Blog, trenchless people
We are proud to spotlight NASTT’s 2017 No-Dig Show Platinum Sponsor and Corporate Member TT Technologies.
For over 45 years TT Technologies has led the way in trenchless technology beginning with pneumatic boring tools. Today, with over 200 patents worldwide, TT’s experience shows in trenchless applications ranging from pipe pulling, pipe ramming, pipe bursting, sliplining, and directional boring.
Contractors and municipalities alike benefit from tools that feature low maintenance, high reliability, with proven accuracy and profitability. Aging infrastructure including gas, water, sewer, telephone, and electrical lines and services are repaired or replaced daily using TT Technologies equipment.
A nationwide network of regional customer service offices and distribution locations assures products and expertise are always nearby. Comprehensive hands-on training seminars are held at the corporate offices in Aurora, IL as well as regional shows, seminars, and demonstrations throughout North America each year.
If you’d like to visit with one of NASTT’s Platinum Sponsors, head to booth #401 at NASTT’s No-Dig Show in Washington, DC! For more information, go to nodigshow.com.
Blog, Industry News, trenchless projects
Rock Machine surmounts challenges on High-Cover Los Condores HEPP
Project officials and Robbins team members celebrate the impending launch of the Double Shield TBM on 10.4 km (6.4 mi) of tunnels for the Los Condores Hydroelectric Project.
Chile’s Los Condores HEPP is a high cover, hard rock challenge, with 500 m (1,640 ft) of rock above the tunnel and a high-altitude jobsite 2,500 m (8,200 ft) above sea level. As of January 2017, a 4.56 m (15.0 ft) Robbins Double Shield TBM had completed boring its 900 m (2,950 ft) long access tunnel and was well on the way to boring the first section of headrace tunnel. The machine embarked on its journey on May 27, 2016, and has since excavated over 1,300 m (4,270 ft) of tunnel in total.
The journey to machine launch was an arduous one, requiring shipment of TBM components and vehicle transport on unpaved, mountainous roads. Contractor Ferrovial Agroman is responsible for the intake tunnel at the Los Condores Hydroelectric Project, and was well aware of the challenges associated with machine launch: “The location of the work is a big constraint due to its rugged terrain and geographical location in the Andes. With all this, we are anxious to perform work in an efficient manner,” said Pello Idigoras, Tunnel Production Manager for Ferrovial Agroman.
As of January 2017 the Robbins TBM had completed the 900 m (2,950 ft) long access tunnel and was boring its first section of headrace tunnel at rates of up to 25 rings per day.
The jobsite, located 360 km (224 mi) south of Santiago, Chile, is part of a new 150 MW power plant and intake tunnel. The Robbins Double Shield TBM is boring two sections of the intake tunnel, the first measuring 6 km (3.7 mi) and the second measuring 4.4 km (2.7 mi). A section between the two tunnels will be excavated by drill and blast to connect them, making the intake tunnel about 12 km (7.5 mi) in length. “This project brings an increase in energy production in the country, thus contributing to the overall improvement in the welfare of its citizens,” said Idigoras of the effect the completed hydropower project will have on surrounding areas.
The tunnel, located in the mountainous Maule Region of Chile, is being bored in two types of rock: sedimentary and volcanic. The rock has been tested at strengths up to 100 MPa (14,500 psi) UCS, with at least two fault zones—the first of which has already been traversed in rhyolite, andesite, tuff, and breccia. For Idigoras, the conditions are well-suited to Double Shield tunneling: “We have good quality medium to hard rock for Double Shield excavation overall,” he said. Despite that, some areas of challenging ground persist. To cope with the conditions, including steadily increasing water inflows at rates of up to 3,500 l/min (925 gal/min), the contractor is utilizing cementitious grouting and chemical grouting with polyurethane and foam. Such ground conditioning techniques were anticipated and the Robbins Double shield was designed to effectively apply these techniques.
The challenging launch of the Robbins TBM at the remote jobsite 2,500 m (8,200 ft) above sea level.
As the TBM excavates, it is lining the tunnel with 250 mm (10 in) thick, 1.2 m (3.9 ft) long concrete segments in a 4+1 arrangement. The machine is currently progressing at a rate of up to 25 rings per 20 hours of boring. Crews are operating in two 10-hour shifts with one 4-hour shift dedicated to maintenance. Idigoras sees the TBM performance and completion of the access tunnel as huge project milestones, though much work remains to be done. “After many months working in engineering, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning, we are proud to see this result. It would be impossible to name all the people who participated in this project thus far but they, as a whole, have managed to get the TBM started digging and boring well.”
