Road making equipment specialist, Wirtgen, has updated its family of large slipform pavers with the release of the SP 154i, which is primarily targeted for use in two-layer concrete paving on highways and airport runways.
The SP 154i, which replaced Wirtgen’s SP 1500, has a flexibly configurable concrete paving train and is powered by a 436hp Cummins engine. Wirtgen says the new model offers ample power reserves that enable it to pave concrete surfaces up to 16m wide and 450mm thick.
A statement from the Germany-based John Deere Group manufacturer said: “When paving concrete in two layers, three separate machines work together to form a paving train: a bottom layer concrete paver, a top layer concrete paver, and a TCM (texture curing machine). In this process, the SP 154i can be used as either a bottom layer or top layer concrete paver. Thanks to Wirtgen’s comprehensive range of machines in various performance classes, it’s possible to create concrete paving trains tailored to specific job requirements.”
As a bottom layer paver, the slipform paver is equipped with an automatic dowel bar inserter, up to three automatic side tie-bar inserters, and a concrete conveyor to the top layer paver. The heavy-duty paving mold paves the concrete true to line and level while the paver moves forward. Electric vibrators compact the concrete. Then dowels and tie bars are precisely inserted into the bottom layer concrete. Wirtgen says the result is a homogeneous, cost-effective concrete surface that forms the ideal base for the high-quality top layer concrete.
“When using the SP 154i as a top layer paver, the top layer concrete is conveyed over and across the bottom layer paver via a belt conveyor and placed on the fresh bottom layer concrete in front of the top layer paver. The top layer concrete is paved ‘wet on wet’ and compacted with T-vibrators specially designed for top layer concrete,” said Wirtgen.
The slipform paver comes standard-equipped with an oscillating beam and super smoother to produce a level surface, while the hydraulically adjustable one-piece or two-piece side plates on both sides minimise concrete loss. Specially designed trailing forms and extended side plates additionally ensure that the slipform paver can produce perfect concrete corners.
Wirtgen added that the SP 154i also has outstanding manoeuvrability and traction, regardless of the surface conditions, thanks to its four steerable and slewing crawler units. Making the units independent of each other makes transport easy and results in minimal assembly/disassembly effort. The SP 154i features a high degree of automation, which makes concrete paving extremely cost-effective.
