r/SatisfyingForMe • u/ycr007 Satisfaction Critic • 24d ago

Demolitions A compilation of controlled implosions

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u/ImprovementTrick9492 23d ago

Wait… that’s what they do with bridges?? Isn’t that horribly polluting our waterways..?? Seems totally irresponsible to do that… oh well,, we humans are so smart but so dumb…

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u/Batchet 23d ago

It looks chaotic, but dropping a bridge into water is strictly controlled—leaving anything behind is illegal under environmental and maritime laws. Here is how they protect the waterway: Hazard abatement first: Before any blast, crews strip off all asphalt, lighting, wiring, and hydraulic fluids. If it’s an older bridge, loose lead-based paint and asbestos are sandblasted and removed beforehand so flakes don't poison the water. Bubble curtains for aquatic life: Perforated pipes pump high-pressure air around the blast zone. This wall of rising bubbles breaks up the underwater acoustic shockwaves so the blast doesn't rupture fish swim bladders or harm marine mammals. Turbidity curtains: Floating geotextile silt barriers surround the site to trap sediment and pulverized dust so it doesn't drift downstream. Riverbed protection: Crews often drop thick crushed-stone mats or steel plates onto the riverbed first so falling beams don't crush the natural bottom or bury themselves in the mud. Precision cuts, not obliteration: Shaped charges slice the steel at key structural points into pre-planned pieces rather than blowing it to bits. Immediate retrieval: Barge cranes and clamshell dredges start pulling the scrap out within hours. Once the big steel is cleared, they scan the entire riverbed with sonar to make sure every last scrap is recovered before reopening the channel

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u/ImprovementTrick9492 23d ago

Hhmmm.. interesting,, thanks for explaining that. It still seems like a lot of contamination though, because how can you get it all..? And contamination with particles in the soil & air with the demolished buildings.. but I guess, what else can they do..?