PROJECT DETAILS

/ CONTEXT Delsan AIM entered into a contract with Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) to undertake the complete decommissioning and dismantlement of the former Mirabel Airport located north of Montréal. Delsan AIM was the general contractor for this high-profile project, which involved managing the work of other trades who were responsible for the disconnection, relocation, and capping of various electrical, mechanical, and communication services in preparation for the demolition work.

/ CHALENGE 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 square feet and a height of 75 feet., as well as an adjoining three level reinforced concrete parking garage, which had a footprint of 332,000 square feet.

/ DECOMMISSIONING 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-by-level basis – using both manual and mechanical equipment in accordance with high-risk procedures. A total of 6,800 tons of asbestos waste materials was shipped off-site for disposal.

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

/ SAFETY FIRST Delsan AIM safely and successfully completed this project through careful planning, engineering and execution in order to properly manage 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.