German project success for CK Abbruch & Erdbau
Contractor uses Kemroc drum cutter and cutter wheel attachments to demolish former industrial complex
AN abandoned former industrial complex at the heart of Weingarten in southern Germany is being demolished and cleared, paving the way for a major mixed development of new homes, green spaces, restaurants, and retail outlets.
Before a redevelopment project of this magnitude can go ahead, the old redundant industrial building had to be fully demolished followed by site preparation work. Not only that – the demolition contract presented environmental and engineering challenges, including the removal of huge underground foundations and work had to be carried out with the lowest noise and vibration levels possible, due to the inner-city location.
Swabia-based CK Abbruch & Erdbau GmbH were awarded the contract to tear down the former industrial building safely and efficiently without impacting the environment and neighbouring residents.
For Markus Christadler, chief executive officer of CK Abbruch & Erdbau, it is a prestigious project where the company can show its competence in both demolition and civil engineering. For example, in addition to the removal of around 40,000 cubic metres of concrete and reinforced concrete, the demolition firm is clearing 120,00 cubic metres of excavated earth.
On the new city quarter development – known as ‘Martinshöfe’ – Mr Christadler decided to use what he called a ‘combined demolition and dismantling process’. The machinery at the core of the process consisted of two hydraulic excavators equipped with Kemroc attachments: a 45-tonne machine with a DMW 220 cutter wheel and a KR 150 drum cutter; as well as a 60-tonne unit with a DMW 220 HD cutter wheel and a KR 165 drum cutter.
Utilizing the Kemroc excavator attachments have proven to be the most environmentally friendly solution and economical for the company. The DMW range of cutter wheels have been specially engineered to achieve high performance in breaking up hard rock and reinforced concrete.
On the Martinshöfe redevelopment, the cutter wheels are used to economically cut down large-volume structures into smaller individual pieces. These are subsequently broken down into a size suitable for crushing using concrete cutters and shears. ‘We can thus largely rule out the use of loud, high-vibration equipment such as breakers in the steps prior to crushing,’ explained Mr Christadler.
The narrow tool profiles of the cutter wheels also help to minimize the production of unwanted fine-grained material as well as keeping fuel consumption and tool wear low. Like the DMW cutter wheel attachments, the Kemroc KR range of drum cutters were chosen by CK Abbruch & Erdbau to provide low-vibration and low-noise demolition of reinforced concrete.
The drum cutters, which are robustly built and ideal attachments for tunnelling applications, were also selected because they complemented the Kemroc cutter wheels and the inner-city demolition project.
At the end of November 2022, CK Abbruch und Erdbau said around 80% of the demolition work on the Martinshöfe project in Weingarten had been completed. With final dismantling and demolishing of the former industrial complex nearing completion, Mr Christadler is confident that this part of the project will be completed by the end of March 2023, delivering a clear site for the Martinshöfe project.
