Demolition work is often associated with brute force. It not only requires a fair amount of experience and a proper understanding of what has to be done, the right kind of equipment can also make the difference.
Showing that demolition work is being done as a serious discipline was demonstrated by the contractor De Meuter, from Ternat, Belgium.
“Nowadays, demolition contractors have to meet increasingly stringent standards,” said Aster De Meuter, a demolition firm based in Belgium.
A multitude of factors must be taken into account if you want to do demolition jobs in a professional manner. For De Meuter, the safety of its own staff and that of third parties was particularly important. Not only that but the site’s location, the condition of the building, and the disadvantages associated with noise, dust and vibrations were important to consider.
Added to that was the ability to recycle most of the demolition material as another critical factor.
All which called for a substantial amount of experience.
The demolition of the IPM building in the Jacqmainlaan, Brussels, Belgium is a good example. At the time the building was constructed, the foundation was more than 6.5 feet (2 m) thick and consisted of heavily reinforced concrete with an extraordinarily high rebar density.
The demolition of this foundation required an extra powerful hydraulic breaker. “Usually our heavy-duty Atlas Copco HB 3000, which is part of our standard machinery, should fill the bill,” Aster De Meuter explained.
“But the particularly durable structure of the foundations and the location of the site in the heart of Brussels required a different approach.”
After a few days, the progress achieved with two four-ton hydraulic breakers was behind schedule and a different solution had to be found.
The Atlas Copco HB 7000, with a service weight of 7.7 tons (7000 kg), seemed to be a good alternative.
In solid material, the AutoControl increased the impact energy and decreased the impact frequency. As soon as the reinforced concrete gave way, the impact energy was reduced and the impact frequency was increased.
A test supplied proof. After only one day, the HB 7000 already demolished more than its two smaller “brothers” did in one week.