Changing the face of Charleston : The unbuilding of the Grace and Pearman Bridges
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Unbuilding Highlights
(Apr 10)
Meeting St. Stories
(Jul 10 2006)
East Bay Stories
(Oct 10 2006)
Drum Island Stories
(Feb 17)
Pearman Bridge Stories
(Apr 3)
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(Apr 3)
Imposions: Prep and boom
(Mar 27)
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(July 23 2006)
Unbuilding Challenges
(Mar 13)
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(Feb 20)
Unbuilding Stories
(Mar 13)
Video and Sounds
(Feb 28)

October 22, 2005:
Pearman Roadway Removal

Overview of roadway removal and blast preparations

At the same time, Testa is hammering away at the Pearman roadway (look at the top photo for orientation). Two surgical tools are used - a hammer and a shear. In this case, the shear serves two purposes: to cut through the rebar and then to flip the concrete segment

Here is the hammer at work

Then the shear is used to reach over the edge of the roadway segment and flip it backward

First raising it a bit

and now the roadway segment is almost vertical

and then easing it back down on the flip side

and finished

Like two cats passing in the day, its time to switch tools - and back to the hammer and so the process repeats itself: Breaking a line in the road, then cutting the rebar, flipping it and removing the segment.

Each time I return from the Mt Pleasant side, I always like to check the Colemen Recycling Center. Note the height of the pile of rebar. Nice work.

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Attribution: C. Frank Starmer and Sparky Witte from http://oldcooperriverbridge.org