Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is a trenchless method of sewer construction. It is suitable for soft to hard clays, wet soils, and environmentally sensitive areas. This method avoids having to dig large pits to install jacking and boring machines.
Crews dig small sending and receiving pits. They use a drilling rig to drill a pilot hole and cut a path for the new sewer pipe. Crews install the new sewer pipe from the surface through the sending pit and then pull it through the cut path at the receiving pit.
The work involves the following steps:
- Dig shallow sending and receiving pits to the required depth.
- Drill a pilot hole that will establish the desired line and grade for the new sewer pipe.
- Cut a larger-diameter path through the pilot hole to accommodate the new sewer pipe.
- Install the new sewer pipe from the surface by pulling it through the cut path.
- Connect the new pipe to the existing public sewer.
- Cover open pits with steel plates-or secure the pits with fencing-at the end of each day as needed while work is in progress.
- Backfill pits with sand or gravel and apply temporary asphalt patches.
- Conduct quality control inspections.
- Complete permanent pavement restoration of patched pits after work passes inspections.
What equipment is used for horizontal directional drilling?
There's a variety of equipment that is necessary on an HDD jobsite. The model of equipment you run can enhance productivity due to features and technology.
Here's a rundown of equipment:
Pipeline drills: Larger HDDs, used to install large-diameter products like sewers, water and gas lines.
Utility drills: Smaller HDDs that can be used to install larger product - like water, gas and power lines - as well as smaller-diameter products, like fiber and telephone lines.
Locators: Tool used to identify the location and depth of underground infrastructure. Using a locator is essential to prevent damage to utilities and ensure the safety of HDD crews. Many state laws require all utilities to be located, marked and exposed before work begins - which makes a locator essential for nearly all HDD crews.
Truck and trailer vacuum excavators: Also called hydro vacs, these machines combine a powerful vacuum with water to remove soil safely. Vacuum excavators are used to expose underground utilities without causing damage to the utility themselves - which is especially helpful in urban areas with robust underground infrastructure.
the advantages of horizontal directional drilling?
HDD is one of the preferred methods to place infrastructure product underground for many reasons. Not only are there benefits like reduced jobsite costs, but improved crew safety, efficiency and installation accuracy as well.
Minimized disruption: A benefit to using HDD is that there is less disruption to traffic, businesses and the environment. This is appealing especially in highly populated areas. Where obstacles like roads, rivers or bridges are present and traditional trenching would be impractical, a horizontal directional drill is ideal.
Environmental impact: Since HDD disturbs the surface less than trenching or excavation, it reduces overall environmental impact. This is especially key in sensitive areas like wetlands and forests or habitats of endangered species.
Jobsite versatility: A horizontal directional drill can be swapped with a wide variety of drill bits to tackle many soil conditions. This enables drillers to work with many soil compositions using the same machine.
Comparative cost: While the initial purchase of a drill may be daunting, you can often save on your overall project costs. Drilling instead of open-cut trenching reduces the necessary restoration work and can shorten jobsite deadlines.
Accurate installation: With the use of technology such as +BorePlan and underground locators, a horizontal directional drill can install product with improved accuracy. Accurate product installation promotes additional jobsite and operator safety by avoiding existing utilities.
As a manufacturer of trenchless equipment, Vigor guarantees 100% product reliability through rigorous production process control and standardized inspection procedures. If you are also interested in our trenchless product line, please don't hesitate to contact us. For more information, you can write to our mailbox info@vigorpetroleum.com & marketing@vigordrilling.com
