Wrecking Ball Physics: Impact Energy, Voronoi Fracture and Wall Demolition

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ball speed0.0 m/s

kinetic energy0 kJ

momentum0 kN·s

bonds broken0 / 0

fragments0

Pull the ball back with the slider, then release.

Drag to orbit, wheel / pinch to zoom, right-drag to pan.

Presets

Controls

Target

Swing angle

Ball mass

Rope length

Thickness

Fracture cells

Bond strength

Restitution e

Air damping

Time scale

Impact slow-mo

Live graphs

Ball speed v(t) with the analytic bottom speed √(2gL(1−cosθ)) dashed

Energy partition (kJ): where the ball's energy goes

Fragment size distribution (cumulative, log-log)

Bonds broken vs time

Experiments (measured vs predicted)

The science

About this model

Everything on the stage is simulated live in your browser by hand-written code: a pendulum for the ball, a rigid-body solver for the pieces and breakable bonds between them. The 3D models and textures (crane, ball, site props, brick, concrete, gravel, steel) were built and baked in Blender 5.2; Three.js r160 draws the scene. All targets are inanimate: masonry, concrete, glass and an empty building shell.

Not affiliated with any crane or demolition company.