Liebherr LR 11000

The Liebherr LR 11000 is a flagship 1,000-tonne capacity crawler crane that was officially introduced at Bauma 2013 in Munich, Germany, and later made its North American debut at Conexpo-Con/Agg 2014 in Las Vegas. As a strategic addition to Liebherr’s crawler crane lineup, the LR 11000 was specifically designed to bridge the gap between the LR 1750 and LR 11350 models, answering the growing demand for higher-capacity cranes that offer cost-effective and transport-efficient solutions for complex lifting operations.

One of the key applications targeted in the development of the LR 11000 was the installation of offshore wind turbines and their foundation structures at coastal ports. These projects require enormous lifting power, precision, and the flexibility to handle a wide variety of boom configurations, all while ensuring fast assembly and efficient transport logistics. Liebherr’s design philosophy focused on delivering high performance while maintaining manageable transport dimensions and weights, making the LR 11000 not only a high-capacity crane but also an economical and versatile job site performer.

The LR 11000 offers a maximum lifting capacity of 1,000 tonnes at a radius of 11 meters, with a maximum load moment of 15,171 tonne-metres. The crane supports a variety of boom systems thanks to its modular configuration, including the S boom (standard main boom) and W boom (luffing jib) setups, as well as the PowerBoom configuration for enhanced lifting capacity. The PowerBoom, an optional yet highly impactful parallel boom setup, significantly increases torsional rigidity and improves lifting performance by up to 50% compared to the standard boom system.

The main boom extends from 18 to 156 meters, while the luffing jib can be configured from 18 to 114 meters. The derrick boom ranges from 30 to 36 meters, with an infinitely adjustable derrick ballast radius of 20 to 30 meters via fixed lattice guides. The ballast system consists of 90 tonnes of central ballast, 250 tonnes on the slewing platform, and up to 450 tonnes of derrick ballast, giving the crane a total maximum ballast of 790 tonnes. Standard 10-ton Liebherr cast counterweight slabs are used, ensuring interchangeability across other crane models.

The LR 11000 is PowerBoom-ready from the factory and supports various job-specific configurations. It can be retrofitted easily with additional modules such as a fixed jib for wind turbine erection, ballast trailer, and additional winches. This modularity ensures future-proof flexibility and allows owners to scale capabilities based on job requirements.

Key structural features of the LR 11000 include:

• Central crawler section with slewing ring and quick connection system with only four bolts.
• 360° work platform with dual-sided access ladders for safe maintenance access.
• Large cab inherited from the LR 1600/2, featuring superior visibility and ergonomic layout.
• Removable A-frame system, stacking supports, and safety tie-off points for lattice section handling.

The LR 11000 is driven by a Liebherr V8 diesel engine delivering 500 kW (680 hp). This engine is compliant with the latest emission standards and powers the crane’s hydraulics and hoisting systems. The main hoist winches handle 32 mm rope diameter and deliver a line pull of 23 tonnes. The drive system includes a four-way crawler chassis with 2.0-meter wide crawler tracks (optionally available at 2.4 meters), allowing for strong traction and stability on varied terrain. The crawler base itself is 9.2 meters wide, allowing the machine to operate in confined industrial areas such as refineries.

The LR 11000 is equipped with Liebherr’s LICCON2 control system, providing real-time setup assistance, lifting data, safety monitoring, and diagnostics. This advanced crane management system simplifies both crane erection and operation, ensuring safe and efficient performance even on complex lifts.

For transport, the LR 11000 has been engineered with compactness in mind. It has a transport width of 3.5 meters, a transport height of 3.2 meters, and a maximum component transport weight of 60 tonnes, which can be reduced to 45 tonnes to accommodate road regulations. The boom sections are designed so that lightweight lattice inserts can be nested inside the heavier ones, minimizing the number of transport vehicles needed.

PowerBoom Debut in Germany
After its successful project in Romania, the LR 11000 was shipped to Bremerhaven, Germany, where it was tested with the PowerBoom configuration during the installation of a 220-tonne wind turbine nacelle. The setup included a 147-meter hook height and a 30-meter working radius. This powerful configuration made the job possible with a smaller crane footprint, compared to larger models like the LR 11350 or Terex CC8800, which would otherwise be required for similar lifts. The PowerBoom system utilized main boom sections as luffing jibs and vice versa, demonstrating exceptional modular compatibility and efficiency.

Conclusion
The Liebherr LR 11000 sets a new benchmark in the 1,000-tonne crawler crane category. Its high lifting performance, adaptable boom systems, optimized transport, and user-friendly design make it ideal for critical infrastructure, power generation, wind energy, and industrial plant construction. Liebherr has incorporated proven technology from its most successful crawler models and introduced innovations that position the LR 11000 as a cost-effective yet powerful solution for tomorrow’s heavy-lift demands.