Brief Introduction to the Trenchless Technology Industry

Trenchless technology is a term that refers to construction work which is done below the surface. Traditional construction, especially any type that involves sewers or pipe restoration, requires the use of trenches before any pipes or lines can be taken out and replaced.

The trenchless technology industry is a fast-growing one. It has been around since the early 1970s but recently, in the past 20 years or so, the industry has taken hold and is now more common especially with any construction work where minimal digging is essential.

The History of Trenchless Technology

While it is a fast-growing community in the civil engineering and construction world, it got its start several decades ago. According to Trenchlesspedia.com, it was invented by a British architectural engineer named Ed Wood. Wood was involved in a construction project where the pipes that were involved could not be dug. He was forced to invent a method to replace them and have them cure in place by doing the work without digging a trench first.

Today, the work has developed. There are more methods used in the work and new equipment involved in trenchless projects. Its main benefit is that underground infrastructures can be replaced or rehabbed with little to no disruption to foot traffic or business. One of the most common uses for trenchless technology is that of replacing sewer pipes in residential homes. Instead of digging up the yard and disrupting a family’s life for days on end, the pipes are done without this disruption or inconvenience.

More About the Trenchless Technology Industry

There was a time where the work could only be done for large-scale projects. Since the early 2000s, small scale pipe re-linings have made it so that smaller projects are now common in the industry. A lot of this is due to computer advances. Engineers can scan the ground below to find data about what lies beneath before they begin working on any size project. The computer scans can also be used to find out exactly where to lay pipes or lines.

The trenchless work is done with the help of liners. These liners can be exposed to high temperatures or freezing temperatures. Methods for installing them include microtunneling or MTM, tunneling, or directional boring. There are also methods used to install cables or pipelines below ground.

The scope of the project dictates the method used as well as the size of the tunnel. Large diameter tunnels for underground subways can be drilled using a special tunnel boring machine. A TBM drills and blasts the correct-sized tunnel for the project. Subsurface construction methods are still used and do require digging, but these methods are alternatively used when the size of the passage being created demands it.

More often, trenchless technological methods are used. These methods require consideration for the soil. Sandy soil could cave in but as long as the soil composition is determined ahead of time there is usually no danger of the surface caving in. Trenchless technology is safe and convenient and the industry will continue to expand.