Merry 9/11 and Happy Holidays - New General Megathread for the 11th-13th of September 2024
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.
Death to America for crushing me with 9/11 stuff since I was a toddler even though I donβt even live in the US. I donβt remember any of the dates of mass killing events in my own country but 9/11 Iβll always remember and I hate it. I did believe for a few years that the date was November 9 though.
This is one of the only instances I'll defend dumb American bullshit; I don't know about how people say the date in other places but I always hear "September 11th" instead of "the 11th of September." Month/day instead of day/month makes more sense for how people actually say the date conversationally
After some deliberation, I now believe ordinal date system is objectively the best and least ambiguous and should be used universally with 24 hour time for clocks
I don't know about how people say the date in other places
Many such cases!! Only for burgerlanders it seems. And also kkkanadians who officially use UK date formatting like everyone else, but randomly tons of FUCKING LEAVES use amerikkkan dates.
Doing the Kelvin temperature scale equivalent of chronology where you measure time in scientific notation of Planck lengths since the big bang as a bit