During the construction of the power plant engineers needed a safe and secure method of connecting steel sections together to create pipe support structures that would carry heavy duty pipelines around the plant. Engineers required the supports to be adjustable to allow for pipe installation tolerances, this was particularly important at critical locations such as pipeline joints. Another consideration was the protective galvanized coating of the pipes which needed to remain undamaged during installation. This, along with Health & Safety considerations, ruled out welding as an option.

Lindapter worked with the engineer to design several simple but effective connections using a variety of Lindapter Girder Clamps, each clamp optimized to suit the required application. Type AF high slip resistance girder clamps in a four-bolt connection were specified for both tensile and frictional connections of the heavy duty pipes to the support structures. Type A girder clamps were used for tensile connections of smaller, lighter duty pipes.

The adjustability of the girder clamps allowed the contractor to slide and align the steel sections of the support structure into the exact positions required, before the clamps were tightened with hand tools. Brackets around the pipes were then connected to the support structure using a Girder Clamp connection. Again, the adjustability gave the contractor flexibility to overcome any alignment issues in the field.

Lindapter girder clamps provided a drilling and weld free connection that prevented any damage to the galvanized coating of the pipes. The contractor found the process of aligning the support structure and pipe brackets quick and easy due to the adjustability of the clamps. The girder clamps have independent technical accreditations, including the CE mark (ETA-13/0300), TÜV and Lloyd’s Register approvals and in addition the Type AF has ICC-ES approval. These accreditations verify the load and slip capacities that led to a safe installation.