Challenging bridge demolition

DEMOLITION and blasting experts Philipp Halter of Berlin, Germany, faced a challenging job: in just 48 hours it had to demolish the southern section of the Spandau Dam Bridge crossing the A 100. The efficient interaction of Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers and hydraulic CombiCutters, mounted on seven Volvo excavators, is said to have played a crucial role after following a carefully planned schedule. During Friday night a bed of sand was placed under the bridge to allow the girders and reinforcements torn dow
March 2, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
DEMOLITION and blasting experts 1215 Philipp Halter of Berlin, Germany, faced a challenging job: in just 48 hours it had to demolish the southern section of the Spandau Dam Bridge crossing the A 100.

The efficient interaction of 161 Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers and hydraulic CombiCutters, mounted on seven 2394 Volvo excavators, is said to have played a crucial role after following a carefully planned schedule. During Friday night a bed of sand was placed under the bridge to allow the girders and reinforcements torn down by the Atlas Copco CombiCutters to be safely collected
and transported.
 
Three 283 MB 1700 hydraulic breakers (each weighing 1,700kg and suitable for carriers in the 19-32tonne weight class) began with preparations on the bridge foundations. An SB 302 was used for the less demanding preparatory and finishing work, such as in narrow places. The light hydraulic breaker weighs 304kg and is suitable for carriers in the 4.5-9tonne weight class.

The main part of the work was handled by two Atlas Copco hydraulic CombiCutters (a CC 1700 U and a CC 2500 U) equipped with 'Universal' jaws, which crushed the concrete and cut the strong rebar of the bridge in one go. The cutters weigh 1,680kg and 2640kg, respectively. The roadblocks were removed at 5am on Monday, according to schedule, making way for one of the most significant roadwork projects in the capital on the banks of the River Spree.
Earthmoving & soil compaction

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Sunderland’s New Wear Crossing takes shape
    February 16, 2017
    The New Wear Crossing will be the first bridge to be built over the River Wear in Sunderland, UK, for more than 40 years Raising the bridge’s 100m-tall pylon promised to be a stunning visual sight, but also a tricky operation dictated by extremely variable local weather. World Highways went to press just before the operation, but not before the pylon had arrived by barge on January 7. It had completed a two-day crossing of the often unpredictable North Sea from the Belgian port of Ghent where it was f
    Read More
  • Francis Scott Key Bridge demolition
    July 3, 2025
    Demolition is planned for the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
    Read More
  • Air helps build bridge
    February 13, 2012
    Chinese contractor Shanghai Sheng Xin Construction Co is using an Atlas Copco XAS 67 compressor on a new road bridge project in Shanghai. The new bridge is at Dan Ba Road, one of the main arteries in this older part of the city.
    Read More
  • Toggenburger takes two Terex cranes to tackle a Swiss tandem lift
    August 21, 2015
    Two of the largest cranes in Switzerland recently were called upon to lift an 884tonne, 162m-long connecting bridge between two buildings at the Coop distribution centre in Schafisheim. “The individual bridge components had enormous gross weights of up to 275tonnes and required us to use working radii of up to 29m,” said Andre Huber, project manager at Toggenburger, the company that took on the task. To get the job done, Toggenburger rolled out its biggest machinery which also happen to be the two lar
    Read More

Highlighted Content