Demolition

Over the past ten years, demolition has undergone a number of changes. First and foremost, the structures to be demolished have changed significantly: the natural stone buildings with wooden frames demolished in the 1970s and 1980s are gradually being replaced by metal and concrete structures, leading to different demolition processes.

Similarly, the complexity of the structures encountered calls into question simple felling techniques: a pre-stressed concrete structure or a suspended steel frame requires technical reflection on its strength during demolition. One of the undeniable benefits of these changes has been the inclusion of safety and preventive measures in the methods used. Man is not at the service of technique, but technique adapts to man, by integrating the notions of collective and individual protection and, beyond that, by defining the method around safety.

More recently, the emergence of environmental concerns has led to the term "deconstruction" being used instead of "demolition": the sorting of demolition materials is a reality dictated as much by the absence or prohibitive cost of outlets as by the concern of companies to contribute to an economy of natural resources by recycling deconstructed materials. However, given the multitude and heterogeneity of the materials encountered, there is still much room for improvement.

In addition, the profession of deconstructor has gradually seen its experimental and intuitive knowledge complemented by a reflection combining engineering and methods. In addition to its core business, the deconstruction industry is now expanding into new areas, such as cleaning up after renovation work, and dealing with the various pollutants generated by building materials such as asbestos and lead. But the list is not exhaustive, and current investigations into the harmfulness of building materials could well be extended in the years to come.