Concrete Demolition Techniques: A Global Review with Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Insights for Pakistan

Abstract

Concrete demolition is increasingly important due to global infrastructure renewal, urban densification, and the need for sustainable end-of-life management of built assets. Yet in many developing countries, including Pakistan, demolition practices remain labor-intensive, environmentally damaging, and technologically outdated. This review synthesizes global knowledge on mechanical, explosive, hydraulic, chemical, thermal, and robotic demolition techniques, evaluating them through sustainability, safety, operational efficiency, and circular-economy lenses. A systematic review of international literature, technical standards, and policy reports enabled the development of a structured classification framework and performance indicators encompassing cost, time, safety, environmental impacts, and material recoverability. Results show that although mechanical demolition remains the most widely used method, advanced and low-impact approaches such as hydrodemolition, diamond-wire cutting, selective dismantling, and robotic demolitionachieve lower dust and vibration levels, higher worker safety, and improved resource recovery. Emerging innovations, including BIM-enabled planning, AI-based decision support, remote-controlled robotics, and automated waste segregation, offer substantial potential for Pakistan. The review concludes that achieving sustainable demolition in Pakistan requires regulatory reform, workforce capacity building, and strategic investment in modern technologies to reduce environmental impacts and enhance circular material flows.