For the project a secant pile wall must be erected as a lining wall for the foundation pit and piles must be installed for the foundation. This has to be carried out in an extremely tight space.

The Swiss company Birchmeier Spezialtiefbau decided to use the Liebherr piling and drilling rig type LRB 18 to carry out the work. The machine has been designed as an all-rounder and can be deployed for all piling, drilling and vibration applications. It has a compact design and low operating weight of only 50t, which result in low ground pressure.

The LRB is fitted with a double rotary drive type DBA 80. Due to the high groundwater level on the job site the double rotary drilling method is suitable for installing the piles, which have a diameter of 510mm and a depth of 16m. 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.

Furthermore, the construction company has already purcahsed the newly designed vibrator type LV 20 and the hammer type H 6 from Liebherr for future applications.

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 optimised view from the cabin, as well as 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 job sites.

Michael Kunz, director and co-owner of Birchmeier Spezialtiefbau, emphasised the advantage of the compatibility with other Liebherr machines: "Since we already have a LRB 125 from Liebherr we can interchange the attachments quickly and so remain flexible."