Control tower demo

[Bluestone1]

Hey Guys,

I am looking at a site work job that has some demo. Couple little buildings and a 9 story airport control tower. It is only about 20x20 but it is 110' tall. The first story is core-filled CMU and after that it is all steel. Any ideas on the best way to get it down? I was thinking either get a pro to come in and use explosives to trip it or weaken the steel by cutting it and hooking cable to the top and trip it myself. Doing it myself for the first time sounds pretty sketchy. I could also just get a crane and dissassemble it but that sounds like it would take way too long. Any input on method or pricing for such a thing? Thanks.

 

[farmerleach]

I'm not a demo guy, and have no experience with the job you have described. But my vote would be for explosives, I like seeing things blow up, so if you go that route Please tape it and post it here so we all can see it.

 

[digger242j]

Is this at a still active airport? If so, I'm sure the FAA and the local authority that runs the airport will have some input into the details. Just for instance, you can't go and erect a crane that'll reach 9 stories high, anywhere near an airport, without some sort of warning lights on it, cause, you know, there's airplanes up there. They might be a little funny about explosives too. I think you need to talk to them about what sort of hoops you'll need to jump through...

 

[heavylift]

I would think the impact of a falling structure would be an issue... IE earthquake...

plus it probably has some environmental issues... lead ... asbestos and whatever else you can think of.

 

[thodob]

high reach

 

[Stevenbrla]

I hope you can get some help figuring this one out... sounds like a fun thread to read..

 

[digger242j]

plus it probably has some environmental issues... lead ... asbestos and whatever else you can think of.

Almost surely. Although, one would think abatement would be part of the process that precedes the actual turning the structure over to the demo contractor.

 

[Turbo21835]

Well, you certainly can get a hold of a HRD machine, but for a little project this would be cost prohibitive. Same with using explosives. That leaves a few options.

Using a crane and cutting the building down in sections works. You go through and pre cut as much as possible. You have to have a known weight for each section to know which size crane to get. Since you are pre cutting, you can have all the prep work done, and have this thing on the ground in 10ft tall x 20 x 20 sections. Pretty easy for any decent size excavator to deal with. You will probably need a manlift to do this job with as well.

Your next option would be piece by piece. Using a manlift and torch, you can cut this thing apart the opposite way it went up. Just work with small enough pieces to physically handle. Or deal with it like you would notch and cut down a tree. You just have to keep the area clear, and make sure that things fall away from your lift.

You mention tripping this thing. Its easily done if you have the right size machine to cable to and pull with. You also need an experienced torch man who knows just how much to cut with out ending up underneath a pile of iron. This would be the quickest set up, but you would still have a ton of final clean up to deal with once the structure is on the ground.

Either way, lead and asbestos should not be any concern to this work. Abatement of both should be done before demolition of this structure begins. The plan of attack should be to remove the cmu walls first, since they shouldnt be supporting any of the structure. Get that down and out of the way. Next comes your demolition that you have in question.

What surprises me is there is a bid that includes the removal of a 9 story structure that has no requirements for an engineered demolition plan. This would provide a lot of protection for 1, the project owner, 2 the contractor performing the work.

Of course, if your looking for someone to give a hand on this project, I am willing to travel, and have demolition experience as well.

 

[heavylift]

and if it is in an active airport.. there is security clearances..

I suppose it depends on the scope of the project.... If the responsibility is for the whole job or just the demo part..
Ours have always been a sub contracted demo... so whatever has been removed or tested.

 

[Stevenbrla]

and if it is in an active airport.. there is security clearances..

I thought security clearances are just for passengers. I heard ramps were wide open to contractors, caterers, etc. No? :beatsme Guess we'll see soon enough, huh?

 

[mitch504]

There are definitely security clearances and you may well have to pay the $135 and wait 6 weeks for everyone you want to take. The lead and asbestos abatement MAY have already been done, or it may not. Around here that is usually the responsibility of the demo contractor. This structure will have to be surveyed at the least. You do not want to be caught demoing it w/o asbestos clearance by a certified asbestos inspector. In SC I can survey a building; or, I can do the abatement, but not both, even though I have both certifications.
I agree w/ turbo on your options for taking it down. You would be shocked how expensive it is to implode a building. A high reach machine may or may not be prohibitivly priced, I am lucky that there is a company that rents them only 60 miles away. Tipping it may be impossible due to space constraints. Working around an airport has more rules than a military base, so you need to know what they all are before you bid. If you are not very experienced in demo work, you should consider having a demo company put the structure on the ground for you at least. 9 stories is tall when it starts down.
Good Luck

 

[Bluestone1]

Thanks for all the input. Right now it is a design build project so we are just putting preliminary numbers on it to the prime bidder which is tough without knowing alot of specifics but we just try end up on the high side. The abatement of asbestos will be done before demo begins. I'm thinking if I get the job (and that is a big "if") I will just fly an experienced demo guy out for a week to help us "trip it" if they let us do it that way. Paying one guy who knows how to cut it and rig it up right will definately be worth the money. Dealing with this thing on the ground will be easiest. Certainly there will be alot of concerns with dropping this thing next to an airport. FOD is a big deal around jets but it sits 1000' from the actual runway so should be clear especially if we trip it away from the runway. Thanks again all.

 

[heavylift]

there is a ramp clearance .. taxiway clearance...

one place considers the ramp and taxiway as one... runways usually involves a closed runway...

FOD is a pain... especially if you are crossing an active taxiway... we had to have flag person at the taxiway.. to sweep the taxiway every time a truck went a cross it...Luckily the ground was hard packed

The Air base here has the RED LINE... SHOOT TO KILL ...RED LINE... which is as you enter the ramps... we had one area was barricaded and rope off... this was more or less a normal area any where in the world..
The other part of the job was down the edge of a taxi way... no barricades... just stop at red line.. get out and walk around the truck for a FOD check... the proceed..

One guy tested the rope several times one day.. not a good thing.. he would lift the rope and duck under .. now the rope was the new red line.. The Air Police said he had been doing it all day... The swarm was quite a pleasant sight... I wonder where that guy is today...

 

[digger242j]

FOD is a big deal around jets but it sits 1000' from the actual runway so should be clear especially if we trip it away from the runway.

Yeah, but they still start em up to taxi out. How close is it to the ramp?

 

[Turbo21835]

The Air base here has the RED LINE... SHOOT TO KILL ...RED LINE... which is as you enter the ramps... we had one area was barricaded and rope off... this was more or less a normal area any where in the world..
The other part of the job was down the edge of a taxi way... no barricades... just stop at red line.. get out and walk around the truck for a FOD check... the proceed..

One guy tested the rope several times one day.. not a good thing.. he would lift the rope and duck under .. now the rope was the new red line.. The Air Police said he had been doing it all day... The swarm was quite a pleasant sight... I wonder where that guy is today...

We work at several ANG bases. The local one quite often. You dont not mess with the red line, nor do you mess with the guy on the other side of the line with an M16. One time while on base folks from the base were leading a consultant out to a site on the air field. Typical fod check, and then follow the leader, consultant decided to make a right instead of a left when it came time to park. She happened to be parked in the red lines. MPs were on her like white on rice, and she even ate some pavement. These folks do not mess around with their playground, and you play by their rules.