Song Garden Relocation—Hydraulic Skidding System

System Overview :

Song Garden is a historic residence with a building area of 504.4 m², a height of 9.7 m, and a total weight of 820 tons.
Due to the overall North Bund urban redevelopment plan, the entire building needed to be preserved and relocated without damage.

The relocation process consists of two major movements:

1: Move 28 meters south, then rotate 3.87° counterclockwise to a temporary position.

2: After construction at the new permanent site is completed, move 20 meters west to the final location.

Because the structure is historic with limited tolerance for deformation, a precise and low-impact moving method was required.
The project adopted a combination of track-guided jacking and incremental step-by-step hydraulic walking (skidding

Engineering Challenges :

Challenge 1 — Protecting a Historic Structure

The building is old and fragile, with low structural rigidity.
It must not experience excessive differential settlement, twisting, or cracking during movement.

Challenge 2 — Complex Movement Path

The relocation required:

  • Lateral movement (28 m)

  • Precise rotation (3.87°)

  • Second-stage movement (20 m)
    This required high-precision control in both linear and rotational direction.

Challenge 3 — Limited Operating Space

The surrounding old streets of Song Garden are narrow, making it impossible to use large cranes or large skidding gantries.
All equipment had to be:

  • Modular

  • Compact

  • Capable of deployment in confined spaces

Challenge 4 — Synchronization Across Multiple Points

With a total weight of 820 tons, load distribution was uneven across the footprint.
The moving system needed:

  • Multi-point synchronous control

  • Real-time monitoring of load, displacement, and tilt

  • Ability to automatically compensate for uneven ground conditions

Challenge 5 — Ensuring Safety During Long-Distance Movement

The movement path involved dozens of incremental walking cycles, requiring repeatability and stability without cumulative error.

Technical Solutions:

Solution 1 — Hybrid System: Track-Guided Jacking + Hydraulic Walking

To meet the movement complexity, the project deployed two systems working together:

  1. Track-Guided Jacking System

    • Used to initiate movement, align the building, and create stable force directions

    • Ensured accurate control during the rotation stage

  2. Incremental Hydraulic Walking (Step-by-Step Skidding) System

    • Used for long-distance movement

    • Each cycle includes:
      Lift → Shift → Lower → Reset

    • Provided high controllability and minimal disturbance to the structure

Solution 2 — Multi-Point Hydraulic Synchronous Control

A PLC-controlled synchronous hydraulic system was used with:

  • Real-time displacement sensors

  • Pressure sensors

  • Load cells

  • Automatic compensation algorithm

This ensured:

  • Vertical lift synchronization within ±2–3 mm

  • Horizontal movement synchronization within ±5 mm

Solution 3 — Modular Walking Shoes + Heavy-Duty Sliding Supports

Multiple distributed walking shoes supported the building’s foundation.
Features included:

  • High load capacity per point

  • PTFE low-friction sliding pads

  • Heavy-duty guidance mechanism

  • Adjustable support height

This modular configuration adapted perfectly to the limited jobsite.

Solution 4 — Low-Disturbance Structural Reinforcement

Before movement:

  • The foundation of the building was reinforced

  • Temporary steel beams and jacking frames were installed

  • Uniform load transfer ensured no structural deformation

Solution 5 — Digital Monitoring for Safety

A real-time monitoring system measured:

  • Tilt

  • Differential settlement

  • Load distribution

  • Displacement deviation

Automatic alarms ensured immediate corrective actions.