Atlas Copco: Perfect Teamwork in Berlin

The team of the demolition and blasting experts Philipp Halter GmbH & Co. of Berlin was faced with a challenging job that meant loads of work. In only 48 hours the southern section of the Spandau dam bridge crossing the A 100 had to be demolished.

The factor that played a decisive role in the swift and smooth demolition progress was the efficient interaction of Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers and hydraulic CombiCutters.

Seven Volvo excavators equipped with Atlas Copco demolition tools set out on their demolition tour following a carefully planned schedule. After all the traffic obstructions which cannot be avoided when one of the main arterial roads of the capital is closed all had to be removed before the start of the week.

Already during Friday night a bed of sand was filled up underneath the bridge to allow the girders and reinforcements torn down by the Atlas Copco CombiCutters to be safely collected and transported.

First of all three MB 1700 hydraulic breakers began with the preparations on the bridge foundation. This type of breaker belongs to the medium range of hydraulic breaker attachments and with its weight of 1700 kg is suitable for carriers of the 19 to 32 ton weight class. An SB 302 was used for the less demanding preparatory and finishing work, e.g. in narrow places. This light hydraulic breaker weighing 304 kg is suitable for carriers of the 4.5 to 9.0 ton weight class.

The main part of the work was handled by two Atlas Copco hydraulic CombiCutters, a CC 1700 U and a CC 2500 U, both equipped with "Universal" jaws, which crushed the concrete and cut the strong rebar of the bridge in one go. The cutters weighing 1680 and 2640 kg, respectively, performed as expected. "We cannot make compromises with regard to reliability," the chief executive Christoph Halter explains. "The performance of the Atlas Copco products has convinced me to such extent that we will definitely rely on them for future jobs, too."

As the roadblocks finally were removed at five o’clock on Monday morning, according to schedule, the Phillip Halter team could be congratulated on having successfully completed the project. Thanks to the ideal interaction of Atlas Copco hydraulic breakers and CombiCutters the old dam bridge is now just a piece of history and makes way for one of the most significant roadwork projects in the capital on the banks of the Spree.