaha Hadid has designed the core of the structure. Like the hull of a yacht, a striking steel structure towers over the roof of the university. The 80 meter long construction from the Unger company is the central building element of the „Library- and Learning Center“. The futuristic architecture of this building has only become possible because of the so-called „Canyon carrier“ construction.

 

Normally, architectural steel constructions are supplied to the construction site with most of the structure prefabricated. Bolted construction is then used for the assembly. But with such unusual components like the canyon carrier, bolted joints are not practicable – welding is the only solution. This needed the technology and quality that prevail in the plant construction sector.

 

There were mammoth components awaiting the Kremsmueller team at the construction site. The elements to be welded were between 40 and 80 tonnes. The weight of the entire carrier was a solid 400 tonnes. „Such components cannot be turned or rotated to bring them into the optimum position“, says the construction manager of Kremsmueller. „With many sections, the welding seams were hardly even reachable. Our men often spent entire days lying on their stomachs under sometimes extreme weather conditions to fill the up to 100mm deep welding joints.“ The weather was really challenging. Most of the work was done in January, when the temperature dropped below -15° C for many days at a stretch.

 

Now, the elements of the canyon carrier are securely held together with more than 1,200kg of welding seams. This work needed more than 3,000 working hours.

 

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