Baltimore bridge controlled demolition delayed to Monday

[oldbrownhat]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The controlled demolition of the largest remaining steel span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has been postponed because of weather conditions, officials said Sunday afternoon.

Crews have been preparing for weeks to use explosives to break down the span, which is an estimated 500 feet (152 meters) long and weighs up to 600 tons (544 metric tons)...

Officials said the demolition had been tentatively moved to Monday evening. They said lightning in the area and rising tides Sunday prompted them to reschedule...

This report from WMAR Baltimore explains what the controlled demolition of the Key Bridge will look & sound like. (With animated video.)

It will be interesting to see this when it happens Monday (?) According to the Army Corps of Engineers:

"Because of the pressure charge’s high velocity upon detonation, the copper casing of the shaped charge is briefly turned into a plasma jet that will literally cut through critical portions of the remaining iron truss. The detonation sequence is timed so the pieces will fall into the water for later retrieval by salvors, and in a manner that’s unlikely to cause additional damage to the M/V Dali..

[DWalt]

I am assuming that they are going to use some type of linear shaped charge to cut through the metal. But cutting through 4" thick steel will not be simple. I have used FLSC to cut steel, but nothing close to 4" thick, more like 1/2" to 3/4".

[jeffrefrig]

"Crews have been preparing for weeks to use explosives..."
I would be, too! Like a group of 11-14 year old kids with an M80 trying to pick which one gets to light it. Fireworks or controlled demolition, anything that goes BANG, count me in. I REALLY liked watching Three Rivers Stadium go down.

[oldbrownhat]

Originally Posted by jeffrefrig

"Crews have been preparing for weeks to use explosives..."
I would be, too! Like a group of 11-14 year old kids with an M80 trying to pick which one gets to light it. Fireworks or controlled demolition, anything that goes BANG, count me in. I REALLY liked watching Three Rivers Stadium go down.

So I guess yinz gonna watch it tonight? Set for 5pm if the weather cooperates.

[NYlakesider]

In the late 60s they took down a big bridge in Albany NY (Dunn Memorial)

They made it a point not to tell when the explosion would take place in order to keep as many people away as they could.

By coincidence I was just coming out of a store about 3/8s of a mile from the bridge when it blew. Noise was overwhelming, some windows broke and I never saw so many pigeons flying around in my life.

[oldbrownhat]

Originally Posted by NYlakesider

...By coincidence I was just coming out of a store about 3/8s of a mile from the bridge when it blew. Noise was overwhelming, some windows broke and I never saw so many pigeons flying around in my life.

Best not to look up with all those terrified pigeons flying around

I just watched a video of the Three rivers Stadium demolition. One station had 5 camers INSIDE the stadium when it went, and all survived intact.

I remember when they demolished Vancouver's first art deco "skyscraper" (17 storeys) in 1989, 70 years after it was built



Christ Church (Anglican) Cathedral, built in the 1880's, was right next door, separated only by a narrow lane. (Just out of frame in the old pic above.) It survived with only a few minor cracks in the stucco of a storage room on the lane, as I recall. My uncle was a junior architect for Mc Carter & Nairne, who designed the building, when it was built in 1929.