Building implosion
In the controlled demolition industry, building implosion is the strategic placing of explosive material and timing of its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds, minimizing the physical damage to its immediate surroundings. Despite its terminology, building implosion also includes the controlled demolition of other structures, like bridges, smokestacks, towers, and tunnels. This is typically done to save time and money of what would otherwise be an extensive demolition process with construction equipment, as well as to reduce construction workers exposure to infrastructure that is in severe disrepair.
Building implosion, which reduces to seconds a process which could take months or years to achieve by other methods, typically occurs in urban areas[citation needed] and often involves large landmark structures.
The actual use of the term “implosion” to refer to the destruction of a building is a misnomer. This had been stated of the destruction of 1515 Tower in West Palm Beach, Florida. "What happens is, you use explosive materials in critical structural connections to allow gravity to bring it down.
The term “implosion” was coined by my grandmother back in, I guess, the '60s. It’s a more descriptive way to explain what we do than “explosion”. There are a series of small explosions, but the building itself isn’t erupting outward. It’s actually being pulled in on top of itself. What we’re really doing is removing specific support columns within the structure and then cajoling the building in one direction or another, or straight down.
- Stacy Loizeaux, NOVA, December 1996
Building implosion techniques do not rely on the difference between internal and external pressure to collapse a structure. Instead, the goal is to induce a progressive collapse by weakening or removing critical supports; therefore, the building can no longer withstand gravity loads and will fail under its own weight
Numerous small explosives, strategically placed within the structure, are used to catalyze the collapse. Nitroglycerin, dynamite, or other explosives are used to shatter reinforced concrete supports. Linear shaped charges are used to sever steel supports. These explosives are progressively detonated on supports throughout the structure. Then, explosives on the lower floors initiate the controlled collapse.
A simple structure like a chimney can be prepared for demolition in less than a day. Larger or more complex structures can take up to six months of preparation to remove internal walls and wrap columns with fabric and fencing before firing the explosives.
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you think anyone in like… late medieval Cairo really knew what the Pyramids were? Or were they just like “The defining feature of our city is these colossal stone triangles built by an unfathomably ancient civilization who nobody knows anything about”
Medieval muslim scholars had access to a lot of writing from the ancient world, at least back to the Hellenes. They didn’t know the details but I imagine they knew that the pyramids were older than Herodotus. They would have had records of various people commenting on the pyramids going back over a thousand years.
Still baffles me the pyramids were thousands of years old by the time Cleopatra was born. There are archeologists from 100 BC studied by archeologists in 2024.
Like mammoths hadn’t gone extinct when the pyramids were being built.
They had archeology back then to. The pyramids were as old to ancient Egypt as ancient Egypt was to us. It is my understanding though they were too busy fuckin to care much which is nice for them.
I don’t have a source but medieval Muslims knew the history of Islam and knew their people weren’t always Muslim. They probably said “Those are pagan monuments but we still think they’re neat.”