Hydrodemolition, also known as hydroblasting or hydromilling, is a demolition technique used to remove concrete and other materials using high pressure or ultra high-pressure water jet. Compared to conventional demolition tools, hydrodemolition is an effective method to cut down concrete without affecting the substructure and other parts. The hydrodemolition process does not involve vibrations, unlike other techniques. Hence, this method is accurate and has less impact on the surrounding materials. It is safe and reduces the risk of workplace injuries. Hydrodemolition, in general, can be called as a selective demolition method that involves removing damaged or low-strength concrete while keeping intact the healthy concrete. It is an efficient, cost-effective, and precise method that employs high-pressure water to remove deteriorated concrete. Hydrodemolition is a safe and controlled solution for the removal of concrete. It has no risks of microcracks of the existing substrate compared with other traditional methods. It is widely used to prepare bridges before placing the deck overlay to achieve high bonding. The process is much gentler to the environment. It involves pressure jetting, which is silent compared to heavy-duty equipment. This hence helps to reduce acoustic impact on the surrounding area. The water jet systems used in hydrodemolition are a zero-dust activity that reduce air pollution to negligible levels.
The major fields for application of hydrodemolition are:
Bridge and parking deck repair
Decommissioning
Decontamination
Construction joint cleaning
Road maintenance
Tunnel rehabilitation
Advantages:
Does not cause micro-cracks in the remaining structure, which ensures that the repair will be long-lasting with a high quality.
Worker health & safety: creates no vibrations, and noise and dust are dramatically reduced.
Allows selective and non-selective removal.
Keeps the rebars clean and intact.
Prepares a surface ideal for bonding between old and new concrete.
Improved efficiency - more than 25 x faster than mechanical jackhammering.