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

  • Ambitious road tunnelling projects around the world
    November 29, 2013
    The construction of the world’s longest subsea road tunnel in Norway and a vital new link under the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey are among a host of exciting, major road tunnel-based projects currently being undertaken across the globe. Guy Woodford reports Sandvik DTi series tunnelling jumbos are being used for the excavation of Solbakktunnel, set to become the world’s longest subsea road tunnel.
  • Take a breather with Herrenknecht’s ventilation shaft boring machine
    February 10, 2016
    For fast underground construction of slot holes with small diameters within highway tunnels, Herrenknecht is highlighting its Boxhole Boring Machine. The BBM is for slot holes, or boreholes, such as ventilation shafts, either inclined or vertical, with diameters of up to 1.5m and lengths of up to 60m. The machines are designed for stable rock with compressive strengths of 180 Megapascal or more. Herrenknecht, based in Schwanau, southwest Germany, uses pipe jacking technology for its BBM. A drilling un
  • Take a breather with Herrenknecht’s ventilation shaft boring machine
    January 6, 2017
    For fast underground construction of slot holes with small diameters within highway tunnels, Herrenknecht is highlighting its Boxhole Boring Machine. The BBM is for slot holes, or boreholes, such as ventilation shafts, either inclined or vertical, with diameters of up to 1.5m and lengths of up to 60m. The machines are designed for stable rock with compressive strengths of 180 Megapascal or more. Herrenknecht, based in Schwanau, southwest Germany, uses pipe jacking technology for its BBM. A drilling un
  • Auckland Harbour bridge celebrates 50 years
    February 22, 2012
    The bridge over Auckland Harbour celebrates its half century this year, and it has been given a major upgrade to ensure that safety is maintained in New Zealand's largest city. Mary Searle reports. Auckland is New Zealand's largest city, home to nearly a third of the entire country's population. It's a sprawling metropolis, and its 1.3 million people are spread over 637km² of city, suburbs and islands. The Auckland Harbour Bridge, which celebrates its 50th birthday in May, is a vital link in the city's road