Fayetteville Public Library – Precision Blasting

PROJECT DETAILS

The City of Fayetteville, Arkansas needed a new library.  Construction for this new multi-story building began in downtown Fayetteville early in the year 2002.  The project was located in a residential area with the Fayetteville City Hospital less than a block to the south.  Restaurants, homes, health care facilities and other city administrative offices bordered this project.  Residences are located literally across the street from the construction site.

No rock that could not be excavated with conventional equipment was anticipated.  Crossland Construction out of Columbus, Kansas was the general contractor in charge of building the new library.  Ground had been broken and the excavation and construction was well underway when they struck rock.

Hydraulic hammers and ripping equipment proved to be too slow and costly.  A decision had to be made on how to extract the rock in this sensitive downtown urban safely and cost effectively.  Crossland Construction contacted Dykon Blasting Corp. to do an evaluation of the possibility of using Precision Controlled Blasting as a means of fragmenting the rock for excavation.

Dykon Blasting Corp. evaluated the job and the decision was made to blast the rock for this project.  Precision Controlled Blasting techniques were used to fragment the rock for this job while not doing any harm to any of the surrounding structures that bordered this project.  This kind of precision in blasting involves the accurate calculation of the precise quantity of explosive to fragment the rock and the precise distribution of the explosive within the rock to achieve rock fragmentation suitable for excavation by ordinary equipment.

A public meeting was held to inform the nearby residents of the plan to blast the rock for this project.  Concerned homeowners were told of the decision to blast and were told the measures that would be taken to protect their property from damage.  The homeowners were a joy to work with.

During the course of this project, we experienced something that few blasting contractors ever get the opportunity to enjoy.  The blasting started in the center of the project and worked westward towards the residences on West Avenue.  Once we reached the western perimeter of the blasting, we turned northward and trimmed the remaining shots off in that direction.  When we reached the northern perimeter, we then turned East, working parallel with the north line of excavation.  When we turned east with the project, the blasting became further from the residents on West Avenue and started approaching the residents on Mountain Street.  One of the homeowners on West Avenue went to talk to an elderly lady that owned a home on Mountain Street.  She was extremely nervous and worried, but the homeowner from West Avenue spoke in our behalf and comforted her.

We at Dykon Blasting cannot find the words to properly express our gratitude to homeowners that act on our behalf in this manner.  The residents and citizens that surrounded this project were supremely understanding and cooperative.  This alone was the single greatest factor that helped to make this project a complete success.  The blasting is finished and we have gone on to other projects, but we will never forget the level of trust and support from the residents we were blessed with on this project.  Our deepest heartfelt thanks goes out to all the residents, workers, citizens and onsite contractors who worked hand in hand with us towards the completion of our portion of this project.

We would also like to extend our thanks to Crossland Construction and the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas.  We hope someday to be able to work with them again in the future.