One soul on two stages

The 12-kilometre long cut-off wall around the settling basin at a local copper mine is designed to prevent water from escaping. Geoservice Engineering (GSE) is using the Liebherr LRB 355.1 piling and drilling rig with 3-fold mixing rods for the job. "In this particular case, the soil mixing process is superior to any other technique. From an economic and ecological point of view, the use of local material as construction material definitely has positive effects," explains Anton Sariev. With this application, no material for the cut-off wall has to be delivered or removed because existing soil material is mixed with the binder suspension. In addition to the time and cost savings, soil mixing has the advantage of being very quiet and low in vibration. The Bulgarian company mixes with the piling and drilling rig to a depth of 20 metres and with a diameter of one metre.

Anton Sariev, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at GSE sees many similarities in his two passions for large construction machines and music. "I can compare operating the LRB 355.1 to playing the guitar or drums − you have to work with your whole body. Everything is perfectly harmonised and you have to be 100 per cent committed to the cause. The ‘vibes’ are definitely similar."

"Then that's it"

The piling and drilling rig LRB 355.1 from Liebherr can be modularly equipped with one, two or three mixing rods as a longitudinal or transverse attachment. While the single or double versions are used for large mixing diameters and large areas, the triple version has the advantage of being very fast when – as in Chavdar – long cut-off walls have to be installed.

Using the right equipment for the respective requirements is essential for Anton Sariev – on the construction site and in music. But he emphasises, "I think it's even more important with the piling and drilling rig because you can hide mistakes in music, or at least try to disguise them. But if you get to the construction site and the machine doesn’t perform properly, then that's it." GSE decided in favour of the LRB 355.1 because of its good performance data and because Liebherr is well represented in Bulgaria. "It's a complex device with a lot of electronics that need to be serviced regularly. This requires someone who is reliable. We are very happy with our choice."

After a year of construction, GSE has completed the project in Chavdar. Anton Sariev knows what is important for the successful realisation of projects: "A good relationship with your band mates or with your team on site – that's the key to success. The equipment and the staff on site are everything. I think both worlds, live music and working on the construction site, have one thing in common: it always requires a lot of soul."