Wire sawing is a technique that originated
in quarries to extract stone. It has proven to be
an ideal choice for removal of thick sections of
concrete. A multi-strand cable with diamond segments
is threaded through a series of pulleys and is continuously
pulled through the concrete. Since virtually no
concrete structure or cross-section is too large
to cut, wire saws are used where other cutting methods
are impractical. The only restriction is the lifting
and removal specifications of the job. Wire sawing
is ideal for removing large sections of heavily
reinforced concrete, such as piers, towers and bridge
sections, and cutting concrete in areas where work
space is restricted.
A wire saw consists of a multi-strand cable with
diamond segments that are threaded through a series
of pulleys attached to a drive wheel that is powered
by a hydraulic power unit. The combination of the
spinning wire and constant pulling force cuts a
path through the concrete and steel reinforcement.
A typical wire diameter is 3/8 inch (10 mm). Wire
saws can cut in any orientation, vertical or horizontal.
Because the length of wire can be made to virtually
any length, the cutting depth is unlimited.
