World Demolition Awards - Explosive category shortlist

D&Ri is pleased to announce the shortlist for the Explosive Demolition Project of the Year 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 Explosive category shortlist.

World Demolition Awards 2024 - Explosive Demolition Shortlist

(PHOTO: Brown and Mason)

BROWN AND MASON
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
PROJECT: Redcar Power Plant
CLIENT: South Tees Development Coorperation 

Brown and Mason Group (BMG) was contracted in 2022 to demolish the Redcar Power Station, a key part of developing Europe’s largest freeport by the South Tees Development Corporation.

The project involved demolishing large structures, including a 100-metre Flare Stack, a 115m Multi-flue Chimney, a 22,000 cu m Deaerator Structure, and a 100m Gas Holder, using controlled explosives.

This highly complex event, successfully executed on June 29, 2023, required unprecedented technical expertise and safety management.

BMG’s team managed every aspect, from exclusion zone safety to media coordination, delivering a seamless and safe demolition while supporting the area’s regeneration goals. The project contract was fully completed in September 2023. 

The flash point of the blast that severed the bridge truss. (PHOTO: CDI)

CONTROLLED DEMOLITION INC
COUNTRY: United States
PROJECT: Francis Scott Key Bridge
CLIENT: Resolve Marine

March 26, 2024, the container vessel MV Dali impacted the southern channel pier of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing collapse of the pier and progressive failure of the entire 2,640-foot-long continuous truss.

The US Army Corp of Engineers took command of the incident and Controll Demolition Inc (CDI) was hired to perform the explosives separation of the truss from the MV Dali, so the vessel could be refloated and removed from the channel.

CDI used explosive charges to isolate the structural members in a 60-foot-wide portion of the fallen truss on the Port side of the vessel, to remove the load imposed on the bow by the 600-foot-long truss.

Given the damaged and twisted condition of members in the fall truss, extensive investigation and engineering analysis were required before pre-cutting for placement of explosive charges could be safely executed. 

Working out of 185-foot manlifts and crane baskets positioned on barges proved challenging for CDI due to wave action, winds and poort weather.

CDI’s nine-person team prepared the structure, manufactured the explosive charges and loaded 151 pieces of linear shaped charge explosives at 52 cut points on the truss.

On May 13, CDI used a non-electric system to detonate 312.69 lbs of explosives over 9.6 milliseconds, just before low tide, per schedule. The linear shaped charge separation system worked exactly per plan and there was no damage to either the vessel or its cargo.

(PHOTO: Liberty Industrial)

LIBERTY INDUSTRIAL
COUNTRY: Australia
PROJECT: Northern Producer Decommissioning Project
CLIENT: Qualimar Shipping Limited / Northern Offshore UK

Liberty Industrial was contracted by Qualimar Shipping Limited/Northern Offshore UK Ltd to decontaminate, demolish, and dispose of the Northern Producer (NP) Floating Production Platform.

Built in 1976 and decommissioned in 2021, NP was delivered to Liberty Industrial at Kishorn Port, Scotland, in 2023, with ownership transferred on October 25, 2023.

The unique project adopted a first of its kind approach for such an asset, with decommissioning in a dry dock. The NP, weighing 11,200 tonnes with a complex steel structure, required 650 tonnes of hazardous materials to be removed prior to Blowdown.

The plan required explosive techniques to protect dry dock infrastructure. Liberty Industrial designed a precise demolition that controlled the structure’s fall in a safe and controlled manner.

Estimated to be one of Europe’s largest explosive demolition events at the time of the project, over 330 explosive charges, were placed at 38 locations following extensive structural failure model modelling and explosives design by Applied Science International and Precision Demolition Company, to structurally weaken the asset.

The innovative use of 4500 tonnes of crushed rock from a nearby quarry cushioned the impact, with a 600m exclusion zone.

The project faced challenges due to the remote location, weather conditions, and limited available information on hazardous materials. Mitigating these challenges required advanced planning, leveraging experts from the UK and Australia, and using digital modelling for greater certainty.

Liberty Industrial successfully completed the blowdown on June 13, 2024, with no reportable incidents. The project is expected to recycle up to 97-98% of materials for reuse.

(PHOTO: Lindamood)

LINDAMOOD
COUNTRY: United States
PROJECT: UT Southwester Implosion
CLIENT: Batson Cook 

In April 2022, Lindamood, Inc. was awarded a significant contract to manage the demolition of the Paul M. Bass Administrative and Clinical Center at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center.

This project, one of the largest demolition contracts in Texas history, involved demolishing three high-rise towers, support facilities, thermal energy plant, and parking structures without interrupting sensitive campus operations.

Lindamood began environmental remediation and conventional demolition in May 2022, clearing over 125,000 square feet of low-rise structures. The subsequent implosion of the 14-storey Tower 3, the 15-storey Tower 2, and the 13-storey Tower 1 required meticulous planning.

Controlled Demolition Inc. (CDI) was brought in for this phase, designing an implosion sequence that used 600 pounds of dynamite and 980 linear feet of steel-cutting charges.

CDI’s careful placement of explosives and a precise initiation sequence brought down the towers within 35 seconds, minimizing noise and vibration.

Key challenges included ensuring the safety of patients and staff in nearby medical facilities, maintaining air quality, and coordinating with Dallas Love Field Airport to avoid disruptions to air traffic.

Protective measures such as exclusion zones and geotextile curtains were implemented to contain debris and dust. The successful implosion on October 1, 2023, led to the removal and recycling of 129,200 t of debris within 13 weeks, showcasing Lindamood’s expertise in handling complex demolition projects safely and efficiently.

(PHOTO: Target Contractors)

TARGET CONTRACTORS
COUNTRY: United States
PROJECT: Lashkowitze High Rise Apartment Complex
CLIENT: Fargo Housing & Redevelopment Authority 

Target demolished (via implosion) the Lashkowitz High Rise Apartment Complex, a 22-storey, 151,395 SF facility that provided 200 units of affordable housing for the local community.

The implosion was in a highly urban area and near a major river and flood wall, so required coordinating activities among 15 organizations, including our client, the Fargo Housing & Redevelopment Authority (FHRA), as well as the ATF, multiple City of Fargo departments, and other contractors.

Target conducted extensive planning and completed project plans, performed abatement of 605,803 SF of asbestos containing materials, and removed tens of thousands of bulbs, ballasts, and various types of other regulated material as well as aboveground and underground storage tanks.

It acquired permits and scheduled multiple meetings with stakeholders to review project planning, work schedule/sequencing, quality control, and health and safety to promote cohesion between parties.

Following abatement and interior demolition, we worked with our explosives subcontractor, Dykon, using explosives-licensed personnel, to prepare/place explosives and conduct the implosion, which took approximately 15 seconds.

Target used multiple crews operating a host of heavy equipment (dozers, excavators, mini excavators, skid steers, trucks) to perform demolition debris removal and site restoration.

In total the company abated 195 tons of asbestos material, and recycled 2,256,000 pounds of scrap metals, 8,481 tons of soil, and 15,190 tons of concrete.

As a result, we recycled 96% of waste (by volume), which was diverted from landfills. Target was commended for its work by the City of Fargo Mayor, Dr. Tim Mahoney, and the FHRA CEO, Chris Brungardt.