2 mins
Explosive demolition: To be or not to be?
D&Ri looks at the issue of litigation being faced by demolition contractors that offer explosive demolition services.
The blast.
PHOTO: CDI
Global media coverage of the recent Baltimore bridge disaster in the United States has shown the world how utilising explosives for demolition can be safe, precise, expedient and cost effective.
But in the past 15 years, the method has come under intense scrutiny and, propelled by the digital age to all corners of the world, has sparked widespread debate.
Concerns over safety, environmental impact, and the potential for unintended damage have led to increased regulation and public scepticism.
The scale of the truss members in relation to CDI personnel and the M/V Dali vessel can clearly be seen.
PHOTO: CDI
Now add to that the possibility of litigationa concern for all contractors but especially those in the United States.
Just last year, Mark Loizeaux, Owner and President US-based contractor Controlled Demolition Inc (CDI), drew attention to issue.
THE IMPACT OF LITIGATION
Speaking at the 2023 World Demolition Summit in Toronto, Canada, Mark said: “No matter what you do, no matter what your undertaking is, you are going to get sued.”
For all the change that is happening in our sector, Mark said: “What’s not going to change is the regulatory propensity to back away from conflict with litigation.
“Right now, I’m in four lawsuits. Totalling over US$30 million. And on these projects I did exactly what I was supposed to do, in each one, without fail.
“And all of that litigation was a function of work that was outside my scope. And despite the fact that my contract says that my client will defend, indemnify and hold me harmless, and name me as additionally insured on their insurance by endorsement, for claims arising outside of my scope of work, it doesn’t stop me from getting sued.”
Mark concluded: “I honestly don’t know that there is going to be an explosives demolition industry in the United States in ten years [time].”
CDI assists Baltimore bridge clean-up
Controlled Demolition Inc recently used explosives to clear a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, which suffered a catastrophic collapse when the cargo ship M/V Dali collided with it on Tuesday 26 March.
The precision blasting was part of a major dismantling and salvage operation, being carried out by a multi-agency taskforce, to clear both the fallen bridge and the disabled M/V Dali cargo vessel from the Patapsco River.
Since the disaster occurred, the M/V Dali vessel had remained pinned to the bottom of the river by the bridge truss, causing the Fort McHenry shipping channel to be partially blocked for over a month.
Given the damaged and twisted condition of the fallen truss, extensive investigation and engineering design was required, before pre-cutting 52 cut points for the placement of 151 explosive charges could be safely performed by CDI.
Due to the presence of flammable materials on the vessel, fire retardant blankets and a fire suppression water mist were placed over the bow of the ship as a precautionary measure.
CDI detonated the explosives on schedule at 17:00 hours on May 13, 2024.
Roughly 312 lbs of explosives were detonated over 9.6 milliseconds to ensure the linear charges severed the steel truss members, as needed, to accomplish total separation of the truss from the M/V Dali.
The charge separation system worked as planned, removing the weight of the truss from the bow of the M/V Dali, and created the needed separation for the vessel to be refloated on May 20, 2024.