Friuli Stadium demolition: dust abatement

Two types of dust are normally generated during demolition: coarse and fine.

• Coarse dust consists mainly of fragments of larger materials, such as concrete, brick, stone and wood. They are visible to the naked eye and tend to settle more easily on surrounding surfaces.
• Fine dust consists of smaller particles that can penetrate the air and remain suspended for a longer period. These particles can result from the crushing of harder materials, such as concrete, and can also include contaminants such as heavy metals or chemicals found in demolished materials.

Both types of dust can be harmful to human health if inhaled in large quantities. Therefore, during demolition, it is important to take preventive measures such as the use of personal protective equipment and dust control strategies, such as humidifying the site, to reduce exposure and protect the health of workers and people in the vicinity.

This is exactly what we did, in synergy with Gesteco, in the case of the demolition of the Friuli Stadium in Udine, providing mobile water misting systems. 

We collaborated with Gesteco, the Gruppo Luci company that provides environmental services in the industrial sector, on some phases of the demolition of the old Friuli Stadium in Udine.

After studying and elaborating a customized project for the demolition of the sports facility, Gesteco asked for our support to solve the problem of dust emission in the demolition and subsequent stages of selection, handling and recovery of inert materials.  

For this intervention, we proposed to install multiple mobile misting systems on a rental basis for the duration of the sports facility demolition operations, to be moved to the vicinity of the areas targeted.  

This avoided the excessive dispersion of dust into the surrounding environment, also depending on the proximity to the built-up area and high traffic arterial roads.

We analyzed in detail the size of the construction site and the amount of dust generated to identify the most suitable facilities.  

In the demolition of the stadium, our La.BioFog systems were used, which distribute tiny water droplets through specific ejectors.

These droplets collide with dust particles, encompass them and precipitate them to the ground through the effect of gravity.

Even under harsh operating conditions, a minimum abatement of 50% of airborne dust can be achieved.

 Our mobile solutions are:

• easy to transport
• quick to reposition
• can be operated by radio control allowing the operator to move away from the possible danger zone.

The water flow rate is determined by the number of nozzles on the crowns and the pump flow rate.

In addition, if the dust source moves, puddles are also avoided.  

Through the use of our mobile dust abatement systems, Gesteco was able to mitigate the inconveniences caused by dust emissions.

The fact that we carried out a "clean" demolition generated an additional benefit because it allowed us to comply with the required regulations, while also ensuring the safety of workers and the health of people in the areas surrounding the construction site.