Darda Splitters

Darda Hydraulic Splitters
for Demolition of Concrete and Rock

Controlled Demolition for Infrastructure work

Many contractors find they can reduce costs, save time and make demolition work profitable using the hydraulic splitter method. Hydraulic splitting means controlled demolition. As the direction of breaks can be determined, concrete can be cut in sections as large as your equipment can handle. A hydraulic splitter eliminates both shocks and vibrations associated with large impact tools.

Engineered for heavy duty work, a hydraulic splitter will outperform even large mounted impact machines.

Paving breakers and large mounted impact rams are limited to breaking rock or concrete in small pieces. Noisy impact demolition requires more energy, time and is usually more expensive. Using a Darda Rock Hydraulic Splitter, pieces of concrete as large as your equipment can handle are broken in seconds for removal. Working with this method can increase production and reduce costs. The method is quiet and direction of breaks can be controlled. Years of research and the use of a hydraulic splitter on hundreds of job sites has proved this new method continues to prove to be one of the most practical tools for demolition of concrete and rock. With little effort, the operator can control the demolition as the job requires with a very powerful tool at his command. The applications for the hydraulic splitter are many, such as bridge decks, abutments, retaining walls, concrete walls, floor slabs, foundations, wall openings, reinforced concrete, rock and brick walls, locks, dams, culverts, road barriers and underwater demolition of concrete and rock.

How the Darda Rock Hydraulic Splitter Works

The hydraulic Darda rock splitter is powered by a 10,000 P.S.I. pump. The cylinder contains a control valve and a piston that moves a plug between two feathers. The plug and feather end is placed into a drilled hole. The plug moves down between the two feathers forcing them against the wall of the hole. When the tension increases beyond the tensile strength of the material, a split will occur. The entire operation of the cylinder is controlled by a single lever on top of the tool. The plug can be advanced and retracted with this lever. An automatic built-in valve reduces pressure after break.

Some Demolition Applications Include:

Bridge Decks Bridge Abutments Retaining Walls Floor Slabs Reinforced Concrete Foundations Wall Openings Brick and Rock Walls Culverts

Locks Dams Road Barriers Underwater Demolition Sidewalks Curbs Most Types of Rock Machine Blocks

Breaks Reinforced Concrete Breaks All Types of Rock No Shock or Vibrations Over 700,000 lbs. of Breaking Force

Controls Direction of Break Safe One Man Operation More Production Than Paving Breakers

Work crew uses two hydraulic splitters with breaking force of 770 tons to cut two feet off of top of bridge piers. Split was made in less than two minutes along the drill hole line. No impact cracks were left in the remaining lower section to be saved.	A backhoe quickly topples two ton section off pier top in a few seconds. A new top will be placed on the remaining section to widen the highway from 4 to 6 lanes. Hydraulic splitting method speeds up demolition and reduces costs.
*Three hydraulic splitters powered b y a single pump generate over 2 million lbs. (1155 tons) of breaking force to split a 8 ft. xc 22 ft. block of granite cap rock in a Midwest quarry. The Elco pump, with manifold, can power 4 splitters if more force is required.	Using two hydraulic splitters, this 8 ft. to 12 ft. thick concrete wall was broken into pieces and removed by a 988 Cat. The contractor speeded up demolition work on this 800 ft. wall many times over other breaking methods.

Impact Breaking	Hydraulic Splitting
Paving breakers and large mounted impact rams are limited to breaking rock or concrete in small pieces. Noisy impact demolition requires more energy, time and is usually more expensive.	Pieces, as large as your equipment can handle, are broken in seconds for removal. The larger pieces can increase production and reduce costs. The method is quiet and direction of breaks can be controlled.

Controlled Demolition for Infrastructure Work

Many contractors find they can reduce costs, save time and make demolition work profitable using the hydraulic splitting method. Hydraulic splitting means controlled demolition. As the direction of breaks can be determined, concrete can be cut in sections as large as your equipment can handle. Hydraulic splitting eliminates both shocks and vibrations associated with large impact tools. Engineered for heavy duty work, hydraulic splitters will out perform even large mounted impact machines. It can break large pieces of concrete or rock many times faster than paving breakers. Years of research and the use of hydraulic splitting on hundreds of job sites has proved this new method to be one of the most practical tools for demolition of concrete and rock. With a hydraulic splitter, the operator now has a very powerful tool at his command. With little effort, he can control the demolition as the job requires. The applications for the splitter are many, such as bridge decks, abutments, retaining walls, concrete walls, floor slabs, foundations, wall openings, reinforced concrete, rock and brick walls, locks, dams, culverts, road barriers and underwater demolition of concrete and rock.

How Splitter Works The hydraulic splitter is powered by a 10,000 P.S.I. pump. The cylinder contains a control valve and a piston that moves the plug between the two feathers forcing them against the wall of the hole. When the tension increases beyond the tensile strength of the material, a split will occur. The entire operation of the cylinder is controlled by a single lever on top of the tool. The plug can be advanced and retracted with this lever. An automatic built-in valve reduces pressure after break. *Two or more hydraulic splitters can be operated at one time increasing the breaking. Example, two cylinders produce 1,400,000 lbs. of breaking force. Up to four splitters can be operated with one pump.

A hydraulic splitter was used to remove ends of overpass supports to form a keyway. The concrete was separated wide enough to cut reinforcing rods using enlarging feathers.	A workman carries splitter used to cut 14 ft. tunnel through base of dam for new penstock.	Trench rock and boulders below grade can be broken with one or more hydraulic splitters. Hydraulic splitting eliminates dangers associated with blasting. These hydraulic splitters will also operate underwater without any modifications.

Elco Pump Specifications
Model	Air 02
Weight	70 lbs.
Height	19-1/4"
Width	18"
Depth	12-1/2"
Oil Capacity	5 Gal.
Motor	Air Motor requires 50-80 cfm at 100 P.S.I.

Accessories

• Enlarging Feathers to Extend Cracks
• Lubricant Packed in 1/2 and 1 Pint Cans to Lubricate Plug and Feathers 
• Flow Bar to Run Extra Splitters Off One Pump
• Pressure Gauge to Check Pump Output and All Components

Warning

Use of other lubricants can damage the cylinder seals due to increased friction of plug and feathers. An inferior lubricant can shorten life of the splitter. A substitute can greatly reduce the spltting force of the tool caused by an early bypass before a break is made. Substitutes can damage tool and void warranty!

Elco Lube Reduces Friction and Wear Elco Lube Resists Water Elco Lube Extends Life of the Hydraulic Splitter

Elco Lube Prevents Surfaces From Freezing Together Elco Lube Prevents Damage to Cylinder Seals Elco Lube Operates Splitter at Peak Efficiency

 



1)  Have You Drilled the Correct Size Hole?

• A Hole Too Large Reduces the Breaking Force of the Splitter

2)  Have You Drilled the Hole Deep Enough?

• No. 2 = 12" Deep
• No. 7 = 18" Deep
• No. 8 = 26" Deep
• No. 9 = 18" Deep
• No. 12 = 26" Deep
  
• Short Hole Breaks Costly Plug!

3)  Have You Lubricated the Plug?

• No Lube Causes
• Tool Stuck in Hole
• Freeze Parts Together
• Won't Make a Break
• Use Elco Lube After 2 Breaks
• Elco Lube Operates Tool at Full Power

WARNING!

When tool is working keep an arm's length away from cylinder due to possible sudden movement when break occurs. When tool is used off the ground or overhead, the cylinder should be supported so it does not fall after break is made. Do not use cylinder as lever or pry bar. Do not stand on any part or section that could move or fall when split.