50
MARCH-APRIL 2015
d
&
ri
IN ACTION
First ‘Gallowgate
Twin’ shrinks
Despe’s TopDownWay deconstruction system is proving effective during the demolition of
the first of the ‘Gallowgate Twins’ high rise tower blocks,Whitevale Tower. D&Ri originally
reported that its ‘twin’, Bluevale Tower, will be brought down using the system in 2016.We
now understand that both towers, the highest residential towers in Scotland at 31 floors
and 85m (279 ft) tall, will both come down using the system during 2015.
Progress is currently on schedule, with the structure ofWhitevale now reduced by five
floors, creating a visible difference in height
between the twins.
The project sees two past winners of
theWorld Demolition Awards working
together in collaboration to deliver a
bespoke demolition solution to a complex
project. Scottish tower block expert
Safedem and Italian contractor Despe
have worked closely together to bring the
technology to the UK for the first time.
Safedemmanaging directorWilliam
Sinclair stated: “the safe and controlled
progress on site is an endorsement of
our decision to utilise the TopDownWay
system. Interest has been high and we
have received a number of enquiries from
clients across the UK.”
Progress has been good onWhitevale Tower in
Glasgow, with Despe’s TopDownWay system being
used by Safedem to bring the structure down
G
erman contractorAVG-Nordwent for
using rotarydrum cutterswhen faced
with the challengeof demolishing
aWorldWar II bunkeronHamburg’s
Wielandstraße,with the companybeing
contracted to remove thebunker’s ceiling, two
walls andpartsof the remaining twowalls,
Withdimensionsof 48x28x22m (157x92
x72 ft), thebunkerwasoneof the largest of
itskindandoffered shelter tomore than2,000
peopleat a timeduring thewar.
The first factor complicating thedemolition
was thephysical natureof the structure,which
featureda3.5m (11.5 ft) thick roof andwallsof
the samedimensions,whichgiven thebunker’s
naturealsowereveryheavily reinforcedwith
steel rebar. Inaddition, thebunker’s close
proximity toother structures required that the
demolitionhadnophysical impact in terms
of damagebeing caused to these. Finally, very
strictnoiseandvibration limitswere in force
forwork in thearea,meaning careful selection
of thedemolitionmethodologywas required.
AVG-Nord selected twoErkatER1500
rotarydrum cuttersmountedon32 tonne
carriers.Demolition startedat the topof the
bunkerwhere thedrum cutters cut theirway
through the roof and thenworkeddown the
insideof thebuilding.AVGdidnot remove the
entirewall but left a thin layeron theoutside,
removedat the endof theproject, that helped
to externalminimisenoise levels aswell as
containingdust andanydebris thatmight have
escaped from the interior.
Thedrum cuttersworked theirway through
the concrete, achievinganproduction rateof
between5 to6m
3
/h (177 to275 ft
3
/h).
■
Preston, UK, basedBradley Demolition Ltd has
taken delivery of its first ever Volvo excavator,
a Stage IV compliant 30 tonne EC300E that is
powered by a Volvo 8 litre diesel developing 179
kW (240 hp). Themachine has been equippedwith
a heavy duty screen guard and FOGS protection
for the operator’s compartment, and the optional
x3 hydraulic rotation circuit has been included.
Bradley has also added a Lehnhoff Variolock
quick coupler that besides attaching the tool to
themachine also automatically quick couples the
hydraulic services as the hitch is engaged.
The first ever Rockster R900mobile impact
crusher inNew Zealand, supplied by dealer Equip2
Processing Solutions, has been purchased by
Mulching, Crushing and Screening. Themachine
is currentlyworking atWinstone Aggregates
Whitehall Quarry just outside Cambridge, but
theMCSwill also be used for the Department of
Conservation building access roads, helipads and
other infrastructure in remote and difficult to
access terrain. In the past,MCS has had tomove
both a jaw and cone crusher aswell a screen
to these locationswhereas theR900 can be
used as a standalone unit, substantially reducing
transportation costs.
Wheels of
change
Two Erkat ER 1500 rotary
drum cutterswere used
by AVG-Nord to demolish
aWorldWar 2-vintage
concrete bunker in
Hamburg, Germany
