Brokk 101

Remote-Controlled Demolition Machines Go Back to School

The University of Chicago is typically a place for building knowledge, careers and dreams. But in October 2013, part of the campus became a place for deconstruction.

Several buildings were in need of serious upgrades to bring them up to snuff in terms of safety and accessibility code requirements. The former Chicago Theological Seminary was one of them, and Alliance Concrete Sawing and Drilling’s fleet of Brokk demolition machines was on assignment.

Since the East Dundee, Ill. company’s inception in 2002, it has been using Brokk demolition machines on selective, structural and total demolition projects throughout the Midwest. Alliance owns a Brokk 90, 100, 180 and two 260s, and several of them were key players during the university demolition project.

“We had to remove a lot of concrete, and on this project that was particularly challenging because of the confined spaces, low floor loads and vibration requirements,” said David Niekrasz, business development manager at Alliance.

Some of the work was in areas adjacent to the university’s historical museum, which was rigged with monitors to alert employees when vibration levels became great enough to damage the museum’s precious artifacts and exhibits. In those areas the crews used the Brokk 90 and 100 machines equipped with concrete crusher attachments to demolish stairwells, floor openings and concrete walls. The crusher’s jaws squeeze with tremendous pressure to pulverize material with few vibrations.

“Without the Brokk machines we would have had to use handheld jackhammers,” Niekrasz said. “They create a considerable amount of vibration, so we would have needed to clear out the nearby museum or risk the integrity of its contents.”

The Brokk machines and crushers not only allowed the crew to demolish with stealthy precision, they also did it without risking unnecessary damage to floors. The models range from 2,000 to 3,500 pounds, and have a wide base that displaces their weight so they can be used in areas with low floor load requirements. This also allowed the crew to quickly hoist them from floor to floor with rough terrain forklifts and gantry hoists rather than sending operators with handheld jackhammers to do the work, which would have slowed down progress and increased the risk of injuries.

The crew also faced challenges from above when demolishing ceilings. The crew used the Brokk 100 and a hammer attachment to quickly and safely remove the concrete above. This eliminated the risk of injuries associated with crews holding handheld jackhammers over their heads. It also was faster and safer because the machine’s remote-controlled operation allowed the operator to stay a safe distance from the work.

“Overall we would’ve needed many more men on the job with a lot of jackhammers to do this at the same rate as the Brokk machines,” said Niekrasz. “Each Brokk machine does as much as five of our workers, so it’s faster. But most importantly for our crew, it was a lot safer.”

The project was full of challenges from all sides – low floor loads below, minimal vibrations next door and careful demolition above. But because Alliance Concrete Sawing and Drilling did its homework, it was ready with the Brokk remote-controlled demolition machines and poised to deliver a grade “A” performance.