9/11 qin-shi-huangdi-fireball

Building implosion

In the controlled demolition industry, building implosion is the strategic placing of explosive material and timing of its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds, minimizing the physical damage to its immediate surroundings. Despite its terminology, building implosion also includes the controlled demolition of other structures, like bridges, smokestacks, towers, and tunnels. This is typically done to save time and money of what would otherwise be an extensive demolition process with construction equipment, as well as to reduce construction workers exposure to infrastructure that is in severe disrepair.

Building implosion, which reduces to seconds a process which could take months or years to achieve by other methods, typically occurs in urban areas[citation needed] and often involves large landmark structures.

The actual use of the term “implosion” to refer to the destruction of a building is a misnomer. This had been stated of the destruction of 1515 Tower in West Palm Beach, Florida. "What happens is, you use explosive materials in critical structural connections to allow gravity to bring it down.

The term “implosion” was coined by my grandmother back in, I guess, the '60s. It’s a more descriptive way to explain what we do than “explosion”. There are a series of small explosions, but the building itself isn’t erupting outward. It’s actually being pulled in on top of itself. What we’re really doing is removing specific support columns within the structure and then cajoling the building in one direction or another, or straight down.

  • Stacy Loizeaux, NOVA, December 1996

Building implosion techniques do not rely on the difference between internal and external pressure to collapse a structure. Instead, the goal is to induce a progressive collapse by weakening or removing critical supports; therefore, the building can no longer withstand gravity loads and will fail under its own weight

Numerous small explosives, strategically placed within the structure, are used to catalyze the collapse. Nitroglycerin, dynamite, or other explosives are used to shatter reinforced concrete supports. Linear shaped charges are used to sever steel supports. These explosives are progressively detonated on supports throughout the structure. Then, explosives on the lower floors initiate the controlled collapse.

A simple structure like a chimney can be prepared for demolition in less than a day. Larger or more complex structures can take up to six months of preparation to remove internal walls and wrap columns with fabric and fencing before firing the explosives.

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  • FunkyStuff [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    4·
    4 hours ago
    spoiler

    Yeah, lots of things don’t quite line up with the school shooting metaphor. And your point that Gladys turning people into objects immediately made me think about alienation but I’m still not sure. You think maybe weaponizing them is an allusion to military recruiting and it could be about war?

    • Keld [he/him, any]@hexbear.netEnglish
      4·
      4 hours ago
      spoiler

      It might be. But it doesn’t really do anything with military imagery outside of the actual guns, people are weaponised but it is never put in the context of actual military stuff. The only conclusion I can really reach is that it’s just playing with a lot of different imagery without fully grasping on to one in specific. And in that vein maybe the metaphor is one simpler? Gladys is simply dehumanisation?

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