Excavator Demolition of Prefabricated Panel Houses

The demolition of prefabricated panel houses using excavators should follow scientific procedures and safety regulations. The specific steps and precautions are as follows:

I. Safety Assessment and Preliminary Preparations

Before demolition, a comprehensive safety assessment of the house should be conducted, focusing on the load-bearing system of the prefabricated panel structure (such as the connections between beams, columns, and panels) and overall stability. If the house is identified as a Class C or D dangerous building (partially or entirely dangerous), priority should be given to renovation and transformation in accordance with the 2026 policy, and the demolition area within urban renewal units should not exceed 20%. Meanwhile, obstacles along the excavator's operating path should be cleared to ensure an open working space. For low-lying areas or regions with limited space, the safety can be enhanced by filling in soil or elevating the equipment.

II. Layer-by-Layer Demolition

1. Demolition of Non-Load-Bearing Structures First
   Non-load-bearing walls, partitions, and other non-critical support points should be demolished first to reduce the risk to the overall stability of the house. During operation, gentle tapping and gradual crushing should be carried out to avoid a chain collapse caused by uneven local stress.

2. Careful Crushing of Load-Bearing Structures
   For core structures such as prefabricated panels and load-bearing walls, segmented crushing should be carried out using an excavator bucket or hydraulic breaker. The force should be controlled during crushing to prevent excessive force from causing the entire structure to collapse. At the same time, residual materials such as steel bars should be cleared to avoid entanglement with the equipment or affecting subsequent operations.

3. Top-Down Layer-by-Layer Operation
   Follow the principle of "from top to bottom". After demolishing each layer, the stability of the remaining structure should be checked, and the next layer of operation should only be carried out after confirming safety. It is strictly prohibited to demolish the upper and lower layers simultaneously or to carry out hollow-out operations to prevent local instability from causing large-scale collapses.

III. Material Handling and Resource Recycling

During the demolition process, use a multi-functional grab or bucket to sort materials such as bricks and concrete, and stack the recyclable parts (such as intact bricks and concrete blocks) separately. Metal materials such as steel bars should be separated by a crushing shear and recycled to reduce the generation of construction waste.

IV. Handling of Special Cases

If the house has cultural value (such as a historical building) or a special structure (such as a log cabin), the demolition method should be adjusted. For example, protective demolition techniques can be used, and reusable components (such as wooden beams and carvings) can be numbered and dismantled to preserve materials for subsequent reconstruction or restoration.

V. Safety Protection Measures

When the excavator is operating, it should maintain a safe distance (usually not less than 3 meters) from the house to prevent collapse materials from hitting the equipment or operators. Operators should wear safety helmets, reflective vests, and other protective equipment, and set up warning lines to prohibit unrelated personnel from entering the work area.