Loading applications are gaining strong importance in construction, concrete demolition, and special deconstruction. Electrified workflows, mobile energy storage systems, and grid-connected hydraulic power units require well-considered charging strategies—both for energy supply and for timing on the construction site. In practice, this concerns the reliable provision of power for hydraulically driven tools such as concrete demolition shears, stone and concrete splitters, or combination shears, as well as the safe organization of loading and unloading material. This article by Darda GmbH explains fundamentals, planning, safety, and the concrete link to typical fields of application.
Definition: What is meant by loading applications
Loading applications comprise the entirety of technical, organizational, and safety-related measures required for the charging of electrical energy storage systems (e.g., batteries, mobile battery storage) and for operating grid-connected consumers on construction sites. These include charging points (AC/DC), charging power and profiles, load management, ambient conditions, protection concepts, and integration into workflows. In the context of demolition and cutting operations, the term often also includes loading in the sense of material loading—that is, the orderly pickup and loading of concrete and rock fragments or steel sections. Both meanings are relevant to practical use and are considered here in relation to the products and application fields of Darda GmbH.
Importance of loading applications on deconstruction sites
In concrete demolition, during interior strip-out, and when cutting indoors, a quiet, low-emission energy supply is essential. Hydraulic power units that drive concrete demolition shears or stone and concrete splitters are increasingly supplied electrically—either directly from the grid (230/400 V) or via mobile energy storage systems. This creates requirements for charging points, cable routing, peak-load limitation, and protection against moisture and dust. In natural stone extraction or rock demolition with limited grid availability, hybrid concepts (generator plus storage system) and intelligent charging planning are crucial to avoid downtime. The same applies to tunnel construction, where air quality and fire protection play a central role: charging processes must be planned and monitored with particular care.
Technical fundamentals and charging types
Loading applications on construction sites are based on a few core principles: providing adequately sized connections, suitable chargers, battery management with appropriate charging profiles, and protection for people and equipment. Decisive factors include voltage level (AC 230 V, AC 400 V), charging power, C‑rate, the temperature window of the storage systems, as well as the quality of the power supply (voltage drop, harmonics, phase balance).
AC and three-phase charging
AC charging at 230 V is widespread but limited in power. Three-phase (400 V) enables higher charging power and short charging windows—important when hydraulic power units are recharged during breaks. For longer supply lines, sufficient conductor cross-sections and balanced phase loads are essential to avoid voltage drops and thermal stress.
DC fast charging in the construction-site context
DC solutions shorten charging times and relieve the storage system’s onboard charger. This requires suitable chargers and a sufficiently stable source (grid, generator, or energy storage system). In areas exposed to dust and moisture, protected installation locations and appropriate ingress protection ratings are decisive.
Charging profiles for hydraulic power units
Hydraulic power units for concrete demolition shears and stone and concrete splitters operate with varying load cycles. This results in specific charging profiles: charging windows during work breaks, partial charges to bridge peak times, and full charges outside core working hours. A coordinated profile stabilizes the energy supply and increases availability on the construction site.
Planning the charging infrastructure
Planning covers sizing, protection, safety measures, and logistics. Key aspects include location, weather protection, cable routes, accessibility, and fire protection. The goal is a robust, safe, and efficient supply for the equipment used—whether for strip-out and cutting, special deconstruction, or rock demolition.
Grid connection, construction power supply, and load management
Construction power distribution boards form the hub. Load management prioritizes consumers, limits peak loads, and distributes load with proper phase balance. This allows charging points, lighting, extraction, and hydraulic power units to operate without mutual interference. Where grid capacity is limited, buffer batteries or staggered charging help.
Mobile energy storage systems and generator hybrids
On remote construction sites, generators are combined with battery storage. The battery covers short-term peak loads and enables quiet operation during sensitive time windows; the generator recharges outside peak times. This reduces fuel consumption, emissions, and noise—benefits that are particularly relevant in tunnel construction and interior strip-out.
Charging operations in sensitive environments
Indoors and in areas with limited ventilation, charging areas should be clearly delineated, well ventilated, and protected against sparks. In wet areas, splash-proof connections and appropriate ingress protection are important. Cables must be routed to eliminate tripping hazards and avoid obstructing machine movements (e.g., when positioning concrete demolition shears).
