ADVANCE CONSRUCTION PRACTICE

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 General Introduction
• Microtunneling is a underground method of constructing pipelines using a
sophisticated, remotely controlled, laser guided, steerable boring machine.
• In Mocrotunnling, the pipe is installed using pipe jacking method by pushing pipe
section through the ground with the hydraulic jacks from a shaft excavation is
called jacking pit to another shaft is called receiving pit.
• Excavation is carried out by the microtunnling machine in front of the lead pipe
section as the pipe line pushed forward from the jacking pit.
• It is used for networks with diameters generally ranging from 500 to 1500 mm
and which can go up to 2000 mm

1.2 History
• Techniques are relatively recent; the first boring machines were used in Japan
during the 1970s.
• In US it is used in 1984 in Miami ,Florida
• In France, the first site was constructed in 1989 in the Val –de-Marne department
at the instigation of the water and sanitary drainage services.
• In India Michigan Engineers has been the first Indian company to execute a
micro-tunneling project in Kolkatta 1997 for relocation of sewer lines at Ghariahat
Junction. In Mumbai, Aject (Saudi-based) company had executed a project
('97-'99)

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2 TECHINIQUES AND THEORY OF OPRATION

2 3 1
1 4 5
1

6 7
9
1
0
8

Microtunnling Process
1) Thrust Pipe
2) Crane
3) Control Container
4) Injection Pump
5) Decantation Container
6) Jacking Shaft
7) Receiving Shaft
8) Thrust frame
9) Pipes
10) AVN Cutting head
11) Generator

2.1 DIFFERENT FUCTION OF MICROTUNNLING

All types of boring machine have the following function in common:

 Mechanized ground excavation and stabilization of the face
 Disposal of rubble (or mucking)
 Monitoring and correction of trajectory
 Installation of pipelines by jacking

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2.2 DIFFERENT PARTS OF MICROTUNNLING

for sandy- gravely soil for coherent soil

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for rock
3 PARAMETERS AFFECTING WORK AT SITE

3.1 Rate of Penetration

• Duration of Pipe jacking

Total pipeline = 1838m
Cohesive Soil = 507m
Fine Sand = 855m
Sand and Gavel = 476m

Average jacking Total duration of the cycle

time for pipe (installation/connection/jacking/maintenance)
(2m)
Clay 70min 120min

Fine Sand 16min 60min

Sand and Gravel 38min 90min

3.2 Alignment of deviation

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3.3 Frictional Forces

• Pipe friction is an important consideration in microtunneling as it affects a number
of key the issues that have direct impact on the success of installing the pipe (i.e.
completing the drive) and also the cost of the project.
• When jacking a pipe through the ground the friction generated along the pipe is
the fundamental factor as it determines the total jacking force required to install
the pipe.
• The magnitude of the jacking force affects the pipe strength requirements,
capacity of the main jacking system, maximum possible drive length, number of
shafts required, the need for intermediate jacking stations, and the capacity of the
thrust wall to provide a reaction for the main jacks.
• All of these factors will influence the feasibility, construction plans, and/or cost
of the project.

Frictional forces depend upon…

• Pipe materials
• Type of Soil
• Depth of Boring
• Type and amount of lubricant
• Details of microtunneling equipment and methods

3.3.1 Pipe materials

• Reinforced Concrete
• Steel
• Fibreglass
• Polymer Concrete
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• Clay
• Ductile Iron

Advance materials for Pipe jacking

• One new pipe that has been used for several recent projects in California is
polymer concrete jacking pipe made in Germany (Bloomfield, 1994). Polymer
concrete pipe is constructed using polyester resin instead of cement as a bonding
agent. It has high strength (typically 12,000 psi or higher) and is inherently
resistant to corrosion due to chemical attack. In addition to its high strength, this
pipe has numerous advantages for microtunneling, including a smooth pipe
surface and very consistent and physical dimensions (i.e. tight tolerances). Both
of these advantages minimize pipe friction and the high strength reduces the
potential for damaging the pipe during installation. This is a very good pipe for
sewer pipelines due to the excellent corrosion resistance of this pipe material.

