Material flow describes the targeted movement, forming, separation and provision of materials along a process chain. In the context of concrete demolition, deconstruction, rock excavation and natural stone extraction, a cleanly planned flow determines whether operations run safely, economically and on schedule. Especially in applications with concrete demolition shear or stone and concrete splitters, and in combination with hydraulic power pack and other attachment, material flow becomes the guiding parameter: from the pre-sequencing of interventions through source-pure separation to haulage logistics and recycling.
Definition: What is meant by material flow
Material flow means the totality of all physical movements of raw materials, semi-finished goods and residual materials including their intermediate states – from entering a system through internal processing steps to leaving the system. This includes transport, storage, buffering, handling, crushing, sorting and documentation. In demolition and specialized deconstruction, material flow particularly covers the sequence of separating, splitting, cutting, breaking, classifying and removal. It is described by process parameters such as throughput, cycle time, bottleneck, batch size and buffer and is closely linked to occupational safety, emissions reduction and the circular economy.
Material flow in concrete demolition: from separation to sorting
In concrete demolition and special deconstruction, material flow begins with structural separation: load-bearing and non-load-bearing components are gripped with concrete demolition shear, selectively torn open and transferred into manageable fractions. Stone and concrete splitters apply controlled splitting forces to open massive cross-sections without blasting. This creates a flow of concrete debris, reinforcing steel and mixed fractions that are successively separated, compacted and hauled off. A stable flow avoids queues at the generation point, minimizes double handling and reduces emissions through short routes and a low number of lifting and shunting movements.
Planning and control of material flow on the construction site
A robust concept starts with capturing the material streams and their interfaces: generation points, transport routes, interim storage and haul-off points. Suitable sequences then follow, aligned with the bottleneck – often the separation capacity at the component or the haulage capacity.
Process chain and pacing
- Preparation: site setup, traffic routes, buffer areas, utilities supply for hydraulic power pack.
- Primary separation: concrete demolition shear for concrete and reinforcement, optional steel shear for rebar and structural steel.
- Controlled splitting: stone and concrete splitters when massive components need to be opened with low vibration.
- Secondary processing: multi cutters or combination shears for remaining cross-sections, cutting torch for special operations involving tanks.
- Sorting and classification: form fractions, separate contaminated areas, optimize routes.
- Haul-off: suitable batch sizes, intervals and routes to ensure a continuous flow.
Areas, routes and buffers
Routes have major influence: short routes with few intersections avoid opposing traffic and waiting times. Buffer areas balance separation performance and haul-off. Buffer size depends on cycle time, vehicle turnaround and safety distances.
Interfaces to products and application areas
Material flow is directly linked to the selection and combination of tools, as they determine the generation and handleability of the fractions.
Concrete demolition shears in structured deconstruction
Concrete demolition shear create defined fracture edges and separate reinforcement. This produces a predictable stream of concrete and steel fractions that can be managed logistically in containers or stockpiles. It simplifies source-separated recycling and shortens handling times.
Stone and concrete splitters in sensitive environments
Under vibration or noise constraints, splitting enables opening massive cross-sections with minimal edge damage. The material flow is characterized by uniform, manageable blocks that can be safely lowered and quickly hauled away.
Rock excavation and tunnel construction
In rock, block and debris streams with varying particle sizes arise. Hydraulic wedge splitter organize the generation into controllable piece weights, which makes route logistics in the tunnel and interim storage at the tunnel face more predictable.
Strip-out and cutting
In strip-out, short transport routes and high sorting depth dominate. Combination shears and multi cutters separate composite assemblies, which disentangles internal logistics for wood, metal and construction materials.
Identify and relieve bottlenecks
Every flow is only as strong as its bottleneck. If the bottleneck is not actively managed, backlogs, safety risks and extra trips occur.
Typical bottlenecks
- Limited haul-off capacity or waiting times at the weighbridge.
- Buffers that are too small in inner-city locations.
- Insufficient separation performance with high reinforcement density.
- Route conflicts between excavators, loaders and trucks.
Countermeasures
- Cycle alignment: synchronize separation and haul-off capacity, smooth batch sizes.
- Buffer management: variable interim storage, time-shifted vehicle dispatching.
- Tool strategy: concrete demolition shear for clean primary separation, supplemented by steel shear for reinforcement.
- Routing: one-way systems, clear handover points, keep sight lines clear.
Occupational safety, environment and law in material flow
Safety arises from order, overview and reliable processes. Material streams must be guided so that load paths do not cross and pedestrian routes are shielded. Emissions such as dust and noise can be reduced through short transport routes, targeted size reduction and coordinated pacing. For potentially hazardous substances, appropriate separation and safeguarding measures and proper storage are important. Legal requirements may vary by project; careful planning and documentation provide a solid foundation.
Key figures and documentation
Metrics make the flow visible and controllable. Relevant key figures include:
- Throughput per hour at the generation point.
- Cycle time between separation, sorting and haul-off.
- Buffer endurance in minutes during haul-off interruption.
- Number of trips per vehicle and shift.
- Fraction purity and recycling rate.
Ongoing documentation of material streams – from quantities generated to handover to disposal contractors or recyclers – supports proof of compliance and optimization.
Material flow in rock excavation, tunnel construction and natural stone extraction
In rock excavation and natural stone extraction, geology, stratification and the desired block geometry influence the flow. Hydraulic wedge splitter divide raw blocks along natural or created planes, producing uniform piece weights. In tunnel headings, short, redundant transport routes and coordinated transfer points are crucial so that excavation does not outpace material transport.
Special operations: tanks, plants and contaminated areas
For tanks and plants, material flow is strongly shaped by safety and environmental protection requirements. Cutting torch and specialized cutting methods create well-guided cut edges and avoid sparks in sensitive zones. The resulting cut material is immediately transferred into suitable containers or defined buffers to avoid cross-contamination and double handling.
Energy and media flow as part of material flow
Hydraulic power pack, hose management and media supply directly influence process stability. Short, protected line runs, clear connection and changeover points, and defined set-down areas for hydraulic power pack reduce setup times and keep the flow on cycle. Setup times and tool changes are plannable elements – they should be integrated into the pacing instead of occurring unplanned.
Approach to optimization: practical steps
- As-is analysis: record generation points, routes, buffers and bottlenecks.
- Define target state: throughput, fractions, emission targets, safety level.
- Tool and process selection: concrete demolition shear, stone and concrete splitters and complementary cutting or shear tools matched to the structure.
- Plan the layout: routes as one-way roads, handover points, buffer sizes, set-down areas for power packs.
- Set cycle and batch sizes: synchronize separation, sorting and haul-off.
- Plan setup and changeover times: power pack and tool changes during calm cycle moments.
- Pilot phase: observe bottlenecks, adjust buffers and trips.
- Standardize: unify procedures, hand signals, handovers and documentation.
- Continuously improve: review metrics, refine measures, repeat trainings.
Material flow and the circular economy
A targeted material flow is the basis for high recovery rates. The cleaner the primary separation using appropriate tools, the easier the subsequent processing. This reduces transports, saves resources and strengthens sustainability over the entire life cycle of a structure.