CSDA Contractor’s Arsenal of Robots Provides the Best Solution Technology in construction has introduced methods of modifying and demolishing concrete structures with such precision and to such strict tolerances that operations in other parts of the same building are able to continue, even hundreds or thousands of feet up in the air. One of the most exciting and promising technologies has been the introduction of remote control and robotics to construction. Both have made jobsites safer for operators and bystanders, allowed for construction and demolition to take place in confined, restricted and unsafe spaces and allowed operators access to areas they may have otherwise not been able to reach. In late 2017, the old three-level Sears department store, part of an open-air shopping mall in Oak Brook, IL, needed to add a floor as part of a multi-use redevelopment, while still allowing for the rest of the mall to remain open. The General Contractor, Graycor, was tasked with increasing the height of the building and determined that they would need to remove two floors first, then add three to get to the desired height. The first of many challenges on this project was that the area under construction was surrounded on three sides by the active shopping mall. Traditional demolition methods could not be used, as any falling concrete would damage the remaining floor and could create dangerous vibrations though the rest of the building. Concrete cutting was another option, but due to the subzero temperatures of as low as -40 Fahrenheit, the risk of freezing water during cutting operations was determined to be too significant. Therefore, it was determined that crushing the concrete using the demolition robots was the best choice for this job. Alpine Demolition, the demolition contractor hired by Graycor, contacted CSDA member Interstate Sawing Company of West Bend, Wisconsin. Interstate has developed a reputation for holding one of the largest fleets of demolition robots in the country and can customize these robots in-house to fit the specific needs of each job. Another challenge on this job was that there was a 21-foot distance between floors, and each floor had a 7,000 pound weight limit. There are no demo robots on the market currently that weigh less than 7,000 pounds and have a 21-foot vertical reach. So, Interstate began by customizing their fleet of Brokk and...