There are multiple types of demolition procedures used to take down structures. The size of the building and the location are factors in determining the most appropriate type.
The process known as demolition is called the opposite of construction. Construction involves putting a structure up and demolition involves pulling it down. Demolition is indicated for a number of reasons. The most common is the age and safety condition of the building. Sometimes it is simply a matter of removing the old to make room for the new. Newer construction methods and changing building and architectural styles are sometimes the things that mark an older building for demolition. When the decision is made, there are several types of demolition that can be used.
The types of demolition all involve safety considerations, but some are considered safer than others. The general rule is the safest and simplest method that can do the job is the one selected. Simple manual demolition is indicated for smaller buildings such as single story homes. Manual demolition usually involves pulling the structure down. Closely related is mechanical demolition. Quite often smaller buildings use a combination of manual and mechanical methods.
Mechanical demolition involves both the pulling down and the knocking down of the structure. Mechanical demolition uses such machinery as rams, bulldozers, cranes, and excavators. Larger structures involve wrecking balls. Wrecking balls are heavy balls attached to strong cable and swung by large cranes. Basically, the idea is to batter the building into pieces. Another type of demolition is called undermining. This process causes the collapse of the building by removing important supporting structures usually near the base. When done properly, undermining can bring down the building not only quickly, but also in the desired direction.
The most dramatic type of demolition is certainly implosion. This involves a controlled series of explosions that causes a collapse of the structure. The explosive charges are placed and fired in a controlled manner that causes the building to fall in upon itself, hence the name “implosion.” When this process is done properly, the building will come down into its own “footprint”, minimizing damage to surrounding structures. Implosion is only used as a last resort because of the high safety risk involved. This type of demolition takes a long time to set up and a long time to clean up, but the actual implosion process takes mere seconds to unfold.
A new type of demolition that is growing in popularity is called “deconstruction.” This is thought of as the most environmentally sound method of demolition and it is sometimes called “Green demolition” for this reason. It involves a slow and careful process that is almost the reverse of the construction method. The building is slowly taken apart and as much material as possible is salvaged for reuse elsewhere. This lightens the load on the landfills that usually receive the debris of a building destroyed by conventional demolition procedures.
Aazdak Alisimo writes about building demolition for BuildingDemolitionContractors.com where you can find demolition contractors across the country.
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