• A new type of steel pipe manufactured in the US that could be used as a casing is
called Permalok. This pipe has a mechanical joint that does not require welding,
and is much easier and faster to install than a steel casing with welded joints
(Argent et al. 1995). Permalok is also easier to steer than a welded steel casing
because it is less rigid at the joints. The manufacturer is working on developing a
pressure joint design that is designed to be an acceptable carrier pipe in a low-
pressure application

3.3.2 Type of Soil

• The project involved the installation 42inch ID polymer pipe in clay soil ranging
in strength from soft to stiff jacking force range from o.oo7 to o.o34 tsf for six
drives

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3.3.3 Depth of Boring

• F= f*3.14*D*dl

0
F = Frictional forces
f = dynamic friction
D = Depth of Boring
• As per equation as depth of boring increase frictional force also increase.

3.3.4 Type and amount of Lubricant

• Utilizing an effective pipe lubrication system can minimize pipe friction.
Minimizing pipe friction and jacking loads has a number of important benefits
such as promoting longer drive lengths, minimizing the number of shafts, and
reducing the risk of pipe damage during installation.
• An effective pipe lubrication system involves providing adequate overcut to create
annular space outside the pipe, use of appropriate pipe lubricants, and injecting
lubricants continuously under pressure as the pipe is advanced. The quantity of
lubricant injected should at least be equal to the theoretical volume of the overcut.
When effective lubrication procedures are implemented jacking forces can be
reduced by up to 50 %.
• Because of the importance of minimizing pipe friction there is a considerable
interest in utilizing appropriate pipe lubricants. As well as reducing pipe friction,
pipe lubricants provide another important function, which is to stabilize the
annular void created by the overcut around the pipe.
• Clay soils may swell around the pipe and gradually reduce the annular void,
eventually contacting the pipe. Coarse-grained sands and gravels will collapse
onto the pipe eliminating the overcut, unless the pipe lubricants injected outside
the pipe can stabilize the soils and maintain the annular void. If the annular void
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is lost, pipe lubricants cannot be effectively injected around the pipe and jacking
forces will increase considerably.
• Pipe lubricants typically employed include bentonite, polymers, and
bentonite/polymer mixtures. The choice of the proper lubricant depends on the
type of soil. Bentonite, which has traditionally been used for lubrication in all
soils, is considered to be most effective for coarse-grained sands and gravels. In
these soils, it is important to stabilize the annular void with the lubricant and
sometimes additives are used to create a thick lubricating paste that will support
the soil. For fine-grained cohesive soils, polymers are believed to provide better
lubrication characteristics. These polymers can also be beneficial in stiff, high
plasticity clays as they can reduce the swelling characteristics of the soil by
maintaining the clay at its natural moisture content. For intermediate soil
classifications, e.g. mixtures of fine- and coarse-grained materials,
bentonite/polymer mixes are sometimes used. Polymers include a wide variety of
organic and semi-synthetic materials. Most polymers are bio-degradable and
environmentally benign. A number of different polymers have been introduced
into the market in the last few years in an effort to develop polymers with
improved lubrication characteristics.

3.4 Overcut
 Overcut defined as an annular space between the pipes and soil for the reduction
of the friction.
 Small diameters pipe small overcut
 Generally ranges from 10mm to 30mm

3.5 Main hitches at site

3.5.1 Blocking of the Machine

• Due to…..
Various boulders and obstacles
Excessive friction
Abrasiveness of the soil
Sticking of clay

3.5.2 Damaged Pipes

The drive thrust is no more center of the axis of the pipe and the distribution of the
load is no more uniform, which lead to a concentration of stresses and cause
damage the pipe.

