Skip to main content

Atlas Copco for Brazil bridge demolition

Brazilian demolition specialist Comprex was chosen to demolish a bridge connecting districts in the city of Vitória in the state of Espirito Santo. For environmental reasons, debris was not permitted to fall into the waterway under the bridge, and special arrangements had to be made for the removal of the demolition waste. Comprex chose Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers and CombiCutters for the jobsite where three new bridges have been built over the old bridge, which was no longer able to support the increasi
July 2, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Bridge demolition under way in the city of Vitória, Brazil
Brazilian demolition specialist Comprex was chosen to demolish a bridge connecting districts in the city of Vitória in the state of Espirito Santo.

For environmental reasons, debris was not permitted to fall into the waterway under the bridge, and special arrangements had to be made for the removal of the demolition waste.

Comprex chose 161 Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers and CombiCutters for the jobsite where three new bridges have been built over the old bridge, which was no longer able to support the increasing volume of traffic crossing between the city districts. The old bridge, comprising 1,300m3 of reinforced concrete, needed to be removed, and an Atlas Copco SB 452 hydraulic breaker was used to remove the light structures, such as the parapet and concrete surfacing.

Two Atlas Copco MB 1700 hydraulic breakers and two CC 1700 CombiCutters, mounted on 2394 Volvo EC 210 and Cat 416E carriers, were used for the heavier task of removing the concrete layer from the beams and finally the ten beams themselves.

Demolition debris was received in a special boat and transported to a recycling plant.

“The MB 1700 and SB 452 hydraulic breakers gave impressive performance on the very hard concrete,” said Ronaldo Zucchi, owner of Comprex.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Work on St Petersburg bridge project
    June 20, 2016
    Contractor ICA Construction used two Aquajet robotic hydrodemolition machines at the top of a 120m-high bridge pylon located in the city of St Petersburg. The two Aquajet robotic water cutters were used to remove surplus concrete from around the inner steel structure of the bridge pylon. This link spans the River Neva and forms part of the Western High-Speed Diameter (WHSD) route in St Petersburg. The WHSD is a highly important route for the region and will provide a key connection between the Scandinavi
  • Innovative formwork solution to bridge construction
    February 20, 2012
    Innovative solutions are being applied to the construction of bridge structures as Patrick Smith reports. RMD Kwikform Iberica has engineered and supplied specialist formwork and falsework for construction of the much-needed Monteporreiro Viaduct in northern Spain. The viaduct will connect Monteporreiro with the Benedictine Monastery of San Bieito Lérez on the other side of the river, and in the process will ease congestion in the nearby town of Pontevedra, diverting some 5,000 vehicles/day.
  • Video captures nocturnal bridge demolition in Germany’s Ruhr area
    November 17, 2014
    It was a 24-hour job to demolish the bridge called On Leiterchen that crossed over the A43 in the industrial Ruhr area of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

    Traffic was stopped in both directions between junctions Recklinghausen-Hochlarmark and Recklinghause-Herten.

    Before the serious work of nibbling away at the concrete structure could start, a 50cm layer of sand was spread across the entire motorway to protect the pavement from excavator machine tracks and falling concrete. The bridge eventually jack-knifed in on itself.
  • Road recycling in Denmark
    May 13, 2024
    A novel approach to road refurbishment has saved time, money and carbon emissions in Denmark, while delivering a quality road surface.