Controlled removal from ground level
Mechanical demolition means taking a structure apart progressively with the operator at ground level in a protected cab, rather than putting people on the structure or using explosives.
Reach determines method
Structure height against available front reach decides the approach. Within reach, a high-reach front takes it down top-down in a controlled sequence. Beyond reach, the options are pre-weakening and induced collapse, or working from a platform — both of which carry considerably more risk and more constraint.
Tool selection
- Crushers for concrete and masonry, sized to the largest section and checked against concrete grade.
- Shears for structural steel.
- Sorting grapples for separating arisings, which is where recovery value is realised.
- Breakers for mass concrete and foundations.
Tool weight at working height governs the front specification, not the other way round.
Site constraints usually dominate
Exclusion zones, adjacent structures, dust and noise limits and material segregation requirements shape the method more than the structure itself does. On constrained urban sites these frequently determine the equipment before any technical consideration enters.
