Knocking out an old building to construct a new one allows you to capitalize on the lot with new leasing opportunities. But demolition isn't an easy undertaking. Tearing down an old building requires precision and tact if you're dealing with a structure with structural stability issues or close to nearby property.
Demolishing structures is subject to construction laws and safety codes. Demolition professionals consider materials, location, and waste disposal methods before commencing. The process takes various procedures like blasting or stripping out bits. In an urban setting, a demolition crew opts for methods that guarantee safety for the public, adjacent buildings, and workers.
Here are four popular demolition methods to know.
1. Wrecking Ball
The crane and ball or the wrecking ball method is widely known and utilized in the construction industry. It's ideal for brickwork and concrete structures. The technique relies on a solid wrecking ball fastened to a crane. The ball weighing thousands of tons is swung directly or dropped at the structure you want to demolish.
The repeated swinging breaks the old building, although its efficiency depends on the wrecking ball's size and the available swing space. You must engage a qualified crane operator for this technique to enhance the safety of nearby buildings or utility lines.
2. Selective Demolition
If you plan to save or reuse building materials from a structure you want to bring down, selective demolition or the strip out method is ideal. This option is popular given its cost-effectiveness. The demolition crew breaks the old building bit by bit while extracting bricks, metal, or steel. Ideally, this method seeks to salvage as much as possible from the old building. Although dismantling proceeds at a slow pace, you can recoup the cost of the new building through recycling.
3. High Reach Arm
The high-reach arm methods offer a solution if the wrecking ball method doesn't suffice in your demolition site. This technique employs an elongated arm attached to a machine like an excavator. Demolition professionals use the component to strategically pull down sections as a ground crew crushes them into small disposable chunks. If you're tearing down structures over twenty meters tall, this option is safer and faster.
4. Implosion
Implosion is one of the discreet ways to demolish high-rise buildings in crowded spaces. Technicians strategically wire vertical facility supports with explosives. On implosion, the structure collapses on itself due to the outwards force. For the method to succeed, the crew must be precise when placing explosives and sequencing the blast.
The blasting crew must study the building's blueprints to determine appropriate blasting sites and vertical supports. With careful planning, implosion ensures that the building settles within the original perimeter without damaging nearby property.