Why Use Crackamite?
Features of Crackamite
Crackamite mixed with an appropriate quantity of water and poured into cylindrical holes drilled in rock or concrete, creates an tremendous expansive pressure of 11 MT/m², cracking the substrate to be demolished or split.
- It is a non-toxic powder made of oxides of calcium, silicon and aluminium.
- It causes no explosion, noise, vibration, gas, dust or any other pollution
- It develops tremendous expansive pressure within a few hours of pouring
- It is easy to use and has no special requirements or licensing
- It provides highly targeted splitting and demolition
- It is suitable for all kinds of rocks, stones, boulders and concrete.
Advantages of Crackamite
Crackamite can be used in an unlimited range of applications. It's particularly useful for breaking, cutting, splitting or demolishing stones, concrete and reinforced concrete. Endless benefits of Crackamite can be listed against explosives and other methods of breaking, cutting, splitting or demolishing.
i. Crackamite is a safe substance
Crackamite is not controlled by any legal regulation as is the case in explosives and other explosive agents, etc. It is non-explosive, therefore, supervision of trained personnel is not essential. Crackamite has no special storage requirements or precautions if kept in a dry place. Crackamite is not sensitive to electrical discharge or currents. Demolition can be easily and safely performed anywhere, outdoors or indoors and even underwater.
ii. Crackamite is a soundless cracking agent
Unlike the common methods of demolition by explosives or breaking equipment, Crackamite does not create any noise, vibration, flying debris, dust or gas. Crackamite quietly and gradually demolishes rock or concrete with its expansive stress caused by hydration reactions. Rocks and reinforced concrete can thus be demolished safely without environmental pollution. Furthermore, Crackamite's expansive stress continues even after crack initiation, hence, the crack opening distance becomes wider as time passes.
iii. Crackamite is easy to handle
No lid or cap is necessary after Crackamite is poured into a hole of rock or reinforced concrete, nor is any tamping required as with explosives. Crackamite exerts its strength in a short time. Due to Crackamite's strong adhesion and frictional resistance to inner surface of the hole, spurs due to heat-generation (blown-out shot) do not occur when used within limit parameters. The expansive stress along the hole depth is almost constant except near the entrance of the hole. Generally the expansive stress loss from the hole entrance has little effect on the demolition work when hole depth is long.
iv. Crackamite is very easy to use
Just mix Crackamite demolition powder with water, pour the mixture into holes, and it expands to crack. Neither capping with mortar, sand, etc. nor tamping with a bar is necessary after Crackamite mixture is poured into drilled holes in rock or concrete. Using Crackamite does not require a special license unlike explosives, explosive agents, etc. It is environment friendly. It releases no toxic or harmful substances of any kind.
v. Crackamite creates tremendous expansive stress
Generally, the compressive fracture stress of rocks is 500 to 2500 T/m² and that of concrete 300 to 500 T/m². However, the tensile fracture stress is very small, it ranges from 40 to 70 T/m² in concrete. Since demolition by using Crackamite is based on a fracture due to a tensile stress, all kinds of rocks and concrete can be cracked and broken by using Crackamite when appropriate holes are properly drilled.
vi. Crackamite is high-efficiency and systematic
Crackamite makes it very easy to control the shape of to-be-cracked objects after being broken according to requirements; it can be demolished or can remain unharmed. Crackamite cracks reinforced concrete, rock, limestone, granite and marble safely and quietly. Being a non-explosive material, it works without noise, vibration, dust, toxic gases and flying rock. Cracked rock or concrete can then easily be broken with breakers remarkably reducing time and cost required for breaking. Crackamite can demolish rock or concrete systematically, and also demolition work in water is possible.
Crackamite provides the most technically suitable and cost-effective solution in:
- Restricted demolition of stone and concrete structures where nearby structures must be protected from vibration generated by explosions
- Pre-splitting of stone formations, to create isolated blocks that can then be more easily demolished and removed
- Cutting blocks of marble, stone and granite more economically than that of the traditional wire saw method
- Excavations and demolition of stone or concrete structures where the use of explosives would be expensive due to long operating times, special transport, storage, handling precautions and the need to comply with public safety regulations.
Comparison Of Demolition Methods
There are many superior points in the demolition work performed by Crackamite as compared to other demolition methods. It has also been proven to be more economical. The outline of this comparison indicated in the table1 below:
| Type of Demolition Agent |
Demolition/ Breaking Power |
Conditions created at the work site | Protection needed at job site* |
Economy* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | Ground Vibration | Dust/ Gas | Flying particles | Safety | ||||
| Explosives (Dynamite) | Very High | Very High | Very High | Very High | Very High | Very Low | Very High | Very High |
| Explosives (Concrete Cracker) | High | High | High | Very High | High | Low | Very High | High |
| Rock breaker | Low | High | Low | Low | Very Low | High | Low | Low |
| Hydraulic Splitter | High | Low | Low | Almost Nil | Almost Nil | High | Low | Very Low |
| Crackamite | High | Nil | Nil | Almost Nil | Nil | Very High | Almost Nil | High |
Advantages in comparison to explosives
- Completely safe and extremely simple to use
- No license requirements
- Little to no training required
- No restrictive storage regulations
- No transport regulations
- Not rated as dangerous goods
- No debris, flying fragments, dust or gas
- No wastage in mining due to breakage
- Optimal splitting, loosening or breaking up
- Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use
- Highly predictable and targeted demolition
- No authorisations required and no obligation to register work
- Causes no pollution thus to pollution control needed
- Explosion protection equipment not required
- Completely tremor-free and silent
- No wiring, no ignition or additional equipment
Advantages in comparison to mechanical breaking
- Completely safe and extremely simple to use
- Huge savings in time and costs
- No noise pollution, completely silent
- Can be easily used at night
- Work-load reduction and less worker requirements
- Optimal splitting, loosening or breaking up
- No large machines are required
- Can be used in restricted areas and tight spaces
- Precise cost calculations and consumption
- Causes no pollution thus to pollution control needed