Slings using high-strength, lightweight fiber lift 2.6 million-pound sections of the new Bay Bridge

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.

Spectra fiber’s unique properties allow the slings to lift up to 4 million pounds at a time. Because slings built with Spectra fiber are more than 80 percent lighter than traditional steel slings with the same load rating, slings made with Spectra waste less energy holding their own weight, which allows cranes to lift more payload.

“Spectra fiber’s lightweight strength makes it ideal for use in extreme lifting applications like the replacement of the Bay Bridge,” said Phil Wojcik, global business director for Honeywell’s Advanced Fibers and Composites business. “Honeywell is honored to be playing such a critical role in modernizing one of the country’s most iconic and important bridges.”

Spectra fiber exhibits excellent flex fatigue characteristics, and high vibration damping and internal fiber-friction tolerances. The unique characteristics of Spectra fiber make it a natural choice in applications that require lifting extraordinarily heavy objects, like large-scale construction projects. Slings powered by Spectra fiber can also be used with existing lifting equipment.

The slings have also been used to lift heavy equipment and materials for offshore oil and gas construction, as well as deepwater recovery operations.

Spectra fiber is made from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene using a patented gel-spinning process. The fiber exhibits high resistance to chemicals, water, and ultraviolet light. It also has up to 60 percent greater specific strength than aramid fiber.

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.

Honeywell continues to maintain an active Spectra fiber and ballistic material research and development program focused on meeting increased demand for its high-performance materials.

The construction of the self-anchored suspension section of the Bay Bridge is part of a decade-long seismic retrofit of the entire length of the bridge, ensuring it can avoid structural damage in the event of an earthquake. When the project is completed in 2013, it is expected to be the largest self-anchored suspension bridge in the world.

Holloway Houston is based in Houston, Texas, and provides lifting products and specialized testing services for a wide variety of industrial and offshore applications.