Abstract
Laser drilling for concrete is an attractive method for dismantling nuclear facilities and performing reconstruction generally of public buildings. The reduced amount of secondary waste is ideal for cutting irradiated biological shield walls in nuclear power plants, and the decrease in noise and vibration is advantageous for doing repair work, for example earthquake-proofing hospitals and schools. The design locates the outlet hole of laser beam and drill blades on a common rotational axis. The laser beam weakens the concrete, and the blade breaks the weakened layer. The performance of this drill is a drilling speed of 100 mm/min at 2 kW laser power to produce a f22 mm diameter hole.
