Trenchless Pipe Replacement Cures The Problem Of Pipe Repair

 For lateral subterranean pipe maintenance, trenchless pipe replacement is a clear winner, not just for the utility or company, but for anyone in the surrounding area as well as the environment. With many underground pipes now reaching the end of their useful lives, utility companies and factories are having to think carefully about the best way to extend the life of the existing pipes, or replace them.

However, both repairing existing pipes and using traditional open trench methods of pipe replacement are riddled with problems.

The standard practice in terms of pipe maintenance or repair is pipe lining, a technique that uses a polymer resin to line the interior of the existing pipe, sealing small cracks or holes, and smoothing the interior wall to help improve flow.

However, as many companies and factories have discovered, this method of pipe lining is fraught with problems. In the first case, subterranean pipes are always subject to ground movement, either through natural gradual subsidence, as a result of overhead traffic, or as a result of developing root systems. This can lead to pipes with significant breakages or penetrations, and may also lead to a distortion of the pipe itself.

Both of these problems cause serious reductions in flow, yet pipe lining will do virtually nothing in either case. For serious issues such as these most utility companies and factories have had to turn to open trench pipe replacement.

This is clearly a last resort since it will invariably be hugely expensive, will necessitate the closure of either a section or the whole of the factory or business for a considerable period of time, and is likely to cause damage to the appearance of the local environment, digging up established gardens, roads, car parks or other amenities or access ways.

The concept of trenchless pipe replacement provides a preferable alternative to both pipe lining and open trench pipe replacement. Although trenchless replacement costs about the same as a single pipe lining process, the results last much, much longer. Pipe lining may only last for a few months or years, depending on the nature of the substance running through the pipe.

Hotter temperatures or corrosive substances may significantly decrease the effectiveness of such a solution. Whereas a pipe replacement may well last 50 to 70 years, compared to approximately 18 months for pipe lining. Clearly the long term cost saving is as significant as the elimination of regular closures and inconveniences.

Although open trench pipe replacement has been the traditional long term alternative to pipe lining, it is very much more expensive, disruptive, inconvenient and time-consuming. Involving heavy plant machinery and several contractors, such pipe replacement procedures may take several days to complete, which may require long term closure or at least reduced performance for the company or utility, which will only add to the eventual cost.

Trenchless pipe replacement can often be carried out in less time than pipe lining, with only two contractors, and with minimal disruption to the company. But how is this possible?

The way in which trenchless replacement works is by digging a small pit at each end of the section of pipe to be replaced. A cable is then hand fed through the existing pipe from the receiving pit to the starting pit. A compact but powerful machine, such as the Warrior WR33, is then lowered into the receiving pit and the cable is attached to the winching mechanism.

Meanwhile, at the other end, in the starting pit, the cable is attached to the bursting head. The WR33 then uses hydraulics to pull the bursting head through the existing pipe using a wire cable. The bursting head is slightly larger in diameter than the existing pipe, and as it is fitted with a number of blades it literally bursts apart the existing pipe, pushing the fragments outwards.

Attached behind the bursting head is the first section of pipe, and this is pulled into the freshly created cavity straight away. As the new section of pipe is pulled in to the cavity left by the old pipe, further sections are attached until the complete section of replacement pipe is in place.

With a pulling power of 30 tons, the WR33 is able to carry out the replacement pipe procedure at a rate of about 2.7 metres per minute. Once the new section of pipe is in place, the pits can be filled in, and the entire procedure is complete, with minimal disruption, minimal labour and minimal cost compared to other alternatives.

Pipe lining uses resin and other chemicals which are not considered to be environmentally preferable, and with open trench pipe replacement digging up great swathes of land, it is also frowned upon in terms of environmental impact. Trenchless pipe replacement uses no chemicals, and causes very little ground disruption.

With many utility companies and factories under intense financial pressure, trenchless pipe replacement offers an affordable, long term solution which drastically minimises disruption to work flow, and is a much greener alternative.

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