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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my one cat drives me insane and is so annoying but i love her deeply and losing her would have my shit right fucked, can only imagine losing 3 of the little buddies
The grief hurts but I think the part that has me particularly fucked up is the constant presence of death in my home now. Two pretty old parents and the remnants of many absent pets means it feels like everywhere I look I am reminded of mortality, and that’s without mentioning the awareness of genocide in the wider backdrop.
I gotta get started back up writing something bigger than little practice exercises soon I think, it’s the only method I know for processing this type of mental sewage
I really feel this. I’m in a similar position. Feels like there is a cloud that has descended and it isn’t going away. I’ve been trying to do work in the garden but just as the weather was looking like planting time it took a hard turn and now it might snow overnight.
Honestly I think it might be why expression is something people (or at least I) seem to need. Bundling up the way I feel into a little “scene” to be distributed to others means that I have turned my grim ass emotions into something more solid that I can maybe pick apart and recontextualize. The cloud of death becomes something I can point to and moan about, maybe even joke about, instead of being my reality that I am stuck with.
edit: What plants are you growing?
So far I have planted some tomato seeds and some potatoes. I’ve been turning the soil of my 3 sisters patch and the dirt looks really nice. I have some cabbages that did really poorly this winter and are only now starting to head. The garlic patch is looking good but this change in weather may make them broomstick. I’ll be planting some bell peppers habanero and jalapeno but all the ones I tried to overwinter in the glass house got some sort of weird rot because it was colder than usual. So I ripped them up and I probably wont get much of a harvest off first season plants. I’ll also do some beet root and Chard and carrots and other odds and ends.
Hate that you live in this but it does sound like a good setting for a story! Depressing family drama about decay/mortality vibes, maybe playing the inherent finite nature of our selves and bodies and larger social decay off of one another. Writing do be a good way of exorcising the demons/cleaning the mental doodoo pipe out for sure, i want to get back in the saddle with it myself.