The latest generation of Brokk robots, the SmartPower+, are designed to make crews even more efficient.
Brokk
The approach to large demolition jobs is relatively straightforward. Contractors can tear down buildings and structures with large excavators or cranes and haul materials away using dozers and articulated trucks.
However, when it comes to small- or medium-sized demolition jobs — which are becoming more prevalent — contractors may have to be more strategic to fit the constraints of tight spaces.
The demand for smaller demolition jobs has been increasing alongside the demand for residential and commercial development.
“As the new housing startups aren’t picking up as much as is needed to help satisfy the housing demand, there’s been significant amounts of tear down and demo for new homes on lots,” said Ryan Anderson, product manager, subcompact equipment, CASE Construction Equipment, adding that these jobs can require equipment ranging from midsized excavators to larger mini excavators. “Residential demolition is something to be very, very cognizant of.”
Alongside residential demolition, contractors are also seeing a rise in interior demolition or refurbishment, where they are tasked with removing interior walls or structures for residential or commercial remodels.
This increasing demand for small-scale demolition provides demolition and construction contractors alike with opportunities for new business. However, interior demolition jobs often come with challenges and requirements that extend beyond tight project schedules. Fortunately, compact equipment manufacturers continue to provide contractors with plenty of solutions.
Compact Equipment for Compact Demolition Jobs Bobcat is no stranger to compact equipment, says Fitzgerald. The company's smallest machine is the Bobcat S70 skid-steer loader, which weighs under 3,000 lbs. and will fit through a 36-in. wide, 72-in. tall doorway when equipped with a standard bucket.Bobcat
With every new job, contractors will go through the process of determining the right equipment and resources to meet the requirements of the project tasks, environment and schedule. When it comes to small-scale demolition — especially interior demolition jobs — the biggest and most obvious consideration for equipment is size.
“For interior demolition, contractors look to smaller, more compact equipment that will fit into tight spaces,” said Mike Fitzgerald, marketing manager at Bobcat Company. “Some applications, such as multistory buildings, are limited by weight restrictions they have for floor loading.”
Bobcat is no stranger to compact equipment, says Fitzgerald. The company’s smallest machine is the Bobcat S70 skid-steer loader, which weighs under 3,000 lbs. and fits through a 36-in. wide, 72-in. tall doorway when equipped with a standard bucket.
Whether the operator is removing a wall for a home remodel or breaking down concrete in an industrial facility, the first obstacle is getting through the door. That’s why Bobcat’s E10, E19 and E20 compact excavators come equipped with retractable undercarriages.
For example, on the Bobcat E10, the operator can retract the tracks down to 28-in. wide to get through a doorframe and expand them to its standard 43-in. stance when through and ready to work. The mini excavator also comes with a foldable tip-over protective structure (TOPS) the operator can fold down to fit the machine through shorter entryways.
Another consideration when it comes to equipment size is reach and dump height.
“There’s no point in having a machine that fits through the door if the excavator cannot reach whatever you’re going to dump the material in,” said Greg Worley, market professional for Caterpillar, which also offers retractable and expandable undercarriages on its 301.5 through 302 mini excavator models. “It’s going to come down to access and what they require.”
Evaluating Power in a Small Package
According to Worley, another reason contractors are turning to compact equipment for small demolition jobs is the power they provide. Compact equipment, whether a mini excavator, compact track loader (CTL) or skid steer, serves as a powerful and safer alternative to jackhammers.
“Sometimes it’s really not about the space or the weight of the machine,” he said. “It’s about the fact that you can run the hammer on the machine rather than the person running a hammer manually. Handling a hydraulic or electric hammer is not a person-friendly activity.”
While manually operating a jackhammer can lead to operator fatigue and safety risks, Worley said, compact equipment can provide more than enough power for small-scale demolition “when matched to the correct hammer.”
However, when compared to a large excavator, compact equipment may take longer to complete certain tasks, such as breaking concrete.
“That’s going to require some additional levels of hydraulic power depending on the attachments that you’re going to be running,” said Anderson. “So, you have to be very cognizant of the hydraulic power and output that you’d be able to get.”
Contractors should ensure their machines have sufficient rated operating capacity or tipping load, as well as breakout force, to handle heavy material like concrete or broken rock.
Meeting Fresh Air Requirements with Electric Vehicles
One obstacle that contractors looking to tackle interior demolition jobs may encounter is a restriction or preference against diesel-powered machines. When such machines operate in confined spaces, the limited air flow can result in prolonged exposure to dust and machine fumes for crews or others residing indoors.
