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How to Dismantle a Bridge | National Geographic


when the California Department of

when the California Department of Transportation decommissioned the bridge

Transportation decommissioned the bridge

Transportation decommissioned the bridge in 2005 they requested bits to see who

in 2005 they requested bits to see who

in 2005 they requested bits to see who could pull down the Carquinez in the

could pull down the Carquinez in the

could pull down the Carquinez in the right way for the best price five

right way for the best price five

right way for the best price five contracting firms entered their bids

contracting firms entered their bids

contracting firms entered their bids most wanted to use large and expensive

most wanted to use large and expensive

most wanted to use large and expensive water-based equipment to dismantle the

water-based equipment to dismantle the

water-based equipment to dismantle the bridge but one small firm California

bridge but one small firm California

bridge but one small firm California engineering contractors had a different

engineering contractors had a different

engineering contractors had a different idea

idea

idea their plan to bring down each one point

their plan to bring down each one point

their plan to bring down each one point four million pounds section all at once

four million pounds section all at once

four million pounds section all at once by lowering them with cables onto to

by lowering them with cables onto to

by lowering them with cables onto to awaiting barges

each Bridgespan would become a vessel

each Bridgespan would become a vessel wider than the width of an aircraft

wider than the width of an aircraft

wider than the width of an aircraft carrier and be pushed away by tugboats

not only has this innovative technique

not only has this innovative technique never been attempted California

never been attempted California

never been attempted California engineering contractors claims it can do

engineering contractors claims it can do

engineering contractors claims it can do it for just 18 million dollars 10

it for just 18 million dollars 10

it for just 18 million dollars 10 million less than the nearest competitor

they’re low bid wins and the job but

they’re low bid wins and the job but they have a secret plan to recoup some

they have a secret plan to recoup some

they have a secret plan to recoup some of the money recycling

there’s nearly 50 million pounds of

there’s nearly 50 million pounds of steel and concrete in the Carquinez

properly recycled the steel alone is

properly recycled the steel alone is worth more than two million dollars

project manager David pure Marini has

project manager David pure Marini has planned this job for eight months

planned this job for eight months

planned this job for eight months there’s little to no waste on a

there’s little to no waste on a

there’s little to no waste on a demolition project like this what we do

demolition project like this what we do

demolition project like this what we do here on the jobsite is we cut it up into

here on the jobsite is we cut it up into

here on the jobsite is we cut it up into two members that are manageable put it

two members that are manageable put it

two members that are manageable put it into trailers and different types of

into trailers and different types of

into trailers and different types of containers and they bring it right over

containers and they bring it right over

containers and they bring it right over to the scrapyard

a crew gets to work on the south end of

a crew gets to work on the south end of the bridge heavy machinery pulls down

the bridge heavy machinery pulls down

the bridge heavy machinery pulls down the concrete towers steel rods called

the concrete towers steel rods called

the concrete towers steel rods called rebars sit inside the concrete to give

rebars sit inside the concrete to give

rebars sit inside the concrete to give it strength

Bridge engineer Jay Coleman knows

Bridge engineer Jay Coleman knows there’s value in every scrap of steel

there’s value in every scrap of steel

there’s value in every scrap of steel the steel industry has been recycling

the steel industry has been recycling

the steel industry has been recycling for a long time because it’s just the

for a long time because it’s just the

for a long time because it’s just the driving economics behind it it’s cheaper

driving economics behind it it’s cheaper

driving economics behind it it’s cheaper to harvest steel from this old column

to harvest steel from this old column

to harvest steel from this old column and it’s the harvest iron ore from the

and it’s the harvest iron ore from the

and it’s the harvest iron ore from the ground and make new steel

even the ruble will be pulverized and

even the ruble will be pulverized and made into roads

it’s a steel cantilever truss bridge

it’s a steel cantilever truss bridge that were taken apart it’s 12,000 tons

that were taken apart it’s 12,000 tons

that were taken apart it’s 12,000 tons of steel as well as a significant amount

of steel as well as a significant amount

of steel as well as a significant amount of concrete and we’re tasked with

of concrete and we’re tasked with

of concrete and we’re tasked with completely removing the bridge so that

completely removing the bridge so that

completely removing the bridge so that when we’re all done with this project

when we’re all done with this project

when we’re all done with this project there will be no trace this is a dream

there will be no trace this is a dream

there will be no trace this is a dream for an engineer to be a part of

for an engineer to be a part of

for an engineer to be a part of something like this and this is why we

something like this and this is why we

something like this and this is why we do this

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