Unbuilding the Grace and Pearman Bridges


For Sparky and myself, curiosity drives passion which in turn fuels our life's engine. Our passion was capturing the story of both unbuilding the Grace (1929 - 2007) and Pearman (1966 - 2007) Bridges and discovering the unbuilders. It takes a lot of passion to track a project from July 2005 until April 2007 - rain, shine, hurricanes or moving to Singapore. We discovered the joy of discovery learning. Ken Canty opened the front door for us - then Steve Testa, Ponch Billingsley and Mickey Rogers opened many side doors. Below are the highlights of what we discovered, who we met and what we learned.

And a reminder from T.S. Eliot (East Coker from the Four Quartets) 

Home is where one starts from. As we grow older
The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated
Of dead and living. Not the intense moment
Isolated, with no before and after,
But a lifetime burning in every moment
And not the lifetime of one man only
But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.
Home Meeting St East Bay Drum Island Mt. PLeasant Pearman Stories Grace Stories Implosions Enginnering Insights Stories of unbuilders Learning Links Bridge Video Bridge Blog Unbuilding Archive All Unbuilding Segments Building the Ravenel Bridge Photo Essays About me
June 23, 2006: C-3 says bye bye and take the plunge

Jonathon is on holiday - so improved video next week

Video Segments
Sparky does it again - and welcome back to Sharon and her water taxi service. Somehow my last visit without Sharon's smile was incomplete. Sharon, Kim and the others have become an essential part of our team

Sparky and his smile

12:56:38 - Before with the Copco resting on C-4 - drilling for the next foundation blast

The ignition sequence from video frames

T = 0 sec      T = 0.033 sec

T = 0.067 sec      T = 0.100 sec

T = 0.133 sec      T = 0.167 sec

T = 0.200 sec      T = 0.233 sec

T = 0.267 sec      T = 0.300 sec

T = 0.333 sec      T = 0.367 sec
(Note the 0.3 sec delay between ignition and detonation - seen at the bottom of the pier columns)

T = 0.400 sec      T = 0.433 sec

T = 0.467 sec      T = 0.500 sec

T = 0.533 sec      T = 0.567 sec

T = 0.600 sec      T = 0.633 sec

T = 0.667 sec      T = 0.700 sec

T = 0.733 sec      T = 0.767 sec

T = 0.800 sec      T = 0.833 sec

T = 0.867 sec      T = 0.900 sec

T = 0.933 sec      T = 0.967 sec

T = 1.000 sec      T = 1.033 sec

T = 1.067 sec      T = 1.100 sec

T = 1.133 sec      T = 1.167 sec

12:56:39 - Ignition (note the small fire just above the cross brace on the left column and compare with the above image)

12:56:40 - Blast off

12:56:41 - and lift-down

12:56:42

12:56:43

12:56:44

12:56:45

12:56:46

12:56:47

12:56:49

12:56:52

12:57:34 - And the Copco silently watching over Mickey, Ken and their team

And only the foundation remains - with the John Henry drilling on the old Grace support in the background.

Sharon

Sharon and Cousin Arthur

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

C. Frank Starmer

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