Atlas Copco is Another Bay-Area Winner

Just like the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos, Atlas Copco was a key player in San Francisco recently, albeit a couple of months earlier. The confetti from Super Bowl 50 may have settled and faded into memory since the last whistle blew, but the post-game celebratory fireworks are not the only blast that have kept Bay-area residents talking.

It was deemed the perfect marriage of science, technology, engineering and environmental stewardship, a collaborative plan that was several years in the making yet took only six seconds to execute. In November 2015, California officials relied on Atlas Copco oil-free compressors to create an innovative underwater bubble barrier that protected aquatic life from a blast that imploded a concrete support pier from the former 80-year-old Bay Bridge that connected San Francisco and Oakland.

The fleet of 1,600 cfm Atlas Copco oil-free compressors was positioned on two nearby barges and pumped compressed air through pipes on the bay floor, positioned around the underwater structure. E3 is one of 21 piers that supported the former bridge. Built in 1935, the reinforced concrete support is equivalent to a five-story concrete building. More than 22,000 pounds of dynamite were used to destroy the pier, and a hollow structure on the bay floor collected the debris.

Officials said dismantling the support structure with the 600 explosive charges was the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly means of carrying out their plan; had they used machines and work crews, it would have taken four years. Instead, it was all over in six seconds. The California Air Resource Board (CARB) selected Atlas Copco compressors for the project because Atlas Copco supplies the only oil-free, diesel-powered air compressors permitted by the organization; Atlas Copco also had the largest fleet available.

Television cameras from local and national news crews covered the event while dozens of onlookers waited patiently for the countdown. Traffic on nearby I-80 was temporarily halted. Environmental officials tied the timing of the blast to the month of November, when animal and migratory bird breeding habits are slower. The pilot project worked so well that it is being considered for the destruction of the 21 remaining piers; any subsequent blasts would take place in November 2016, and planning is underway. People are sure to get a charge out of that when it happens again.