Liebherr Job Story: Building Superior Foundations with Liebherr

Serving regions along the Gulf Coast, Superior Foundations, Inc. is a full-service deep foundations contractor providing piling expertise and execution of turnkey projects throughout the Southeast. Superior operates on the principle that the deeper the foundation, the stronger the build, and they leverage their extensive knowledge, skills, and experience to address deep foundation challenges effectively.

Specializing in a variety of foundation techniques, including auger cast piles, pipe piles, H-piles, and drilled shafts, Superior is well-equipped to handle complex projects. On the Port Arthur liquefaction project, they utilize a range of advanced Liebherr deep foundation machines including the LRH 200 and LRB 355 piling and drilling rigs, which are known for their reliability and performance. Additionally, Superior utilizes the 110 D-K crawler concrete pump to ensure efficient and precise concrete placement, which pairs well with the deep foundation products. This combination of specialized equipment and expertise enables Superior to deliver effective and efficient foundation solutions.

Significantly impacting both the local economy and the global energy landscape, the Port Arthur liquefaction project will help meet demands of liquified natural gas (LNG), providing a reliable supply of LNG to markets around the world. The Port Arthur LNG project will include two natural gas liquefication trains, two LNG storage tanks, additional marine facilities, extensive storage, truck loading and unloading zones, as well as opportunities for further expansion of export in phase 2.

To support this extensive project, Superior was responsible for drilling and pumping approximately 1800 auger cast-in-place (ACIP) piles on site. To ensure efficiency and minimize downtime, even in challenging wet and cold weather conditions, Superior relied on Liebherr products. These machines, including the LRH 200 and LRB 355 piling and drilling rigs and the 110 D-K crawler concrete pump, were highly versatile, capable of being used both individually and in tandem, which helped maintain high productivity levels. This approach not only kept Superior on schedule, but also provided a strong and efficient foundation for future infrastructure developments.

The combined piling and drilling rig LRH 200 offers flexible leader kinematics that enable very high radii and inclinations of up to 18° in all directions. Additionally, a flexible in-house hammer concept allows for the use of tamper weights with varying weights. Therefore, varying materials such as concrete, steel or timber piles can be installed.

The new LRH 200 offers a full range of applications for Superior, including configured as a drilling rig, a high-performance rotary drive provides the necessary torque for the common single pass methods such as continuous flight auger, full displacement and down-the-hole drilling processes. Additionally, Superior uses Liebherr drilling assistant, which regulates the crowd force and speed of the rope crowd system, allowing Superior to ensure every pile is meeting their exact specifications.

The LRB 355 piling and drilling rig can also be used for many applications including drilling with Kelly equipment, double rotary head, full displacement tool and continuous flight auger as well as soil mixing and piling jobs with vibrator and hydraulic hammer. The multifunctional machine is designed for a reliable continuous operation and offers a powerful and fuel-efficient V12 diesel engine. Large vibrators and drilling equipment are operated by the machine’s own hydraulic system. Due to the parallel kinematics the piling and drilling rig has a large operating area and can be transported with the leader, multi-sledge and rope attached to the machine.

Superior also utilized the Liebherr 110 D-K crawler concrete pump, which offers the latest engine generation and can be easily transported due to its compact size. This pump has been specifically designed for concrete pile foundations in combination with Liebherr drilling rigs making it the perfect partner for Superior’s piling and drilling rigs.