Comprehensive demolitions without exceeding noise requirements
The consulting company ALECTIA carries out check measurements and noise calculations on one of the most comprehensive demolitions in Danish history when the high-rise buildings Ruskær and Agerkær in Rødovre Municipality are to be razed to the ground. The purpose of ALECTIA’s work is to make sure that the demolition complies with the noise requirements so that the neighbours are considered and the work will proceed as planned.
In 2012 the two high-rise buildings Ruskær and Agerkær in Rødovre, of 12 and 16 storeys respectively, are to be demolished by blasting. Before the actual blasting everything but the concrete construction must be removed, including PCB, windows, doors, facing, floors, etc. After the blasting the concrete bricks must be removed and the area must be cleared. ALECTIA’s task is to carry out the noise measurements during the entire process, including check measurements and noise calculations, and to prepare the buildings for demolition and the subsequent concrete crushing.
Rødovre Municipality has made demands on the noise level in the daytime out of consideration for the houses and the kindergarten next to the buildings. The current noise limit for building sites is 70 dB(A) on Monday to Friday in the period 07:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. Outside this period and on holidays the noise limit is 40 dB(A).
To make sure that the demolition will comply with the noise requirements ALECTIA will carry out noise calculations for different scenarios with all the noise sources used in the process (lorries, excavators, hand-held machines, etc.). The noise calculations must be approved by the municipality before the work can be carried out. Additionally, ALECTIA will carry out continuous random test measurements at the different working processes while the work is going on.
There are no noise requirements for the actual blasting as the neighbours must consider this as an experience rather than an actual noise nuisance.
Furthermore, the blasting is not expected to be very noisy as it will take place inside the building with the explosive charge placed on the supporting structure of the building.
Acoustics, noise and vibrations
The acoustic experts in ALECTIA have experience within advising, measurement and planning of acoustics, noise and vibrations, including building and architectural acoustics, traffic and industrial noise and noise mapping. ALECTIA is a member of the Danish Acoustics Company.
Contact
M.Sc. Engineering, acoustics
Christoffer A. Weitze
T. +45 27 618 534
E. cawe@alectia.com
Contact
M.Sc. Engineering, acoustics
Jesper Bo Andersen
T. +45 29 404 028
E. jea@alectia.com
Facts about the demolition
The high-rise buildings Ruskær and Agerkær are owned by the housing association AAB.
Brandis is the turnkey contractor on the demolition project with assistance from the Scottish company Safedem, which will be in charge of the actual blasting.
MT Højgaard is responsible for rerouting the cables in and around the high-rise buildings.
The high-rise buildings became famous in Denmark in 2007 when their 600 residents were evacuated in a storm. According to the plan the blasting of the two high-rise buildings will take place the 13th of May 2012.
