Hydrodemolition

Concrete, as a construction material, is a relatively porous product. Hydrodemolition (Hydro-Blasting, Hydro-Jetting) uses the porous property of concrete to its advantage during removal operations. High-pressure waterjets remove concrete by two separate mechanisms: direct impact on surface and pressurization of cracks.

The hydrodemolition process can provide selective removal of concrete by its flexibility to control the amount of released energy. The equipment is designed to remove concrete to a prescribed depth of solid concrete and complete removal of weakened, unsound concrete.

Concrete substructures – the vertical and overhead underside of bridges and overpasses – suffer from deterioration to the concrete. Moisture, freeze-thaw cycles and chlorides penetrating the concrete all contribute to the weakening of the structure. Waterblasting the deteriorated surfaces using NLB’s 6600-3 ConcreteBuster® saves time and costly implications often associated with jackhammers or chippers. Advantages of hydrodemolition include:

• Low noise and dust levels
• Superior substrate bonding surface
• No additional structural damage
• Selective removal of inferior concrete
• Rebar is cleaned, descaled, and undamaged
• Faster than mechanical removal methods
• Washes away entrained chlorides