Suspended Brokk solution for water tank demolition

UK controlled demolition and concrete cutting specialist Castle and Pryor had to adopt an unusual solution when demolishing the upper section of a concrete water tank on a tower in Darvel Down, East Sussex. Situated with a busy main road on one side and residential properties on the other, it was decided that the best demolition approach was to surgically remove the upper part of the 20 m (65.6 ft) structure using a Brokk demolition robot suspended from a crane.

A Tadano crane lifted one of the company's 2 tonne Brokk 180s and suspended it above the tank, from where the machine, controlled remotely by the operator who was in a nearby telescopic aerial work platform, used a breaker to demolish the roof and side walls of the water tank. The Brokk was then lowered onto the structure to demolish the remains of the tank that still protruded from the tower. In all, it took 10 days for the tank to be removed. The remains of the tower were then demolished by an 40 tonne excavator and the site prepared for a future housing development.