Johnson Arabia successfully installs 18 precast girders for the E75 Highway Bridge Expansion Project, completing a complex lifting operation within restricted nighttime road closures.

Body: Major infrastructure projects are defined by their most complex operations and the speed at which they are completed. This is why the contractors got Johnson Arabia on board as their lifting partner during the Highway Bridge Expansion Project for E75 in the UAE.

The lifting scope involved the installation of 18 precast girder beams, with individual loads reaching up to 62 tonnes. Each girder had to be lifted to a height of approximately 10 metres at an 18-metre working radius, all within a highly congested work environment.

Adding to the complexity, the work could only be completed during limited road-closure periods at night. Every stage of the operation therefore required careful preparation, close coordination and efficient execution.

Sreethu Thulaseedharan, Engineering Manager at Johnson Arabia.

For this project, Johnson Arabia selected a 400-tonne Liebherr LR 1400 crawler crane after Lead Engineer Sreethu Thulaseedharan assessed the project’s load requirements, lifting radius, site limitations and operational schedule.

“Precise crane selection and lift sequencing are essential to safely delivering the operation within the site and time constraints because the crane is positioned next to the main road to perform a lift for the expansion of another road bridge above it,” says Sreethu Thulaseedharan, Engineering Manager at Johnson Arabia.

To begin with, Johnson Arabia conducted several site visits and meetings with the contractors and the Road Authorities to finalise the lifting plan, equipment requirements, crane positioning, access arrangements and sequence of events for the lifts.

The team also had to create a work schedule around the nighttime road closures to efficiently complete the lifts. Furthermore, the crane had to provide the lifting capacity within the required range for this project.

By addressing these elements in advance, the team was able to establish a clear and coordinated plan before the first girder was lifted.

This lift needed a lot of groundwork due to its complexity, as the crane was positioned next to E22, the main road connecting Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, to carry out the lifting operation for the elevated E75 roadway above. From this base location, the crane lifted and installed the precast girders onto the E75 bridge structure. Careful positioning on the lower roadway was essential to achieve the required lifting height and working radius while ensuring the girders could be placed safely and accurately.

With heavy loads being handled beside an active road network, risk management remained central to the operation, and our team was able to take appropriate control measures to ensure that safety was incorporated into every stage.

The lifting was completed over a period of five days, with the crane placed next to the E22 road to perform the lifts for the E75 road bridge above it. During the first three days, nine precast girders were installed toward the Abu Dhabi side. Over the following two days, another nine girders were installed in the opposite direction toward Al Ain.

Alaa Farah, Business Development Manager at Johnson Arabia.

In total, all 18 precast girders were successfully lifted and positioned within the approved road-closure periods.

Despite the restricted schedule and challenging site conditions, the operation was completed safely and on time. The result reflects Johnson Arabia’s ability to combine technical expertise with practical site management, ensuring that complex lifting operations are delivered without compromising safety or efficiency.

“Our role extends beyond providing lifting equipment. We work closely with our clients and project stakeholders to understand their operational priorities and develop solutions that support the wider project schedule,” says Alaa Farah, Business Development Manager at Johnson Arabia.

The successful completion of the E75 lifting programme reinforces the importance of detailed lift planning, appropriate crane selection and close stakeholder collaboration. It also demonstrates Johnson Arabia’s capability to deliver reliable heavy-lifting solutions for major infrastructure projects across the region.