The invention relates to a
civil engineering device, in particular cable grab, with a support apparatus, a
processing unit, which is configured to carry out a
civil engineering step and is held by way of at least one cable on the support apparatus, at least one cable
winch for operating the cable, wherein the cable
winch has a
winch drum and an associated winch motor for driving the winch drum rotationally, at least one
free fall brake, which is arranged on the at least one cable winch, wherein in a
closed state of the
free fall brake, the winch drum is coupled to the associated winch motor, in a partially open state of the
free fall brake, a relative movement is possible between winch drum and winch motor, wherein a torque that is dependent on the degree of opening of the free fall brake is transmitted in the free fall brake, and in an open state the winch drum is decoupled from the associated winch motor and is substantially freely rotatable with respect to this. It is provided according to the invention that an electronic control device is arranged for the controlled opening, partial opening and closing of the free fall brake by means of at least one control element, that a lowering speed and / or a lowering path can be preset as target values in the control device, that at least one detection device is arranged, which is configured to detect a lowering speed of the
processing unit and / or a lowering path as actual values, and that the control device is connected to the at least one detection device and is configured to control opening, partial opening and closing of the free fall brake depending on the actual values detected so that the actual values approach the preset target values.