Fitzgerald worked with a contractor who had such restrictions when handling demolition for a new clinic addition. The client worked after hours and used an electric mini excavator with a hydraulic breaker and grapple to remove concrete. Bobcat now offers two electric-powered compact excavators, the E10e and E19e, which are powered by two lithium-ion batteries that provide a total capacity of 11.5kWh and 17.28kWh respectively and zero emissions.
“If it’s a hospital, clinic or food processing facility, then contractors may have specific restrictions,” said Fitzgerald. “If it’s total demolition of a building, they may have already removed windows. There would be good air exchange, and then internal combustion engines could be used.”
CASE has been expanding its electric vehicle (EV) portfolio with the addition of two mini excavators and a small articulated loader, each unveiled at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023. The CX15EV and the new CX25EV, which will be available in the coming months, provide four to eight hours depending on the type of work, while the CASE SL22EV articulated loader can operate four to six hours depending on the application, roading and hydraulic use.
Anderson expects the move to EV and alternative fuel machines will gain more momentum when it comes to interior demolition, because of the benefits it can offer crews.
“This change can help make sure that the operators are safe in their working environment,” he said, “with improved air quality and reduced noise pollution and many other safety aspects of the jobsite that some people forget.”
Caterpillar offers a hybrid mini excavator, the 300.9D VPS with HPU300. The mini excavator can operate either from its diesel engine or from its separate hydraulic power unit, with no loss of performance.
“It’s a desired opportunity to run EV type machines indoors, but the technology has to meet the customer’s expectations,” said Worley.
“When it comes to demolition, particularly when using a hammer on the machine, you want the machine to hammer for eight or 10 hours a day. The technology and power supply are not there on this size of machine.”
Until the technology advances, Worley said, “diesel is going to be an important part of the construction industry.”
Those sticking with diesel engines have alternate options for accommodating fresh air requirements. Caterpillar and some of its competitors have equipped recent machines larger than four tons with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) for reduced diesel emissions. Contractors can also add scrubbers to their machines to remove more harmful NOx fumes.
Remove the Operator From the Demolition With Remote-Controlled Equipment
The ability to operate a machine remotely eliminates some of the challenges of demolition in small or confined spaces. When you can take the operator out of the equation — or at least out of the cabin — you increase your potential to access more areas where demolition could occur.
Compact remote-controlled equipment has the same advantage of fitting in confined spaces as compact equipment with an operator in the cabin. However, operating equipment remotely removes several safety concerns that may otherwise limit where a machine could operate.
"You take the operator totally out of any harmful environment. Often people think about the machine falling off, falling over. But this also takes the operator out of heat, dust, water, electricity, anything," said Greg Worley, market professional, Caterpillar. "That is the primary focus. We can all risk a machine. We don't want to risk a person."
Caterpillar offers the ability to operate many of its machines remotely with CAT Command Remote Control Technologies. With Caterpillar's line-of-sight (LOS) remote control system, operators can control the excavator with precision while standing a safe distance away, up to 335 meters. The LOS system is available for Caterpillar's mini hydraulic excavator line, the 301.5 through 310; the D1, D2 and D3 small dozers; and the D3-series skid steer and CTLs.
The need to complete demolition work in areas unsafe for workers is how Brokk got started. The company, which is headquartered in Sweden, first created its remote-controlled robots in 1976 to clean under furnaces in metal processing plants. Today, the company has its demolition robots all over the world.
Brokk's robots, which are mostly electric, are designed specifically for demolition. The machines can be equipped with the Brokk Atomized Water Mist Kit, misters that can suppress and bind airborne dust particles, such as silica, resulting in a safer, cleaner jobsite. Additionally, the use of cameras and sensors allow operators to control the robot even when they aren't in line of sight.
"If a customer wants to take down a chimney, they can put the Brokk machine in a skiff bucket, lift it by a crane and operate the unit using cameras while the operator never leaves the ground. So, you don't have to put someone in the air," said Jeff Keeling, vice president of sales and marketing, Brokk. "You can do everything you would if you were standing right next to it."
Making Up for Lost ManpowerBrokk's robots, which are mostly electric, are designed specifically for demolition.Brokk
Safety isn't the only benefit of remote-controlled equipment for demolition. Remote-controlled equipment may offer some advantages to firms struggling with the ongoing labor shortage.
The productivity Brokk robots offers more than makes up for any shortage of workers a crew may have.
