Wirtgen Slipform Paver SP 64i in Spain

The areas of port facilities are exposed to some of the heaviest loads anywhere. Stacks of containers, heavy goods traffic, cranes and forklift trucks all bring their weight to bear on the sub-base. It’s little wonder, then, that the Port of Valencia on the Mediterranean elected to use concrete for the expansion of its container terminal: it is more rigid, and hence has a greater load-bearing capacity than asphalt. The task of paving concrete on the new area, some 90,000m² in size, was entrusted to a new WIRTGEN SP 64i slipform paver.

Given the tight timescale of just one month, the most important demands on the machine technology were reliability and productivity. The paver surpassed expectations: “With the SP 64i we were not only able to build the 5m-wide and 32cm-thick concrete surface precisely and reliably,” reports Site Manager Isidro Cabezuelo Moreno of the building contracting company, UTE Dragados-Pavasal. After all, the completion of 1,500m² of area per work shift was, he revealed, much higher than with comparable machine models. “We were also able to reduce our fuel consumption by some 30%.” This was thanks to the load-dependent “ECO mode” engine control system, which sustainably lowers consumption despite the 40% higher engine output co pared with the predecessor model, the SP 500. The SP64i ultimately passed its baptism of fire with flying colours: “The quality of the concrete pavement is absolutely first rate,” says Moreno.

Up to four shipping containers are stacked on top of each other in the container terminal at the Port of Valencia. Depending on the container version — there are 20, 40 and 45ft versions — the weight can amount to between 96 and 120t — an immense concentrated load on the areas supporting the containers. Concrete is the material of choice for surfaces bearing heavy loads. And the SP 64i slipform paver is the machine that sets the standards.