3.5.3 Surface Distribution

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• Due to…
Closing of annular spaces
Improper balancing of pressure at the face,
Excessively high injection pressure of lubricant

3.5.4 Excessive roll

Roll is the rotation of the entire boring machine with respect to its longitudinal
axis. To limit the roll, the trailing tube of the machine is usually equipped with
“fine” that help stabilized the machine body. A large torque or premature
lubrication may favor roll. A Large roll can be cause the rupture of cable
connections on the machine.

4 GUIDELINES FOR INVESTIGATION

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4.1 Data to be acquired

• Geological configuration of the site
• Hydrogeological condition
• Geotechnical characteristics of the ground
• Cavities and artificial obstacles
• Environmental Condition

4.2 Geophysical Method

Method Area of Advantages Drawbacks

application
Geological radar Detection of Rapid, Not very Tricky
interfaces, cumbersome implementation
various networks and
and obstacles interpretation
RMT (radio- Geological Continuous Investigation
magnetotellurgy) identification of profile, very depth not
soil and buried rapid, Good controlled,
obstacles lateral resolution Disrupted by
metallic
networks
Electromagnetic Geological Easy to Discontinues
method identification implement and profile, Frequent
efficient interference
Seismic Looking for a Rapid method, Preferable to
refraction dimension of a Continuous work at night,
substratum profile under water
Seismic surface Identification of Assumed
waves (SASAW) hard and loosed stratified ground
spots.

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5 PIPE JACKING PROCESS

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6 SHAFT CONSTRUCTION

• Some of the new developments in shaft construction involve the use of jet grouting
and ground freezing methods for groundwater control and excavation support.
These approaches may be necessary when dewatering cannot be allowed because of
cost reasons such as where groundwater contamination is present, or where shafts
are in close proximity to structures that could be damaged if settlement was to occur
as a result of dewatering.
• Jet grouting involves pressure-injecting a water/cement grout into the ground and
mixing it with the soil using rotating jet pipes under an extremely high pressure
(typically 4,000 to 6,000 psi). This technique creates a mix of grout and soil that
hardens to provide a compressive strength typically ranging from about 100 to 300
psi or more. Usually, the jet grout holes treat a 3- to 4- foot-diameter zone of soil
and the holes are overlapped to stabilize a certain volume of soil. With proper use,
jet grouting creates a relatively strong and homogeneous material with increased
strength and reduced permeability. Jet grouting methods are applicable to almost all
types of soils (Welsh, 1992). Usually a grid pattern is used to provide for overlap of
the jet grout columns both at the base and/or along the sides of the shaft excavation.
The Nimitz Highway Reconstructed Sewer microtunneling project in Honolulu used
jet grouting extensively to provide a groundwater cutoff at the bottom of sheet pile
supported shafts.
• Ground freezing is used to form a solid wall of frozen ground in unconsolidated
water-bearing strata around the perimeter of a shaft excavation. Typically, freeze
pipes through which brine is to be circulated are placed around the perimeter of a
shaft excavation and the freezing proceeds outward from each pipe until the frozen
zones around adjacent pipes overlap. This forms a continuous cylinder of frozen
ground, which protects the area to be excavated from groundwater inflows and
stabilizes of the excavation walls. Shaft excavation does not proceed until the
freezing is complete, a period which may range from a few weeks to several months.
In the US, ground freezing has usually been regarded as a last resort, as a remedial
measure, or employed where dewatering or grouting either was not feasible or failed
to provide adequate groundwater control. This is probably due to the relatively high
cost and the specialized nature of this technique. Ground freezing was used for
groundwater control in shaft excavations for the Duwamish River crossing located
near Seattle that was constructed using microtunneling methods in 1994 (Post, 1997)
and also for a recent project in Santa Monica, California

