Blasting
confines don't get much tighter than a recent high-rise demolition
project performed by NADC-member Controlled Demolition Group
(Yorkshire, UK) in London, England.
The brand-new
Paradox Community Centre, located just 20 feet from St. Fabian's
Tower, was one of ten buildings that completely surrounded
the jobsite. Several types of protective measures were implemented
to ensure each adjacent building's safety, and extensive,
carefully planned pre-weakening of concrete walls, elevator
shafts and stairwells was performed within the tower block
to ensure complete control.
To address
concerns that the tower's large concrete tiles could break
free and "sail off" during collapse, the entire
structure was shrouded in heavy gauge geotextile fabric, which
led to the project being dubbed "the big black condom"
by local residents.
At high
noon on an overcast Sunday, CDG blaster Mick Williams initiated
charges that felled the high-rise directly into its own footprint,
and shortly thereafter community officials breathed a sigh
of relief to find the Paradox Centre and all other buildings
completely unscathed as promised.
