Re: Concrete Demolition

["Charles Meyer" <cmeyer@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us>]

Date:          Wed, 17 Jul 96 09:58:54 -0500
Reply-to:      radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
From:          kg1@cosmail1.ctd.ornl.gov (Kurt Geber)
To:            Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Subject:       Concrete Demolition

Does anybody in radsafe have experience controlling airborne contamination
generated by an electric jack hammer?  We're planning to use a "Bosch
electric breaker hammer" to decontaminate about 15 sq. ft. of Cs-137 and
Sr-90 contaminated concrete inside a building.  Based on core sample results
we're going to remove the top  1" from a 12" thick slab.  Of course we'll be
using respitory protection, but we don't want spread contamination to the
adjacent lesser contaminated areas so we want some engineered control for
the dust. I really don't have time to experiment on clean concrete with
various size HEPA vacs.  Any practical advice is appreciated.  Thanks in
advance.


**********************************************
	Kurt R. Geber
	Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp.
	Oak Ridge National Laboratory
	P.O. Box 2008
	Oak Ridge, TN  37831-6160

	Internet:	kg1@ornl.gov
	Phone:		423-574-0929
	Fax:		423-241-2779
	
Kurt,
There are devices available, called concrete scabblers, which are 
equipped with concentric vacuum hoses which might be able to remove 
that first inch of concrete and simultaneously eliminate or at least 
significantly reduce airborne material.  The device blasts the 
surface with steel shot to "wear away " the concrete.  A vacuum hose 
which surrounds the shot delivery hose, pulls up shot, concrete 
particles, pebbles, etc.

Good luck,

             ***************************************
               Russ Meyer                            
               Internet: cmeyer@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us 
               tel: 512/834-6688                                                    
               fax: 512/834-6654
             ***************************************