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7 RESEARCH PAPER

GEOPHYSICAL TECHNIQUES FOR IDENTIFYING

OBSTRUCTIONS
By:
Steve Klein
University of Nevada
Las Vegas

• Obstructions are objects that conflict with the planned pipeline alignment and are
capable of preventing the forward progress of the microtunneling machine.
Typically, such obstacles may consist of boulders, cobbles, trees, and construction
debris such as timber piles, sheetpiles, abandoned utilities, concrete, timber,
bricks, and metal objects.
• Identifying such obstructions is important because of the serious consequences of
encountering one with a microtunneling machine. It is potentially a fatal flaw if
surface access is not available to recover the machine or remove the obstruction.
• It may be necessary to modify the pipeline alignment, require special machine
provisions, have a provision for recovery shafts, or other contingency measures.
In order to be able to adopt the proper approach it is critical to evaluate the
possibility of encountering obstructions and, if it is not possible to avoid the
obstructions at least determine the nature and sizes of the obstructions.
• Due to the difficulty in being able to locate obstructions with conventional small-
diameter boreholes, there is a considerable amount of interest in two geophysical
investigation techniques that may be able to locate obstructions more effectively.

• One of these is a new seismic technique known as seismic imaging or the Site
Uniformity Borehole Seismic (SUBS) method (Clark et al., 1995). This method has
been used on some recent microtunneling projects on the West Coast.
• The SUBS method produces a seismic topographic image of the seismic velocity
distribution of materials around a borehole. This is achieved with detectors placed
down a borehole at several depths, which record the response due to a surface energy
source applied at various distances from the collar of the borehole.
• This recorded image allows subsurface features, such as obstructions to be identified
at distances from the borehole of up to about three times the borehole depth.

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SUBS Concept for Detecting an Obstruction

• Ground penetrating radar (GPR) uses the principle of the reflection of

electromagnetic signals to locate buried objects. This technique has also been
used for identifying voids near the ground surface and for locating underground
utilities.
• When the signals encounter a material with different dielectric properties a portion
of the signal energy is reflected back to the surface. In order to be detectable an
object must have sufficient electrical contrast with the surrounding ground.
• Therefore, metallic objects are generally easily detectable whereas wood or concrete
may not have sufficient contrast to be detected.
• GPR measurements are obtained by towing an antenna over the ground surface. If
the electromagnetic wave hits a buried object, it is reflected back to the ground
surface and the signal is captured and recorded.
• One disadvantage of this technique is that the effective depth of a GPR survey can
be limited. At some projects, the observed penetration in wet sand was about 30
feet, but in clay the penetration was only about 6 feet (Miller, 1996). Small amounts
of clay in the formation or groundwater can quickly attenuate the signal.
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GPR Survey Concept for Locating Obstructions

• GPR surveys were conducted for the Tanner Creek Stream Diversion Project in
Portland, Oregon to help address the potential for encountering obstructions in a
500-foot section of the 72-inch pipeline to be installed using microtunneling/pipe
jacking methods where man-made fill materials with buried debris was known to be
present.
• Three antennas were used for the survey at frequencies of 25, 50, 100 MHz. Ten
potential obstructions, 2- to 12-foot wide, were identified at depths of 10 to 33 feet
but only three at the depth of the proposed pipeline. The nature of these potential
obstructions is unknown and pipeline could not be relocated to avoid these features,
therefore provisions for obstruction removal shafts (sometimes called recovery or
“911” shafts) were included in the contract documents.

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8 CASE STUDY

Waste Water Pipeline Project in Poland

• Project in Poland's capital Warsaw is expected to be completed mid summer 2008:

