This exciting illustrated tour takes you step-by-step behind the scenes of the most incredible implosions in the world from standing skyscrapers to-kaboom!-a pile of rubble. A hotel in Atlantic city, a bridge in France, an office in Tokyo, a factory in Pittsburgh, a casino in Las Vegas-these incredible demolition projects and more are illustrated with huge, full-color photographs satisfying our fascination with destruction through second-by-second views of each structure as it takes its final, devastating plunge back to earth. The author, with the help of the Loizeaux family of Controlled Demolition, Inc., relates stories and describes techniques for imploding structures-from bridges to skyscrapers-in this most arresting form of demolition where strategically placed charges fired with precision timing can make a huge building collapse onto itself without disturbing the surrounding buildings. Detailed blueprints attest to the careful months of planning, and discussions with expert contractors and engineers reveal the secrets, strategies, sheer power and excitement of one of the world's most dangerous trades. Dramatic picture sequences give second-by-second displays of famous and elaborate demolition projects including the implosion of Seattle's Kingdome, the destruction of missile platforms in Bulgaria, the final take-down of buildings decimated by earthquakes in Mexico City, and takes us onto the sets of movies like Lethal Weapon and Mars Attacks! for amazing implosions laced with spectacular pyrotechnics.
Author: Helene Liss
Author: Inc., Loizeaux Family of Controlled Demolition
Author: Loizeaux family
Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
Customer Reviews
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Neil's Review of "Demolition"
Well, BLOW ME DOWN!!<p>Finally, a "consumer" oriented book about EXPLOSIVE DEMOLITION! I've been hoping for such a book as long as I can remember! I just purchased my copy today (12-27-00), and have had nothing short of a BLAST with it! The photos are truly stunning, not only of the actual implosions, but also the close-ups of the drilling, placing the explosives, and other preparations, as well as the explosives themselves. Excellent section about the history of explosives in general. The vast array of structures shown being imploded, toppled, etc. is truly awesome. I also like the little pictures at the lower corners of the pages. If you flip the pages fast, these images act like an old fashioned "flip book" animation. Flip them the wrong way, though, and the building appears to rise out of its rubble! Very innovative. The diagrams of the Kingdome implosion were also very informative. <p>The text throughout the book is also extremely informative. Living just across the street from a 1 1/2 story hospital building that was recently demolished conventionally (and shaking the h**l out of my house a couple of times), now I know why it couldn't be imploded (a building must be at least 5 stories for a successful implosion).<p>The sections on "conventional" demolition were also extremely enjoyable. There are many books about heavy equipment, but very few of them actually show equipment built or modified for demolition (e.g., wrecking ball, hammers, jaws, long-reach booms, etc.)<p>The bookstore where I bought my copy had several in stock, but I anticipate that it will be a very popular title, as it is the first book about the subject oriented to the general public. Again, it does a really great job of showing how the Loizeaux Family and CDI deal with one BLASTED THING after another! And it was fun, fun, fun when the Loizeaux's blew the building away!
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