Non-explosive demolition agents
Encyclopedia
Non-explosive demolition agents are commercial products that are an alternative to explosive
s in demolition, mining, and quarrying. To use non-explosive demolition
agents in demolition or quarry
ing, holes are drilled in the base rock like they would be drilled for use with conventional explosives. A slurry
mixture of the non-explosive demolition agent and water is poured into the drill holes. Over the next few hours the slurry expands, cracking the rock in a pattern somewhat like the cracking that would occur from conventional explosives.
Non-explosive demolition agents offer many advantages including that they are silent and do not produce vibration the way a conventional explosive would. In some applications conventional explosives are more economical than non-explosive demolition agents. In many countries these are available without restriction unlike explosives which are highly regulated.
These agents are much safer than explosives, but it is important to follow directions closely in order to avoid steam explosion
s during the first few hours after these materials are placed.
Explosive material
An explosive material, also called an explosive, is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure...
s in demolition, mining, and quarrying. To use non-explosive demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
agents in demolition or quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
ing, holes are drilled in the base rock like they would be drilled for use with conventional explosives. A slurry
Slurry
A slurry is, in general, a thick suspension of solids in a liquid.-Examples of slurries:Examples of slurries include:* Lahars* A mixture of water and cement to form concrete* A mixture of water, gelling agent, and oxidizers used as an explosive...
mixture of the non-explosive demolition agent and water is poured into the drill holes. Over the next few hours the slurry expands, cracking the rock in a pattern somewhat like the cracking that would occur from conventional explosives.
Non-explosive demolition agents offer many advantages including that they are silent and do not produce vibration the way a conventional explosive would. In some applications conventional explosives are more economical than non-explosive demolition agents. In many countries these are available without restriction unlike explosives which are highly regulated.
These agents are much safer than explosives, but it is important to follow directions closely in order to avoid steam explosion
Steam explosion
A steam explosion is a violent boiling or flashing of water into steam, occurring when water is either superheated, rapidly heated by fine hot debris produced within it, or the interaction of molten metals A steam explosion (also called a littoral explosion, or fuel-coolant interaction, FCI) is a...
s during the first few hours after these materials are placed.
Commercial products
Some commercially available non-explosive demolition agents include:- Ecobust (International)
- Ecobust (North America)
- Dexpan Canada (North America)
- Demosol (International)
- Kayati (International)
- Buster by Cras (International)
- Ter-Mite (International)
- Dexpan (International)
- FRACT.AG (USA)
- Dexpan (USA)
- FRACT.AG (International)
- BRISTAR (International)
- S-Mite (International)
- ABDULAZIZ KARIM BAKHSH EST(KSA)
- Betonamit
- Expando (Australia & New Zealand)South pacific regions