CRUMBLING BRIDGE SAFELY REMOVED WITH THE HELP OF DIAMOND SAWS

摘要

The Clark Street Bridge in Laramie, Wyoming was being removed due to a revised roadway alignment that would shift the bridge half a mile away. The existing bridge was crumbling and there were concerns that in taking it down, debris could fall onto the active Union Pacific railroad tracks, so it was vital that all precautions be taken to control the demolition. General Contractor S&S Builders had many options for taking the bridge down: explosive demolition, jackhammering/breaking in place or fully dropping the bridge, but since the 13 railroad tracks running under the bridge needed to remain in operation throughout the project, none of those methods were considered viable. Additionally, the bridge was located near a residential area, so the noise, vibration and risk of flying debris eliminated any kind of uncontrolled demolition as an option. It was determined that concrete cutting to assist in the selective structural demolition of the bridge was the best option.