World Demolition Awards shortlist - Civils
28 August 2024
D&Ri is pleased to announce the Civils category shortlist for the 2024 World Demolition Awards, which will take place on 6 and 7 November October in Stockholm, Sweden, as part of the World Demolition Summit.
Congratulations to the following companies who made the Civils category shortlist.
World Demolition Awards 2024 - Civils shortlist
(PHOTO: Delsan-AIM)
Delsan-AIM
COUNTRY: Canada
PROJECT: Champlain Bridge Deconstruction
CLIENT: The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI)
The original Champlain Bridge, a Montreal landmark for over half a century, was decommissioned in 2019 after a new bridge opened nearby.
Dismantling the old structure presented a significant engineering challenge due to its massive size, environmentally sensitive location, and the presence of a vital shipping channel and a major highway below.
Delsan-AIM, a company specializing in environmental and demolition services, and is partners were awarded the deconstruction project. Their methods ensured safety and minimal environmental impact. 36, 2,000-tonne concrete spans were carefully lifted and transported using barges equipped with hydraulic jacks.
The 2,200 tonne main suspended span section was lowered using strand-jack system on a barge that was 33 m below within a single, three-day window. Specific sections were brought down in a controlled manner using strategic cuts and high reach excavator-mounted shears.
Perhaps the most impressive feat involved a 50-hour closure of a major highway beneath the bridge. This allowed for the safe demolition of another section using over 20 excavators and a meticulously planned material transport operation.
The project’s success went beyond overcoming harsh Canadian winter conditions, engineering hurdles and tight deadlines.
Delsan-AIM achieved a remarkable safety record, completing the deconstruction three months early and within budget, all while incurring no safety lost time incident.
Even more impressive, over 96% of the bridge’s materials were recycled or reused, showcasing a commitment to sustainability throughout the process.
Demex
(PHOTO: Demex)
COUNTRY: Australia
PROJECT: Pacific Motorway M1 Palm Beach to Tugun Upgrade Project
CLIENT: Seymour Whyte Construction
Logistical and engineering challenges had to be overcome when Demex was contracted to demolish seven bridges in a 5-km stretch of the Pacific Motorway (M1) in Australia’s Gold Coast over 14 months.
Between 60,000 and 170,000 vehicles per day pass the M1 between Palm Beach and Tugun represented in Package C of the AUS$1.5 billion-dollar Pacific Motorway upgrade project.
A mechanical deconstruction approach was adopted. Minimising disruption to road users posed logistical challenges as all works had to be staged at night, with the site cleaned and validated safe by an independent structural engineer, by commencement of morning traffic between 3.30am and 5.00am.
Detailed planning undertaken required a flexible, innovative, solutions-oriented approach to overcome engineering challenges that inevitably presented with variability in bridge design and location.
Safe removal processes were developed on the job when expanded polystyrene was identified in core bridge decking. Previous experience with bridge demolition indicated methods for breakdown of planks for easier removal, protection from slurry, safe removal of decking when extremely close to a new bridge, and mechanized removal and pulverization of waste.
Successful completion could not have been achieved without close collaboration and planning with the client considering the project constraints, safety assessments and limitations for full road closures.
Project challenges were complicated by the nature of the working hours and strict deadline for reopening each morning.
The project was delivered successfully through detailed planning, adopting innovative strategies and a flexible project team with an aptitude for complex problem solving in high pressure environments.
Despe
(PHOTO: Despe)
COUNTRY: Italy
PROJECT: Charmaix Viaduct
CLIENT: Societe Francais du Tunnel Routter du Frejus
A meticulous method of preparation and execution of the demolition of a viaduct located in mountainous terrain that tested the logistics management and execution of the demolition, which was undertaken without interrupting motorway traffic on the adjacent viaduct.
The project included the creation of access roads for road haulage trucks, manoeuvring areas and a lay-by for the assembly and operation of a 1,900-tonne crane, as well as the creation of plotting areas for the bulkiest parts of the Liebherr 11350 crane.
Despe utilised long booms, diamond disc cutting and wire cutting, and performed 16 consecutive lifts of over 210 tonnes each, which combined lifting with two cranes.
The contractor carried out the works with respect for the environment, including designated areas of natural interest.
This included the containment of dust and noise emissions in the area. Despite adverse winter conditions, the project schedule was adherence to.
Grupo Mitre
COUNTRY: Argentina
PROJECT: Cementerio Stage 2
CLIENT: Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
The Flores Cemetery, located in a Buenos Aires neighborhood with high crime rates and criminal activity, underwent a crucial restoration due to corrosion and structural damage threatening its integrity.
This project was carried out in a challenging environment with occasional armed confrontations and a hostile atmosphere.
Founded in 1807 and expanded in 1960, the cemetery suffered a partial collapse that required urgent intervention. Grupo Mitre undertook a challenging project to demolish and reinforce the slabs, waterproof them, and recondition the drainage system.
Using diagnostics and 3D scans of the structures and innovative technologies such as demolition robots and mini crawler loaders, the company was able to work safely and efficiently.
The preservation of historical heritage was crucial. Protective mobile platforms were designed for the marble niches and columns. The entire intervention area was shored up, and carbon fiber reinforcements were used to stabilize the structure. Using BIM technology, simulations were conducted to find the optimal solution, ensuring a lasting restoration.
The project achieved a positive environmental impact by recycling 91% of the waste and off-setting the carbon footprint through tree planting in collaboration with the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve.
Socially, it stood out for including workers from vulnerable neighborhoods and a high female participation rate, led by Gabriela Mattia, Argentina’s first female demolition operator.
Grupo Mitre says this project reflects its commitment to sustainability and community well-being, transforming the construction sector with a Triple Impact approach.
Thompsons of Prudhoe
(PHOTO: Thompsons of Prudhoe)
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
PROJECT: A1 Highway Improvement Scheme
CLIENT: Costain
Thompsons of Prudhoe were approached to design and deliver a solution for the safe removal of end beams, edge beams, and coping beams from multiple highway bridges, facilitating future extensions of existing bridge decks as part of a major road widening scheme in northeast England.
Previous methods proposed by other contractors had failed, jeopardising the project timeline and escalating costs. Thompsons of Prudhoe were brought in as a specialist contractor to develop and implement a successful solution.
The critical challenge was to preserve the longitudinal bars in the retained portion of each bridge deck, ensuring their reuse in the new, extended bridge decks.
Through successful collaboration with the principal contractor and a network of trusted specialist subcontractors to safely and effectively remove the bridge beams and perform associated works, all tasks were completed ahead of schedule with zero accidents or incidents.
A substantial portion of the project was executed during possession periods, necessitating highway closures to the public, including full and lane closures. This required a significant amount of the work to be conducted out of hours, including nighttime and weekend operations.
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