Concrete Bridge Demolition Methods and Equipment

Abstract

The transportation infrastructure in the U.S. is maturing rather rapidly, leading to a shift of work and expenditures from new construction to maintenance, rehabilitation, retrofit, or even replacement of the existing system. Therefore, bridge demolition is increasingly becoming an important issue, as more bridges reach their service life and require rehabilitation or replacement. Furthermore, as the capacity of bridges and highways are reached, partial or total removal of bridges become necessary to allow for widening of the highway underneath the bridge or for widening the bridge itself to increase the capacity of the transportation system. Therefore, this paper addresses an important topic. It first discusses the factors affecting the selection of a bridge demolition technique. Then, the paper lists and describes a number of techniques and equipment employed in concrete bridge demolition along with discussions of actual bridge demolition projects and experiences. Finally, the paper outlines and discusses some safety issues related to the bridge demolition process.