Work organization and sequencing
Charging planning is integrated into the workflow: tool deployment, changes of attachments, material logistics, and charging windows interlock. This maximizes the operating time of concrete demolition shears and stone and concrete splitters and reduces downtime.
- Define shift-based charging windows (e.g., breaks, changeover times).
- Keep a sufficient number of charged energy storage units available.
- Smooth demand peaks (stagger the charging of multiple devices).
- Prioritize critical processes (e.g., core drilling, separation cut, subsequent splitting).
- Provide a fallback option (second charging point, spare storage).
Safety, health, and environmental protection
Safe loading applications follow recognized engineering practice. This includes suitable protective measures, selecting appropriate equipment, and clear responsibilities. Guidance is generally non-binding; in individual cases, local regulations and manufacturer instructions are decisive.
Hazard analysis and labeling
Charging areas should be marked, protected against unauthorized access, and monitored organizationally. A hazard analysis considers electrical risks, fire load, tripping hazards, mechanical influences, and coordination with lifting and cutting operations.
Ingress protection ratings, weather, and cleaning
Construction sites require robust equipment with appropriate ingress protection. Connections and chargers must be protected against dust and moisture and inspected regularly. After dust-intensive operations—such as separating reinforced concrete with concrete demolition shears—visual checks of the charging equipment are advisable.
Integration into the application areas
In interior strip-out and cutting, well-designed charging strategies enable near-continuous operation of electrically supplied hydraulic power units—an advantage in buildings sensitive to noise and emissions. In concrete demolition and special deconstruction, coordinated charging windows and hybrid supply provide predictable cycle times, even when multiple attachments are used in alternation. In rock demolition and tunnel construction, reliable energy supply takes center stage; buffer batteries and load management enhance process reliability. In natural stone extraction, productivity depends on the balance between the splitting process (e.g., with stone and concrete splitters) and energy availability. For special deployments, mobile, weather-protected charging points that can be quickly relocated come into play.
Key figures for planning and operation
The performance of loading applications can be evaluated with key figures: charging time per shift, availability of power units, energy used per cubic meter of concrete separated, the share of energy recharged outside core working hours, and minutes of downtime due to energy bottlenecks. These metrics support deployment planning for concrete demolition shears, combination shears, or concrete demolition shears in serial applications.
Documentation and digital support
Simple recording of charging times, charging power, and operating hours facilitates analysis. Digital tools support load-profile analyses, planning of charging windows, and proactive provisioning of energy storage systems. On remote sites, offline-capable logs are helpful and can be consolidated later.
Challenges and solution approaches
Typical challenges include voltage drop over long cables, weather influences, parallel large consumers, cold environments with reduced battery performance, and changing locations. Solutions range from larger conductor cross-sections and buffer batteries to phase-balanced distribution, weather-protected charging areas, and proactive sequencing of cutting and splitting operations.
- Minimize voltage drop: short runs, suitable cross-sections, phase-balanced charging.
- Reduce peak loads: use a buffer battery, charge outside core hours.
- Compensate for cold: provide temperature-controlled charging areas, adjust charging profiles.
- Weather protection: splash-proof devices, elevated installation, clean plug connections.
- Strengthen organization: clear responsibilities, visual inspections, documented approvals.
Loading in the sense of material loading: material flow and logistics
In practice, loading applications also refer to loading containers and vehicles with concrete, rock, and steel fragments. An orderly material flow starts with proper sizing and separation: concrete demolition shears facilitate detaching reinforcement, while stone and concrete splitters create defined fracture edges and reduce oversize. This makes loading more efficient, improves load securing, and shortens transport times.
Loading containers and trucks
When loading, keep routes clear, cordon off swing areas, and use coordinated hand signals. Cutting and splitting work should be sequenced so that material is available in the right particle and piece size. This reduces restacking, lowers downtime, and speeds up removal and recycling.
Practical recommendations for implementation
For robust implementation, a holistic concept combining energy and material logistics is recommended: plan charging points early, define protective measures, integrate charging windows into the workflow, and align material flow with the selected cutting and splitting methods. This keeps hydraulic power units for concrete demolition shears and stone and concrete splitters available, makes charging times predictable, and enables stable, reproducible cycles on the construction site.