Location: Dresden, Germany
Market: Façades & Cladding
Product: Hollo-Bolt^® by Lindapter
Quantity: 2,000
Client: Federal Republic of Germany
Specialist Contractor: Martifer UK Ltd

The Bundeswehr Military History Museum is one of the major military museums of the German Armed Forces. The original building was built between 1873-1876 and was used as a museum from 1897 until it closed in 1989. After many years of disuse the government decided it was time to bring the building back into use and an extensive redevelopment programme was put in place.

Architect, Daniel Libeskind, designed a large arrow-shaped extension that would protrude from the centre of the existing Neo-Classical building. This modern addition would provide a five storey, 100ft high viewing platform and was designed using steel Hollow Structural Section (HSS) with a perforated steel cladding façade.

The challenge was to find an alternative to the traditional methods of welding or bolting, for connecting the steel cladding to the HSS in a fast and safe way.

The engineer decided to specify Hollo-Bolt, an expansion bolt that requires access to only one side of the HSS. Hollo-Bolt was chosen as it offered significant benefits including, fast installation, high strength capacity, and a wide range of independent technical accreditations, which include the CE mark, TÜV and ICC-ES Seismic approvals.

The contractor used over 2,000 size 3/8" hexagonal head Hollo-Bolts in Stainless Steel to make the connection between the brackets of the cladding panels and the HSS of the arrow shaped extension. Installation was quick and easy as each bolt was simply inserted into predrilled holes and tightened with a wrench to the recommended tightening torque to provide the necessary clamping force.

The specification of Hollo-Bolts provided a solution which avoided having to weld, or bolt through the entire body of the HSS. They also met the site safety requirements for working at height and were quick for the contractor to install, whilst the stainless steel finish provided a high degree of corrosion protection.

After six years of extensive redevelopment the museum re-opened to acclaimed success in 2011.

• Fast and convenient installation from one side
• No specialist equipment required to install
• No hot work permits or area closures required
• Made from corrosion resistant stainless steel