[Job Story]Epiroc and Erkat Side by Side in a Bunker Demolition

The Siegen-based construction company Otto Quast took on the sometimes challenging demolition work on reinforced concrete walls of almost 2 m, trusting in the equally established partners Epiroc and Erkat.

Heavy duty bunker demolition – high performance, low disruption

A deep bunker from the 1930s had to be demolished in order to carry out the planned multi-purpose construction with commercial and residential units on around 4,000 m2 in the middle of Siegen city centre. The Siegen-based construction company Otto Quast, which has been established on the market for 75 years, took on the sometimes challenging demolition work on reinforced concrete walls of almost 2 m, trusting in the equally established partners Epiroc and Erkat. Their robust, high-quality drum cutters are known for their efficient, yet very low-vibration and quiet operation. Attributes which were essential due to the central location at the Siegen bus/train station – surrounded by apartments and commercial areas.

Twice the impact – the bunker has no chance against Epiroc and Erkat drum cutters

The demolition of the underground bunker system made of reinforced concrete, which comprised a total of 2,300 m³ converted space, had to be carried out in separate construction phases. Epiroc’s high-performance products were involved in each and every one of them – over a pure working period of around 6 weeks.

In order to weaken the ceiling and wall structure, transverse drum cutters of type ER 1500 and ER 2000 – mounted on Liebherr 946 and Komatsu PC240, for example – worked from 180 cm material thickness to just 100 cm. Despite the considerable demolition performance, the premise of low-vibration and low-noise work was taken into account at all times. The integrated water spraying equipment also ensured ideal dust binding and health protection for workers.

The demolition of the weakened bunker structure was carried out by the new CB 4500 concrete buster, which made a short work of the walls with a jaw width of approx. 140 cm. The HB 3100 hydraulic breaker was successfully used for the final demolition of the base plate. Epiroc products also impressed in the final clean-up work: The BP 3050 R bulk pulverizer carried out the additional reduction of the construction waste, while the HM 2000 F magnet took over the professional sorting out of the iron components.

Quality prevails – good service impresses

This bunker demolition work demonstrated impressively why Epiroc products are recognized worldwide in the construction industry and why the high-quality drum cutter units are better suited than any other attachment tool for such demanding demolition work in sensitive areas. Performance, reliability and quality speak for themselves. Minimal maintenance, quick pick changes and cutting heads with replaceable wear parts prolong the service life and help to keep operating costs low.

However, the company offers even more far-reaching service: During the demolition of the deep bunker in Siegen, it supported Quast, among other things, during the construction site inspection, helped to select the right equipment and helped with the coordination of the construction site and provided manpower and know-how at all times. A successful project for everyone involved.