To relieve the down-town sewer collector and to transport wastewater to the new
treatment plant "Czajka," astounding 3.3 km large diameter (up to OD 2160
mm) HOBAS CC-GRP Jacking Pipes are installed by remote controlled jacking
(microtunneling) and were literally driven around several bends.
• These projects along with project requirements such as installation depths up to
10.6 m
• Established up to 2 m below groundwater level.
• Waste water pipe project in Poland's capital Warsaw is expected to be completed
mid summer 2008: To relieve the down-town sewer collector and to transport
wastewater to the new treatment plant "Czajka," astounding 3.3 km large
diameter (up to OD 2160 mm) HOBAS CC-GRP Jacking Pipes are installed by
remote controlled jacking (microtunneling) and were literally driven around
several bends.
• Trenchless technologies are the most convenient and reasonable way to install a
pipeline in a city where traffic and buildings above ground but also dense
infrastructure below ground need to be considered. Numerous microtunneling
projects have been successfully implemented with HOBAS CC-GRP Jacking Pipe
Systems in Warsaw before. These projects along with project requirements such
as installation depths up to 10.6 m convinced the municipality, waterworks and
designer to once again opt for a trenchless solution. Furthermore, the installation
method per se saved on pumping costs as the line was partly established up to 2 m
below groundwater level.
• The competition was tight and material prices for sure did not speak for GRP.
HOBAS undoubtedly convinced in different respects such as offering extensive
experience, know-how and reliability in curvilinear jacking. As so often, a second
more thorough glance showed that the higher material costs were considerably
outweighed by savings through, for instance, a 30% reduction of extracted soil
thanks to smaller consistent outer diameters of the comparably thin walled CC-
GRP Pipes. Construction sites and construction equipment could be kept small
and to a minimum, for pipe size and weight surely mattered also in this case. Fast
assembly and small curve radii were further cost saving advantages that spoke for

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HOBAS, not to mention the high corrosion resistance, long life expectancy of the
products, low maintenance costs, etc.
• The 3.3 km line runs in 4.7 and 10.6 m depth and includes 6 curves with 200, 300
and 600 m radii, the longest curve being 124 m at an average gradient of
0.063%. Sand and clay are the main soil components on the route and a part of
the pipeline is assembled below groundwater level.
• HOBAS Poland delivered CC-GRP Jacking Pipes in 1 m, 1.5 m and 3 m
lengths for the different radii and straight sections. Since the absolutely leak-tight
flush HOBAS Couplings incorporate a certain angular deflection, smaller curve
radii are achieved by utilizing shorter pipe sections. Although not absolutely
necessary, HOBAS Experts recommended the use of wooden rings between the
pipes in curved sections in order to guarantee a perfect fit. An intermediate station
that was run in the curve was a novelty that required a special design for the
consequent station as for the steel pipe of the intermediate station itself.
• Challenges of the Project
• Clearance of only 0.6 m between the pipeline and subway were easily overcome.
• Precise planning and the relatively small outer diameter of HOBAS Pipes were
imperative for this remote controlled jacking project.
• A single jacking drive over 500 m was the technical highlight of the project. No
wonder: The close and well functioning cooperation between HOBAS
Organizations is indispensable in every regard and allows drawing from a large
pool of technical expertise for top quality customer solutions.

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Jacking Shaft

Laser Detector and

Monitor

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Different Types of
Joint

Intermediate Jacks

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Control
Cabin

9 COST AND ENVIRONMENT IMPACT

• The total cost of a pipeline rehabilitation/renewal project can be divided into

components as shown in the following table.

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• Cost estimates can be obtained from a wide range of sources including

9.1 Direct Cost

Direct Costs are borne by the utility owner and usually include:
A. Planning, Design and Supervision.
B. Payments to contractors and suppliers.

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C. Diversion of flows and/or provision of temporary service.

D. Permanent reinstatement of excavations.

• Direct costs are the most easily measured and compared component of overall
costs.

9.2 Indirect Cost

These generally include any additional costs associated with a contract which are
borne by the utility. Typical examples are:

A. Compensation for damages paid to other utilities and the owners of property
and land.
B. Compensation to businesses for loss of profits.
C. Compensation to customers for any excessive service interruptions.

9.3 Social Cost

Social cost related to construction work is numerous. The case histories reported
in the paper considered the following six social cost categories:

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10 REFERENCES

1) Microtunnling and Horizontal Drilling

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By FSTT

2) 2001Klain_Newmicrotuntech
University of Nevada
Las Vegas

3) TRC Guidelines

4) info@istt.com

5) mtsprefecto_micro tunneling system.htm

.

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