Demolition

Richter are proud to provide a highly specialised structural engineer demolition service.

With over 30 years’ experience as civil and structural engineers, including five years with a major UK demolition specialist, we have a wealth of experience both in the UK and internationally when it comes to the safe and sustainable demolition of retired buildings.

We have designed and engineered safe, economic demolition sequences for structures ranging from power stations and bridges through to 24-storey tower blocks.

Providing pre-demolition structural surveys, reports and temporary works design, identifying potential hazards and advising on how to deal with pre-stressed and post-tensioned structures, Richter can advise you on how to safely demolish complex structures. We provide feasibility studies, we plan demolition sequences, and we assist in the preparation of risk assessments and method statements.

We believe in exploring every possible option to extend the use period of buildings, and we also acknowledge the need and the responsibility to bring structures down using the safest, least wasteful method possible.

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We have extensive experience in...

Design

  • Calculating the strength of existing floors and advising on the size and type of demolition plant that can be safely used
  • Advising on back-propping, type and layout options
  • Demonstrating by calculation the safety of a pre-weakened structure
  • Temporary Works design for wall removal
  • Temporary openings to allow debris removal and machine access, including propping, and needling
  • Temporary Works design for shoring basement walls and under-pinning
  • Temporary Works design for bracing systems providing stability in refurbishment and demolition
  • Design of working platforms/embankments for tracked plant
  • Design of temporary ramps for transferring plant from floor to floor inside buildings
  • Providing 2D and 3D drawings and illustrations in AutoCAD, Tekla and Visio to communicate demolition sequences and methods.
  • Providing 3D collapse simulations with animated movie output in real time

Reporting

  • Structural Survey Reports
  • Feasibility studies considering alternative demolition options and methods, offering recommendations that cause the minimum levels of risk and disturbance to neighbours
  • Surveying and assessing reported dangerous structures and providing technical judgement as required by the Building Act 1984, and providing advice on emergency measures
  • Acting as an Expert Witness regarding structural failures

Advice

  • Advising on demolition sequences and the preparation of detailed method statements and risk assessments especially for complex structures, party wall situations and refurbishment schemes
  • Advising on pre-weakening options associated with the controlled use of explosives
  • Advising on safe, efficient and effective collapse mechanisms such as hinging, launching and pulling
  • Advising on the most suitable methods for dealing with pre-stressed and post-tensioned structural elements and other ‘special structures’
  • Reviewing demolition methods and sequences providing an independent opinion and confirmation that the proposals are safe
  • Providing structural advice and help for organising lifting plans

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