Types of Equipment Used for Demolition

For a successful demolition, there are several kinds of equipment that can be used. Make sure you have a good understanding of each tool before choosing one to complete any task. This includes knowing how to properly utilize the tool and any attachments/alternate modes it may have.

Excavators

You'll most likely see excavators on construction sites because they are one of the most common and most versatile machines. They are used for digging, removing debris, and other tasks. Excavators are very powerful and they get the job done.

The main parts of an excavator include:

• The Boom: The boom is an angled arm attached directly to the excavator body that moves vertically. There's also a knuckle booms, which moves laterally with the machine.

• The Dipper: This piece is also called the stick. It's job is to connect the boom to the bucket or any other attachment.

• The Bucket: At the end of the dipper is the bucket. This part can be switched out for another attachment, such as an auger, depending on the task.

• The Cab: The cab is where the worker sits. All of the controls are found in this enclosed area.

• The Rotating House: The rotating house encompasses the cab, engine, fuel tank, hydraulic tank and counterweights. Workers are able to move around in any direction, since the houses can rotate a full 360 degrees.

Excavators are utilized for landscaping, mining, material handling, and river dredging. They are often used on construction sites to dig trenches and rip through walls. Excavators are helpful in almost any situation, especially due to the many sizes they come in. There's mini, small, medium, and large. As expected, larger excavators generate more power than the smaller ones.

Cranes

Cranes are nice because they allow for workers to sit safely in a cab while working with high-level areas. Wrecking balls, buckets and hydraulic claws can all be attached to a crane. There are stationary or derrick cranes, mobile cranes, overhead or gantry cranes, traveller cranes and tower cranes.

Material Handlers

Lumber, bricks and other building materials accumulate on site. This is when material handlers come into play. They have a long arm and hydraulic grips, allowing for wide vision by the operator.

Wrecking Balls

Though wrecking balls are probably the most recognizable tool, they are not used that often on construction sites. This ball allows working to knock down high areas while stationed safely on the ground.

Hand-held Tools

These smaller tools are much easier to control, which decreases the chances of damaging surrounding structures. Hand-held tools include hammers, saws, and even drills.

Skid Steer Loaders

These machines are ideal for smaller sites due to their size which allows them to squeeze into tight areas. Though they are compact, they still give a good amount of power. Skid steer loaders are versatile, as they have several attachments to complete a range of tasks. Some common attachments are snowblowers, trenchers, and cement mixers. Unlike other machines, these loaders do not have a steering mechanism for the wheels. Instead, the wheels are mechanically aligned with the side body.

Compact Track Loaders

These heavy machines are capable of digging, loading, grading, and transporting material with ease. They are great for going over wet or sandy terrain.

Backhoe Loaders

Backhoe loaders are tractors with a front-facing loader bucket and an articulating arm at the rear. This tool allows workers to navigate tough terrain. The arm can be used with an attachment to dig through the earth or lift materials, while the bucket works well for hauling debris.

Bulldozers

Dozers are big, powerful machines mostly used for pushing around large amounts of material. Their large blade at the front, propelled by hydraulic pistons in the rear, make them optimal for jobs such as land clearing and grading. Dozer blade types include the flat, the edgeless straight blade, the curved universal blade, and the semi-universal combination blade.

Articulated Trucks and Dump Trucks

When storing debris, crews often use articulated trucks. They have a secure bed for holding pipes, branches and any other materials that may be found during a demolition. They are also fairly easy to manuever.

Dump trucks are a better option for larger jobs, since they have automatic controls for heavy lifting which also save you lots of time. Off-highway haulers can transport even larger volumes of material.

Grapple Buckets

Grapple Buckets attach directly to a skid steer. They have curved plates that lift and maneuver debris with ease.

Excavator Shears

Excavator shears can lift and cut scrap such as piping, cables, and girders. This extension is added to excavators to help break down any materials into smaller pieces.

Excavator Magnets

Just like shears, an electromagnet can be added to your excavator to lift pieces in a different way. Since a magnet is involved, you'll be able to not only pick up large parts but also small bits of scrap like nails and screws. This tool helps ensure that all recyclable material is collected and that no dangerous materials are left on the site.

Hydraulic Magnets

While traditional excavator magnets require an electrical connection to function, hydraulic magnets do not need that. When electricity is not available, hydraulic magnets use their hydraulic power and a generator to get the job done. Fully-enclosed hydraulic magnets are pretty easy to switch out, so you can hop into the demolition quickly.

Concrete Pulverizers

Concrete is heavy and super strong, so only a special weapon is capable of tearing it up. A concrete pulverizer will reduce the concrete to rubble that is easier to transport.  After the concrete is crushed, a magnet is used to draw out rebar that can be recycled into new steel. Parts of the remaining concrete can be placed within the foundation of new roads.

Wire Granulators

Wire granulators use electromagnetic currents to separate metals from their plastic coatings. Recyclers also use this tool is gather copper, a very valuable metal.

Dust Boss Machines

Tons of dust and debris can be produced by a building demolition. Dust boss machines minimize dust pollution by spraying a fine mist of water onto the site.

Demolition Grapples

Also known as the "iron claw", the demolition grapple has two forms: mechanical and hydraulic. Mechanical grapples are more powerful, but hydraulic grapples have a full 360 degrees of mobility. They are also used for more precise work. Demolition grapples vary in size and they also come in different tine configurations. The number of tines affect the way the grapple latches onto the target. For example, the fewer tines a grapple has, the more power it grips with.

What to Consider When Selecting Equipment

No matter the assignment, it will surely get done quicker and more efficiently if you choose the proper equipment from the start. When choosing your machinery, make sure to check the conditions of the ground to see what equipment you can safely bring on site. Also, knowing the various attachments will help you choose the best tool for whatever task. Something else to consider would be the height of the site. This measurement will determine whether you need to invent in some high-reaching machines like cranes.