"That's why many customers are investing in them, it allows the contractor to make up for labor shortages on the job," said Keeling.
Brokk's productivity can be attributed to the hydraulic system paired with its attachments. For example, according to Keeling, the Brokk hammer delivers a much greater impact than a mini excavator could offer, beating out the power-to-weight ratio of similarly sized machines.
"We've had customers say, 'This would have taken me a day and a half using traditional methods,' but with a Brokk, we get the job done in two hours."
Such an improvement in productivity will not only save contractors labor and money, but also put them ahead in project schedules.
The latest generation of Brokk robots, the SmartPower+, are designed to make crews even more efficient. Brokk showcased the first two models of the generation, the Brokk 170+ and Brokk 200+, at World of Concrete 2024. Now, all models are available to their worldwide customers. The new robots are designed to provide better response times and precision. They also provide operators with visual status updates through a two-way communication system.
The operator will be able to see lights directly on the robot that indicate the machine's condition, including unwanted power supply or error codes. This is important, as it helps operators keep their eyes on the machine.
"The tendency is for people to want to look down at your remote," said Keeling. "Now, they'll know right away what's going on by looking at the machine."
The Right Demolition Attachments for the Job
As with determining the right compact equipment for a job, contractors will need to ensure they have attachments that will be effective in their particular demolition application.
This is particularly important for construction contractors who may hope to start picking up demolition jobs as a new source of revenue.
"If a contractor already has a loader or mini excavator, but doesn’t have specific attachments, they may need to buy or rent those attachments in order to make that job viable," said Fitzgerald. "They should ask themselves, 'Do I want to own that attachment long-term so I can open up myself to more jobs?'"
Here are some attachments contractors may want to consider.
Hydraulic hammers – Hammers, which are also called breakers, are perfect for the removal of the toughest materials like concrete and rock. However, the powerful tool is also ideal for refurbishments, which typically require more finesse during demolition."If you are trying to be a little bit more precise, retain certain elements, or be careful in what you're doing, imagine a hammer on a mini excavator and what a tight space it can get into," said Worley. "The hammer is your most precise tool."
Crushers– Like hammers, crushers can break down concrete. However, Brokk's concrete crushers will do the job with less noise, dust and vibrations, making it a great tool for inside applications like hospitals.
Rippers– Another attachment that offers precision is the single shank ripper. The tool, which typically is fabricated steel only a couple inches wide, is ideal for ripping out cables and maneuvering in between structures. "If you're taking out the internal wall, but leaving the steel framework, for instance, the ripper comes into play,” said Worley.
Grapples– Contractors will get plenty of use out of grapples on a demolition site. Grapples, which can be as simple as a thumb and bucket, can be used to punch, grab and tear down materials in the demolition of the structure. Certain kinds of grapples can help with the sorting and removal of materials from the jobsite.
Buckets– Buckets come in handy in almost any job where contractors need to remove or move material. These may be particularly useful in residential demolition, where contractors may need to dig down under floors to extend basements.
Specialty tools– Demolition can involve more than just crushing and breaking. Certain tasks require more specialized attachments. This could be anything from a drum cutter, used to remove concrete by the layer, to Brokk's vacuum excavator, which removes debris from holes. “We really try to look at all the different applications," said Keeling from Brokk, which offers more than 30 different attachments for demolition. "We’ve even had customers add a torch for cutting and a water jet for industrial cleaning."
Special application kits – While not an attachment, special application doors and polycarbonate window kits offer the added protection contractors may need for certain demolition jobs. "If you're doing demolition, you may want to change your glass door to a special applications door, which is a polycarbonate-type door," said Fitzgerald, adding that Bobcat offers front guard kits, or metal screens, for the E26-E88 and polycarbonate window kits for the E32-E88 mini excavators. "We recommend special application kits on loaders when customers are utilizing hydraulic breakers."
Bobcat is no stranger to compact equipment, says Fitzgerald. The company's smallest machine is the Bobcat S70 skid-steer loader, which weighs under 3,000 lbs. and will fit through a 36-in. wide, 72-in. tall doorway when equipped with a standard bucket.Bobcat
Bobcat is no stranger to compact equipment, says Fitzgerald. The company's smallest machine is the Bobcat S70 skid-steer loader, which weighs under 3,000 lbs. and will fit through a 36-in. wide, 72-in. tall doorway when equipped with a standard bucket.Bobcat
Brokk's robots, which are mostly electric, are designed specifically for demolition.Brokk
