Mirabel airport

Mirabel, qc

PROJECT SERVICES

Abatement, Asset Recovery, Demolition, Recycling

PROJECT CATEGORY

Government / Institutional

PROJECT DATE

2014

CLIENT NAME

Montreal Airports

The project

Delsan-AIM was the general contractor for this high-profile project, which involved managing the work of other trades that were responsible for the disconnection, relocation, and capping of various electrical, mechanical, and communication services in
preparation for the demolition work.

The main structures of the airport consisted of a
terminal building, which was a five-level reinforced
concrete and steel-framed structure with an overall
footprint of 348,000 ft2 and a height of 75 ft., as well
as an adjoining three level reinforced concrete
parking garage, which had a footprint of 332,000 ft2.

Delsan-AIM entered a contract with Aéroports de
Montréal (ADM) to undertake the complete
decommissioning and dismantlement of the former
Mirabel Airport located north of Montréal.

The decommissioning work entailed the large-scale
abatement of asbestos-containing materials as well
as other hazardous materials such as
polychlorinated biphenyls contained in light ballasts,
residual oils, mercury-containing fluorescent light
tubes, and ozone-depleting substances.

At the peak of the decommissioning activities, Delsan-AIM
had a large crew of approximately 100 labourers
that undertook the work to remove the hazardous
materials from the terminal, which were abated in a
systematic and controlled manner – on a level-bylevel
basis – using both manual and mechanical
equipment in accordance with high-risk procedures.
A total of 6,800 tonnes of asbestos waste materials
was shipped off-site for disposal.

Upon completion of all the decommissioning work
including the disconnection of all utilities, the
demolition of the structures was completed using
large excavators equipped with shears, pulverizers,
hydraulic hammers, magnets, and grapples, which
included a high-reach machine for the terminal
building.

During the project, Delsan-AIM shipped
over 55,000 tonnes of demolition debris off-site,
while processing 135,000 tonnes of concrete, which
was prepared using a mobile crusher and stockpiled
on-site for reuse by the owner.

Delsan-AIM safely and successfully completed this
project through careful planning, engineering, and
execution, while addressing several technical
challenges including the control of dust and debris,
which had the potential of having a negative impact
to not only neighboring airplane manufacturing
facilities, but also nearby runways, which continued
to be used for flights.