Wrecking balls are large steel balls used to demolish structures, suspended from a crane or other tall construction equipment. Modern versions are pear-shaped for easier removal from wreckage. Experienced demolition professionals operate the controls to generate momentum for a powerfully destructive moment. However, new demolition technologies are faster, more precise, and less expensive, making the traditional wrecking ball the least efficient option.
A wrecking ball is a large steel ball used to demolish structures. Most wrecking balls are made through a pressure forging process that hardens the steel while it is still cooling. The hard steel wrecking balls are capable of crashing into most concrete and brick buildings. They are typically suspended from a crane or other tall construction equipment using thick steel cable. The movement of the equipment swings the wrecking ball to hit the desired location with enough force for demolition.
Modern versions of wrecking balls have evolved to be slightly pear-shaped. Fully round wrecking balls, such as those shown in cartoons, have a tendency to get stuck when pulled out of the wreckage. Other shapes have been tested by manufacturers to find a better fit for the wrecking ball. Wrecking crews found that the graduated spherical shape of the wrecking ball slid out of the holes it created much more easily. There are many size variations of the modern design available, but the iconic round steel wrecking balls are getting harder and harder to find.
Experienced, trained, and licensed demolition professionals operate the controls that hurl these massive masses of steel into the sides of the structures. Weeks and even months of planning take the process of preparing and clearing each new site for demolition. The wrecking ball doesn’t begin to swing until the crew is ready and the all-clear is given.
Despite their weight, wrecking balls are ineffective without the kinetic energy generated by the momentum. Momentum is the product of the mass and the ball’s velocity, or directional velocity. As the wrecking ball swings further from the equilibrium point where the tether is perpendicular to the ground, the momentum gradually increases. Machine operators typically build momentum with several free swings before the ball makes contact with the structure. The longer steel cables allow for a freer swing, resulting in a powerfully destructive moment.
Project cost, noise restrictions and time constraints in the modern demolition industry have effectively sidelined the steel wrecking ball. Taking down a large structure in this way requires an experienced operator several hours at the controls. New demolition technologies are faster, more precise and less expensive. Advances in controlled explosives and powerful hydraulic excavators have made the more traditional wrecking ball the least efficient option. Occasionally, wrecking balls are introduced to weaken a building’s structure just enough for excavators to finish tearing it down.
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