On November 2, 2016, an implosion ripped through one of the 11 storeys of an under-construction building named Faith in Chennai’s Moulivakkam area. In a matter of just three seconds, the entire building came crashing down, sending up a thick cloud of dust into the air. The building, which was demolished using controlled implosion, was found to have significant under-designing and major design flaws.
This is the technique Maradu Municipality in Kerala’s Ernakulam district will undertake to demolish the four luxury apartment buildings, which, according to the Supreme Court judgement, are in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules. Watch:
In a controlled implosion, explosives are strategically placed in the building to raze it to the ground. Unlike an explosion, where the matter will fly outward, during an implosion, it will collapse inward. Hence, during a controlled implosion, the structure will collapse under its own weight or within a set perimeter, instead of toppling to one side and spreading the debris to a larger space.
As seen in the video of Moulivakkam building demolition, the detonation of explosives started from the ground floor to the mid-floor, the point where the building split and the portion above it was brought down.
In such a type of demolition, the critical support structure of the building is progressively weakened or removed to allow the other section of the building to fall on itself.
The company that engages in the controlled implosion will first survey the building to study points where the explosives will be placed and how to time the detonation. The same company will also clear the debris after the implosion, although in many instances, including Moulivakkam, the debris is reportedly yet to be cleared.
The Maradu Municipality is still considering the companies as the technical bids are still being studied. The bids will be finalised on October 9.
According to an official in the Ernakulam District Administration, multiple companies will be engaged as four buildings have to be demolished.
The Kerala government had told the Supreme Court that the demolition process will start on October 9. It said that while demolition will be completed in 90 days, the debris will be cleared in 48 days.