Demolition Process

Building Demolition Process

Here at Monster Demolition, we know that there are many reasons for structure demolition. Monster Demolition has various methods to complete the job no matter the reason why.

All structures are built with the lifespan or design life in mind, this is just another way to say life of the structure. For example if the design life of a building is around 90 years, then that is the point when the structures life is over and is no longer safe to inhabit.

Other reasons for demolition is to replace an old structure with a new one, to make room for a bigger structure if the existing one is small, or to strip one down to bare bones and remodel the existing structure.

Definitions

• Demolition: Demolition is the science of safely and efficiently tearing down a man made structure by ways of machines and or explosives. Demolition may also be achieved by deconstruction of a structure for the purpose of reuse or recycling the elements within the structure.
• Implosion: When explosives are placed inside of a structure by a “blaster” and the structure is brought down by explosives.

Building Demolition Process

There are steps are involved in the process of demolition of building structures, below is a brief description of what goes into the demolition process:

Surveying

Surveying means to study the building and the surroundings. The two types of surveying that are mostly conducted.

1. Building Surveying

A building survey will look at the type of construction material used, the usage of the building, drainage conditions, if hazardous materials are present and needs removed, toxic chemicals, radioactive materials, if it is a shared facility with an adjoining building, partition walls, and the neighborhood to help keep noise, dust, and traffic impact to a minimum.

2. Structural Surveying

A Structural survey looks at the method of construction, what type of structural conditions are in the building as a whole, if there are any underground tanks or vaults, if there have been any changes to the original structure, and the overall condition of the building.

Removal of Hazardous Materials

We at Monster Demolition take safety very seriously. It is important to have any structure checked for lead, asbestos, or any hazardous materials. Older homes my contain lead or asbestos, where as older commercial buildings depending on use my have radioactive materials or other hazardous materials.

Preparation of Demolition Plan

The engineers at Monster Demolition will create a plan prior to any demolition. A few of the key elements in a demolition plan is location of building. First we will look to see if it is adjacent to other structures, is it adjacent buildings or streets, and we will look at the utilities. We will also look at the structural support of the building. Once we have a good idea we will create a plan showing how we will proceed with the demolition and the method we will use to get it done as safely and efficiently. Our plan will cover precautionary measures for protecting the public, our process for handling debris, clean up, and the time required for Monster Demolition to complete the job.

Safety

Monster Demolition puts safety first at all job sites. All crew members on site are fully briefed prior to starting a demolition of any potential hazards. Any flammable material such as wood, debris, propane tanks, etc. that may be present will be removed prior to demolition unless it is required to complete the job. All utilities will be disconnected and checked prior to demolition.

We also take into consideration dust, chemical exposure, high temperatures, noise exposure, and the possible need for first aid and plan accordingly. We pride ourselves on quality start to finish results that are built upon best practices in EPA and OSHA Standards and Initiatives.

Demolition Methods for Buildings and other Structures

At Monster Demolition we have two types of demolition methods used for buildings and structures, non-explosive demolition and explosive demolition.

1. Non-Explosive Demolition Method

It means the demolition of a structure done with equipment and without the use of any explosive materials. Some non-explosive equipment used for the demolition may be a sledge hammer to bust our walls or a single column. A wrecking ball to knock out larger walls from the outside of the structure. An excavator or a bulldozer may be used to shove the structure over and to transfer the material to trucks for removal. A High Reach Excavator to reach a tall building. High reach excavators may use shears to cut through materials or a hammer to crush and remove steel reinforcement.

2. Explosive Demolition Method

Implosion Method of Building Demolition

Implosion is the process of demolition by using explosives and collapsing the building from the inside out. Using this technique, the blaster will attach explosives to certain columns and areas to get the desired collapse. This method is controlled and works great for buildings that are close to other structures.

The blaster can arrange the explosives on one side of the structure and allow it to come down in a similar way a tree might fall. The tree fall method works best if there is an open space on one side of the building. If no space is available, the blaster can arrange the explosives for the structure to fall into itself. Implosion is most commonly used on large buildings and skyscrapers.