ATI Featured in ICRI’s Concrete Repair Bulletin!

We’re proud to share that Aggregate Technologies, Inc. was spotlighted in the latest issue (Sept/Oct 2025) of Concrete Repair Bulletin — a nationally circulated publication by the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI).

Disaster as a Catalyst: Pressing Reset on Strategy

The 2018 collapse of a Miami pedestrian bridge prompted Harris County to review projects by the same engineering firm. An audit of the Sam Houston Tollway Ship Channel Bridge, by COWI, revealed 21 critical design flaws, leading officials to halt construction, remove the design team, and selectively demolish four pylons. Although the redesign increased cost and time, it ensured public safety and restored confidence in the project.

Project Overview

• Title: Concrete Ghosts: Unbuilding What Was Never Used
• Location: Sam Houston Tollway near Houston Ship Channel, Houston, TX
• Scope: Demolition of four unused 100-ft (30.5 m) bridge pylons originally built for a design that was later abandoned.
• Challenge: Remove massive reinforced concrete structures without damaging rebar or foundations needed for future construction.

Key Details

Demolition Method:

• Robotic hydrodemolition, wire sawing, and core drilling guided by 3D models.
• Each pylon segmented into 25 blocks (~40,000 lbs each) for crane removal.
• Hydrodemolition preserved embedded reinforcement for reuse.

Environmental & Safety Measures:

• 70% water recycled daily (~28,000 gallons/day).
• 100% concrete recycled.
• Zero OSHA recordables over 14 months.
• Mobile water treatment system ensured compliance.

Results:

• ~20,000 ft² of reinforced concrete removed.
• Completed on time and on budget.
• Demonstrated precision demolition and sustainability in infrastructure projects.