Skip to main content

Bang: big bridge blocking boulder broken by blasting

Following a recent earthquake in China, the roads and highways had to be cleared quickly to allow emergency deliveries, as well as general transport. One key bridge was blocked by a massive boulder that had been dislodged by the quake. As the boulder was too large to move using the excavators or bulldozers that the bridge could support, a decision was made to use blasting instead to clear the path. A drilling rig was brought into place and this machine bored a blasthole into the errant boulder, with the hol
April 24, 2013 Read time: 1 min
Following a recent earthquake in China, the roads and highways had to be cleared quickly to allow emergency deliveries, as well as general transport. One key bridge was blocked by a massive boulder that had been dislodged by the quake. As the boulder was too large to move using the excavators or bulldozers that the bridge could support, a decision was made to use blasting instead to clear the path. A drilling rig was brought into place and this machine bored a blasthole into the errant boulder, with the hole then being charged with conventional explosives. The blast then broke the boulder into pieces small enough for lighter machinery to move out of the way, allowing the bridge to be reopened to traffic.

Related Content

  • Concrete - a competitive option for road construction?
    February 10, 2012
    The use of advanced control technology help boost the percentage of roads built using concrete - Mike Woof reports New technologies mean that concrete offers a highly competitive option for road construction.
  • Bridge engineering worldwide
    July 1, 2013
    Guy Woodford looks at vital bridge construction, repair and inspection projects in China, Europe, North America and Australia The Heron Road Bridge in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada is a vital link within the City’s transport network, as it crosses the Rideau River, which divides the east and west parts of the City. Constructed in 1966-1967, the Heron Road Bridge is approximately 275m long and includes six lanes.
  • Bridge demolition with breakers
    May 5, 2021
    Hydraulic breakers from Italian firm Indeco have been used successfully to carry out important work on the Princes Freeway in Australia’s Victoria State.
  • Asphalt paving innovations are coming
    July 28, 2023
    Innovative new machines are coming to market that will boost efficiency for the asphalt paving segment