Disaster Planning, Structural Assessment, Demolition and Recycling

Abstract

One of the greatest technological challenges of our time is to prevent and relieve damages to cities and to protect society from the causes of natural disasters. Another challenge involves the limitation and utilization of the large amounts of building and industrial waste, which are a result of the development in the modern society. Whether the waste originates from clearing after natural disasters or from human controlled activities, the utilization of the waste by recycling will provide opportunities for saving energy, time and resources. In the early eighties, a technical committee was established in RILEM (Reunion Internationale des Laboratoires d’Essais et de Recherches sur Matériaux et les Constructions/International Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and Structures), TC-37-DRC on demolition and recycling of concrete. During the work of this committee, which was concluded by the end of 1988, it was established that the field of demolition and reuse of building materials contains some very interesting aspects with consideration to many problems in connection with rescue operations, site clearance and rehabilitation of urban areas overtaken by disasters. At the end of 1988 UNESCO and the Secretariat of RILEM discussed the possibilities of cooperation concerning earthquake disaster relief in the light of the earthquake in Armenia. Based on the work in TC-37-DRC and the experiences of the Belgian members in recycling of building materials after the 1980 earthquake in El Asnam, Algeria, a new technical committee was established in 1989: TC-121-DRG on guidelines for demolition and reuse of concrete and masonry. According to the terms of reference for this committee, the working program comprises: – The examination of quick and safe removal and demolition of major concrete structures and buildings after structural collapse. – The preparation of a state-of-the-art report on the guidelines. – A recommendation for international guides for site clearing after earthquakes etc. At the first meeting of the committee in Copenhagen, September 1989, it was decided to establish two task forces to cope with the objectives of the technical committee, whereof Task Force 2 was established with following terms of reference: “The Task Force will prepare a State-of-the-art report on site clearing and demolition of damaged concrete structures with respect to the reuse of concrete and protection of the remaining structures. Special emphasis should be placed on earthquakes and war damaged structures.” Members of the Task Force: Dr C.De Pauw, General Director, BBRI, Belgium (Chairman)