Refinements in pipe bursting tooling make it a preferred technique for gas line replacement and upsizing even for steel pipe

摘要

Originally created for the natural gas industry more than 30 years ago, the pipe bursting technique has proven to be an effective, economical trenchless pipe replacement method for quickly upsizing or replacing plastic, cast iron, ductile iron and even steel gas line mains and services.Modern improvements to tooling design enable natural gas companies to maintain and replace gas delivery lines with little or no disruption of their customers’ daily routines even when surface construction or the proximity of shared utilities present complicationsBenefits of the pipe bursting technique continue to prove themselves to this day. It requires only a small working crew and minimal equipment outlay. Excavation is limited to small working pits to accommodate any required shoring, a hydraulic pulling machine and room for pipe handling.The length of a pipe bursting run is generally determined by factors such as number of services to connect or disconnect and any fixtures that might impede the run, such as the bolted couplers of an unmapped repair discovered by operators in the case study included in this presentation. In the study, the technique was used on a scheduled 450-foot run of 4-inch steel gas line, replacing the pipe with 4-inch HDPE. The project demonstrates how the pipe bursting technique and modern, purpose-built tooling minimizes demolition, excavation and consequent restoration work with no interference with water or sewer lines in a crowed utility easement.