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

  • Road tolling is vital for good roads
    January 2, 2024
    Upcoming transportation projects are outlined in planning documents throughout America by Mary Scott Nabers
    Read More
  • Manufacturers have developed key innovations in recycling machines
    March 4, 2015
    Manufacturers are making advances in stabiliser/reclaimers and milling machines - Mike Woof reports. The market for milling equipment is a competitive one, with a range of companies from around the globe now offering machines for this segment: BOMAG, Caterpillar, Dynapac, Roadtec, Volvo CE and Wirtgen. In recent years a number of Chinese firms have entered this segment and determining the number of machines these companies manufacture is difficult, although most of their units are sold in China. But interna
    Read More
  • Sennebogen’s Algiers bridge
    January 21, 2013
    The Algerian SAPTA construction company, who specialise in road and traffic infrastructure construction, is using a Sennebogen 2200 crawler crane to assist with their commission to build a bridge in Algiers. Sennebogen service and sales partner EURL SM Maintenance delivered the 2200 crawler crane to SAPTA in July this year. It has since been set to work lifting, piece by piece, the steel support for the 600m long Algiers-based bridge. The crane will also be used for a range of other lifting tasks required a
    Read More
  • Digitising roadwork in civil construction with Liebherr
    May 30, 2025
    The construction industry is undergoing significant transformation, driven by rising fuel prices, economic pressure, work safety and lack of qualified operators.
    Read More

Highlighted Content