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Non-explosive demolition agents
- ChuckMcM 3y agoAnd not a single link where to buy them :-). The only non-explosive demolition agent I've used is composed of 'oak seedlings'. Wherein you plant an oak tree and its roots go out and demolish sidewalks, foundations, etc all around it. Takes a while though. :-). What I'm missing from that article though is the application process I guess. We would get water freezing in pipes that would ooze out the tops (if the pipes were sealed they would fracture but not if the pipes were open). How would one 'seal' the bore such that the expansive force of the agent used was directed outward toward the thing you were breaking up rather than popping out of the bore hole right back at you?
- amelius 3y agoIt expands in all directions so it locks itself in place.
- robocat 3y agoPresumably it hardens first to self-seal and then slowly the solid expands? But this[1] documentation implies it can expand as a liquid: "Forceful BLOWOUTS may occur once mixed with water! Keep safe distance. DO NOT look directly into filled holes. Use of Dexpan® in hot weather could increase chances of blowouts. DO NOT pour into hot holes. Use iced water in summer.". [1] https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/1d/1dc6a35d-8b4c-4208-bbb0-d006f27f0e31.pdf https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/1d/1dc6a35d-8...
- fbdab103 3y agoTimelapse video if it in action over 24 hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDh92nvdzw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDh92nvdzw Given the safety warnings on that link, I was expecting something far more energetic.
- happytiger 3y agoNo, it takes a long time depending on the product and doesn’t really self-seal per-se. It just hardens in the hole and kind of draws down into the hole in the first few hours… You drill a hole and then mix and fill it. This product and its competitors is generally like a pancake batter. The product sits in the hole and becomes hardened fairly quickly as it reacts. Generally I’ve seen it do cracking work overnight (like 12-16 hours), though most of the time when I’ve used it 2 days show the full results you’re going to get. It can really take some time. I’ve split absolutely massive boulders with this stuff. As big as houses with a 3.5’ foot hole. Often the cracks will run hole-to-hole so you have to really think about the pattern to break the rocks.
- WJW 3y agoHere you go mate: https://www.dexpan.com/collections/dexpan-demolition-agent/products/dexpan-non-explosive-demolition-agent-dexpan11bucket https://www.dexpan.com/collections/dexpan-demolition-agent/p... 45 dollars for an 11 lb bucket of "expansive demolition grout".
- ChuckMcM 3y agoBack in the day Las Vegas pool contractors (who installed backyard pools) included a clause that said "If we hit caliche (aka 'desert concrete') the deals off, we'll re-fill the hole and leave." And yet this stuff could break it up it seems. I wonder when these things became "off the shelf", presumably after the 70's.
- fbdab103 3y agoSeems like a win if you are a gardener looking to get the soil turned.
- happytiger 3y agoTrue. But the product wouldn’t be great around gardens because it’s pretty dang toxic. https://cessco.us/files/DEXPAN__Non_Explosive_Demolition_Agent.pdf https://cessco.us/files/DEXPAN__Non_Explosive_Demolition_Age... I’ve used it, and many competitors, and you need full PPE to handle. Great stuff though.
- coryrc 3y agoIt's table salt, rust, sand, and ceramic. It's not toxic in the least. Corrosive, yes. Breathing in silica is not good long term. But it's about as toxic as beach sand.
- happytiger 3y agoWell say what you want about it but I wouldn’t want to have a plate full of vegetables grown in pure Calcium hydroxide and the stuff is terribly unpleasant to use even if it isn’t technically “toxic” in the literal sense. Here’s the safety information: SKIN CORROSION/IRRITATION - Category 2 SERIOUS EYE DAMAGE/ EYE IRRITATION - Category 1 SPECIFIC TARGET ORGAN TOXICITY (SINGLE EXPOSURE) (Respiratory tract irritation) - Category 3 This is just Dexpan, but here’s the safety data sheet: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0015/7777/9270/files/dexpan-sds-safety-data-sheet-english.pdf?287 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0015/7777/9270/files/dexpa... Do bear in mind that they don’t disclose the full formula for competitive reasons so we don’t really know what all is in it. Bon appetite!
- buildsjets 3y agoDemolition Grout. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dexpan-11-lb-Bucket-Type-2-50F-77F-Expansive-Demolition-Grout-for-Concrete-Rock-Breaking-and-Removal-DEXPAN11BKT2/204378788 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dexpan-11-lb-Bucket-Type-2-50F-7...
- unnamed76ri 3y agoI’m kind of surprised environmental or social activists haven’t used this product to destroy statues. Not advocating for it but busting things up seems a little more newsworthy than gluing yourself to stuff.
- djmips 3y agoYou'd have to spend a lot of time drilling holes in a very hard material and awkwardly pouring the product into the holes. Not exactly a discreet way to destroy something.
- tgsovlerkhgsel 3y agoIf you want to destroy a statue, I suspect a sledgehammer is easier to apply, cheaper, faster, more newsworthy on video, and considering the need to drill holes to use this, possibly stealthier too.
- happytiger 3y agoIt’s pretty damn conspicuous to use. :)
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- v7n 3y agoA legend says you could place some diesel or similar fuel in the drilled hole before topping it off with this stuff, presumably leaving some air in between, to enhance the effect by igniting the fuel as the pressure and temperature rise. I can't attest to the effectiveness, legality or safety of this method.
- RyJones 3y agoWhat is the Monroe effect, and why is it important?
- engineer_22 3y agoChat GPTs's response to this prompt: The "Monroe Effect" you're referring to seems to be a variation or misinterpretation of the "Munroe Effect," also known as the shaped charge effect. This effect is a well-known principle in explosives engineering and military technology. It describes how an explosive charge can be shaped to focus the energy of an explosion in a specific direction. This is typically achieved by hollowing out a portion of the explosive, often in a conical or lens-like shape. The concept was developed by Charles Munroe in the late 19th century. In a shaped charge, when the explosive detonates, the hollowed-out shape focuses the explosive force into a high-velocity jet of metal that can penetrate armor or thick materials very effectively. This principle is used in various military applications, including anti-tank warheads and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The post you are referring to seems to suggest a makeshift application of this principle, using a drilled hole and fuel to create a focused explosive effect. This kind of improvisation is extremely dangerous, unpredictable, and, in most cases, illegal. It's crucial to understand that handling explosives without proper knowledge, training, and legal authorization is hazardous and can have severe legal consequences.
- RyJones 3y agoI hate auto correct.
- surfingdino 3y agoSmall kids' saliva. Ivy and other climbing plants. Termites.
- aaron695 3y agoThere's a story that the Egyptians/Incas/old civilizations split rocks with wood and water. The swelling pressure of wood breaking the rock. I can't see any videos demonstrating it. I'd go with it's a myth like most of history. I wonder if you filled it with water and put a little freezer over the top it'd work.
- engineer_22 3y agohttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug_and_feather https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug_and_feather
- mynameishere 3y agoBeavers. A swarm of beavers. You have no idea unless you've done actual combat.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- xnx 3y agoWas expecting something like gallium on aluminum.