Overview:

Demolishing and removing two floors from a multi-storey commercial building, as well as creating space within the existing structure for a new lift installation.

Summary:

Contracted by Alpine Projects and Delta, ASP Australia was tasked with demolishing two floors within a multi-storey commercial building with suspended slab construction, and removing large sections of concrete in the remaining floors to allow for a new lift shaft to be installed; all within 12 weeks.

The first phase of the project saw ASP assign a team of 6 operatives to demolish the upper two levels of the building by utilising a 5-tonne excavator fitted with hydraulic hammer attachment and manoeuvring it carefully between the structure’s levels and support columns. The hydraulic hammer attachment allowed ASP to systematically pummel and remove the structure’s offending downturn beams, spandrels, columns and suspended slabs quickly and cost-effectively, with all waste material being collected by a 3.8-tonne Skid Steer, equipped with grab bucket.

The second phase had the same 6 staff work to saw large penetrations into the structure’s remaining concrete slabs, thereby creating the necessary space for the new lift shaft to be installed at a later date.

A 14-tonne truck worked alongside the 3.8-tonne Skid Steer throughout the project to effectively stockpile and transport the site’s waste material to ASP’s assigned recycling partners and certified landfills.

Throughout the demolition process, a number of risk avoidance measures were implemented to maximise the safety of all on-site personnel, with a particular focus on the movement and load of the 5-tonne excavator as it traversed various sections of the building. Added to this and given the fact that the excavator was used near the structure’s live and exposed edges at height, further measures were taken by site supervisors to ensure that the structure’s supports and existing suspended slabs were capable of taking the plant’s weight.

In demolishing the upper levels of the building, and effectively removing waste build-up throughout, the team had to overcome a number of additional challenges, including; safely manoeuvring the 5-tonne excavator on and between levels; unloading waste material from the extraction points at height; and ensuring that neighbouring properties and pedestrians were shielded from potential hazards such as dust, airborne contaminants and demolition debris.

As concrete waste collected, the hydraulic hammers and pulverisers fitted to the excavator were used to break it into manageable sections for further processing at an off-site recycling facility, where it would then be used as raw feed to produce 100% recycled concrete. Steel removed from the site was handled in a similar way, with larger sections being cut to size with an oxy-torch before being taken to ASP’s recycling partners, where 100% of the steel would be processed for re-use.

ASP Australia completed the project within the allocated 12-week timeframe and the client’s proposed budgetary allowance.