Running a water pipe under a stream with a TRACTO PS60 GRUNDOPIT
The PS60 GRUNDOPIT is a small HDD rig that packs exceptional performance into a compact package.
The fluid-assisted mini drill rig is widely used for domestic property connections for gas, water and electricity pipes, along with glass fibre cables and sewer pressure pipes. Launched from a small pit, the HDD rig ensures a quick and economical trenchless connection, eliminating the need for full civils work.
As with many of the TRACTO product range, it can also be used for crossings underneath roads, rivers and brooks and can work in difficult soil conditions thanks to its high torque of 1500Nm and push and pulling forces up to 6 tonnes.
This power and efficiency were perfectly demonstrated on a site in Scotland earlier in the year.
A job awarded to FCH Construction by Scottish Water involved the connection of water to a detached residential property in Inchture, a village in Scotland between Dundee and Perth on the northern side of the Firth of Tay. Sounds simple, but a small, fast flowing stream was obstructing the run of the installation of 125mm PE pipe from one side of a road to the other.
A temporary water pipe was straddling the stream, but a permanent solution was required. One suggestion was to dam the stream with sheet piles etc to stop the flow of water: a huge undertaking and ultimately costly and time consuming for a short run of pipe.
However, with their knowledge and experience of trenchless technology, FCH Construction liaised with the team at TRACTO, who recommended the PS60 with its ample capacity for the short water crossing.
The unit and a specialist machine operator from TRACTO arrived on site and in under 6 hours the new pipe was installed to the correct depth below the stream.
During the process TRACTO used a DCI Falcon F1 locating system to guide the pilot bore safely to the target pit.
The client was delighted with the efficient solution and the minimal impact on the surroundings both during and after the drill.
