Not Just a Wrecking Ball: A Guide to Demolition Techniques
Instinctively, it may feel like demolition is a simple process — but in fact, it's vastly complicated. A wide variety of different factors will affect which technique is used to demolish a specific building, and expert contractors are required to conduct all those processes. Even with experts involved and the right technique selected, demolition can be inherently unpredictable and certainly very dangerous. That's why it's important to make sure that you're hiring a good team of people who know exactly what they're doing and using the right process for the kind of building you're working with. Here are some of the processes your contractors may consider.
Ball Demolition
This type of demolition is especially suitable for structures with several storeys — especially those which have already taken some structural damage. However, you must also have enough room to physically swing the ball without coming close to contacting any other buildings, and the public must be completely cleared from the area. As such, this method is not viable for tightly-packed city areas. It can also produce a lot of debris, noise and mess — the latter of which will need to be continually removed for safety purposes.
Controlled Collapse
This technique involves removing key structural elements in order to induce a deliberate collapse of the building. Again, this technique is largely suitable for areas with a wide berth around them. Experts are required to work out exactly which elements to remove in order to achieve the safest possible collapse. The method is useful for tall buildings such as bridges and silos.
Controlled Explosion
This method is extremely quick and can reduce the demolition time by quite a large margin. However, it will require the building interior to be stripped completely before demolition, and this can be very labour-intensive. It will also require advance notification to the authorities. Finally, some materials — such as brick — cannot be demolished this way, but your contractors will be able to advise you of this.
Hand Demolition
One of the safest methods suitable for a wide variety of circumstances, including in built-up areas, is hand demolition, but it is much slower than other mechanised processes and is very labour-intensive. Debris will need to be removed from the building on a regular basis, and structural support and scaffolding will be required to ensure the safety of the people working inside.
Of course, the method you choose will be dependent on your specific circumstances and on the exact structure you wish to demolish; you should take the advice of your demolition contractors in order to achieve the safest and most efficient result.