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

  • BICES Beijing; China bouncing back
    November 13, 2017
    At the BICES exhibition in Beijing, it was clear that the Chinese construction market has bounced back - Mike Woof writes. Demand for construction machines is now improving in China once more, with the backlog of unsold or nearly new secondhand units having been absorbed. This was apparent at the recent BICES construction machinery exhibition held in Beijing, where firms were more bullish than in previous years.
    Read More
  • Continuing demand for construction machines
    February 21, 2012
    Corporate results from a series of equipment manufacturers for the early part of 2011 all seem to agree that demand for machines continues to improve.
    Read More
  • Colorado river bridge relieves congestion
    February 7, 2012
    Built in the shadow of the Hoover Dam, a new bridge is set to takes its place as another major tourist attraction. Patrick Smith reports
    Read More
  • Chinese highway project under construction
    February 9, 2017
    China’s infrastructure expansion programme is in the process of transforming the country. Meanwhile its construction market is the largest in the world, comprising around 25% of the country’s US$11 trillion economy. However, slowing domestic growth in recent years has encouraged the Chinese Government to invest in key infrastructure projects in a bid to improve the country’s transport connections.
    Read More

Highlighted Content