Millarston

Background:

The project called for the demolition of three 16-storey tower blocks by the controlled use of explosives.

Challenges:

• Three 16-storey tower blocks to be brought down using explosives
• This was the first blowdown to be carried out next to an electric railway line
• Tower blocks were also in close proximity to a live gas main and gas governor.

Solutions:

Explosives demolition projects always attract a great deal of public interest and therefore need to be meticulously planned and methodically executed.

1. Internal contents and general debris were removed.
2. Asbestos removed in accordance with asbestos regulations 2006, including asbestos insulation board to all boilers, asbestos cement linked throughout the towers and extensive floor tile removals.
3. Soft stripping interior of tower block to remove doors, bathrooms baths, kitchen units, non-load bearing partitions, timber floors etc.
4. Pre-weakening of structure on blast floors by removing specified concrete wall sections.
5. Hand drilling blast holes.
6. Internal protections included the secure wrapping of drill holes with chainlink and geotextile material to ensure no fly material at time of blast.
7. External protections included bunds along the boundary of the electric railway line (less than 15m away) and careful formation of protections to the live gas mains and gas governor.
8. All charging was undertaken by trained explosives engineers (the quantity of explosives was determined from test blast results and analysis).
9. 216 homes had to be evacuated.
10. An exclusion zone was created around the area within a Heras fencing boundary and fully manned by police personnel and security guards.
11. All residents were accounted for.
12. Blowdown at 6.00am on Sunday 13th July 2008.
13. Hydraulic excavators were on standby to stabilise the blocks in the event of a partial collapse, though in this case they were not required.

Since Reigart was able to provide the comprehensive package of demolition skills required for this project, this high-profile demolition project was carried out safely and on schedule.