The towers of Kirjala Strait bridge demolished using new method

The two tall pylons of the old Kirjala Strait bridge between Parainen and Kaarina in southwest Finland were dismantled on Monday using a new technique that avoided explosives, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

Originally, the suspension cables connecting the 80-metre towers were to be severed with controlled blasting. Instead, engineers removed a locking pin from three sides at the midpoint of each pylon, then used tow trucks to pull the structures until they collapsed toward the shore.

“We developed a method that allowed us to skip the explosive procedure entirely,” said project manager Saramaria Cowell of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency in a statement.

As the pylons fell, the bridge’s suspension cables descended onto a work platform, where they were cut and hauled ashore. All steel components will be recycled into new steel, while concrete elements will be crushed for reuse on-site and the asphalt repurposed.

The phased demolition follows the completion of a new bridge across the strait. Most of the old structure’s materials are being recovered for reuse.