The Original No Dig Pipe Replacement
Our pipe bursting method is the premiere way to rehabilitate and replace severely damaged and deteriorated pipe. Because the old pipe is broken out of the way of the new pipe during the pipe bursting process it is possible to replace the old pipe with the same size new pipe. In some cases we can even increase the pipe to a larger size during the process. The best part is that all the work is done without digging a trench so the savings are massive! No trench plates, no trench shoring no more hazard. Our method is also very light on the environment; it’s a small carbon footprint construction solution. So when compared to traditional dig and lay methods trenchless is the clear choice.
Our pipe bursting capabilities include pipe sizes ranging from 3/4″ up to 48″+ and lengths up to 300′ per set. Longer runs are possible but limitations are abundant. The types of pipe we can burst include but are not limited to:
- Cast Iron
- Ductile Iron
- Class 200 PVC
- Vitrified Clay
- Asbestos Cement
- Orangeburg
- Riveted Steel
- RCP up to class v
- Butt Weld Steel up to 1/4″ wall
The new material we “pull” into the pipeline includes:
- HDPE – all DR ratios and pressure classes (We can fabricate large diameter HDPE fittings!)
- Fusible C900 Class 200 DR14 and Class 150 DR18
Read on to learn about our field process of Pipe Bursting:
First we locate the old pipe and inspect the interior using a small camera attached to a long reel. We send this camera down the pipe and using a remote display screen we can qualify the condition, location, direction and depth of the pipe. Next using a hand held device we electronically locate the beginning and end of the pipeline length and mark them with paint on the surface. We excavate the two small areas (approx 4′ x 4′ each) and cut away the old pipe in the excavations. We feed a high strength steel cable through the old pipe from excavation to excavation; attach a small aluminum pulley mounted on a flat horizontal plate on one end. On top of the pulley we attach a hydraulic cylinder device that grabs the steel cable and pulls/ winches it through the old pipe at a power level equal 20,000lbs. On the other end is the new pipe connected to the steel cable that has a steel cone with a knife edge. The new pipe is semi flexible and the best part is that it has now joints. The new pipe is thermally welded (melted) together producing one monolithic pipeline, eliminated the chance for root intrusion for the life of the pipe; 100 years. The new pipe is connected to the steel splitting cone and hooked to the steel cable then pulled/ winched through the old pipe all the way to the other end of the pipe run where the aluminum pulley and hydraulic machine is located. One it get there we cut the steel splitting cone off the new pie and reconnect it to the existing upstream and downstream pipes in the respective excavations. The two holes are backfilled with soil and the pipe installation is complete.