Blog, Industry News
You are invited to submit a paper for the ASTT’s 12th No-Dig Down Under Conference and Exhibition, which will be held on the Gold Coast from 12-15 September 2017.
Share your knowledge and experiences with Australasia’s Trenchless Technology leaders.
The Call for Papers closes on Wednesday 15 March 2017. All eligible abstracts will be reviewed by a program committee for inclusion in the final conference program.
Papers covering any of the following topics are welcome:
- horizontal directional drilling (HDD)
- pipe jacking
- microtunnelling
- pipe ramming
- design
- training
- new technology and equipment
- cured in place pipe (CIPP)
- grouting
- slip lining and spray lining
- spiral wound pipe
- training
- new technology and equipment
- utility location.
Submit your paper online today!
Abstracts should be:
- In English
- Relevant to the themes of the event
- Accompanied with a biography on the presenter
For more information visit the event website: www.nodigdownunder.com
Blog, Industry News, trenchless products
GSSI, the world’s leading manufacturer of ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment, announces the availability of LineTrac™ XT, an accessory to the StructureScan Mini XT. The combination of the StructureScan Mini XT and LineTrac XT helps concrete professionals locate specific power sources in concrete, including AC power and induced RF energy present in conduits. The new LineTrac XT accessory combines radar data with a magnetometer, delivering accurate, dependable, and repeatable performance.
LineTrac XT includes a number of features that make it easy to identify target utilities, including easy integration with StructureScan Mini XT, seamless data fusion with GPR data, a 50/60 Hertz (Hz) electro-magnetic sensor used to locate powered conduits, and a rugged, IP-65 rated enclosure. LineTrac XT detects extremely low amplitude AC signals associated with difficult to locate conduits. The LineTrac XT accessory complies with all applicable FCC, RSS, RoHS, and CE requirements. It can operate in temperatures ranging from 20°C to 40°C (14°F to 122°F).
The StructureScan Mini XT now comes equipped with the LineTrac XT software package. Users simply insert the LineTrac XT into the front accessory port, select the LineTrac XT module, and choose between 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
About GSSI
Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. is the world leader in the development, manufacture, and sale of ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment, primarily for the concrete inspection, utility mapping and locating, road and bridge deck evaluation, geophysics, and archaeology markets. Our equipment is used all over the world to explore the subsurface of the earth and to inspect infrastructure systems non-destructively. GSSI created the first commercial GPR system nearly 45 years ago and continues to provide the widest range and highest quality GPR equipment available today.
Blog, trenchless people
We are proud to spotlight NASTT’s 2017 No-Dig Show Platinum Sponsor and Corporate Member Perma-Liner Industries, Inc.
Perma-Liner™ (PLI) is the leading manufacturer and supplier of trenchless pipeline rehabilitation equipment and materials in North America. Since 1999 PLI has developed systems to rehabilitate existing sewer systems without excavation.
Their experience in the CIPP (Cured-In-Place-Pipe) industry has allowed Perma-Liner™ to design, patent, and manufacture state of the art technology. Based on the design of the equipment and materials, Perma-Liner™ has the ability to offer compact “User Friendly” systems. Perma-Liner™ provides complete “Turn-Key” Trailer or Truck Build-Out Packages, Certification/Training, Technical Support, Marketing Support and Specification & Design Support.
If you’d like to visit with one of NASTT’s Platinum Sponsors, head to booth #501 at NASTT’s No-Dig Show in Washington, D.C.! For more information, go to nodigshow.com.
Blog, trenchless people
We are proud to spotlight NASTT’s 2017 No-Dig Show Platinum Sponsor and Corporate Member, Aegion.
According to aegion.com, Aegion keeps infrastructure working better, safer and longer for customers throughout the world by offering rehabilitation and corrosion protection for pipelines and various structures, and turnaround and maintenance services for refineries and other facilities.
Aegion Corporation is the parent company for Aegion Coating Services, Bayou, Brinderson, Corrpro, Fibrwrap Construction, Fyfe Co., LLC, Insituform Technologies, LLC, Schultz, Underground Solutions
and United Pipeline Systems.
Aegion’s companies are global leaders in infrastructure protection and provide proprietary technologies and services for the corrosion protection of industrial pipelines and for rehabilitating and strengthening sewer, water, energy and mining piping systems, buildings, bridges and tunnels and waterfront structures.
Aegion combines innovative technologies with market-leading expertise to maintain, rehabilitate and strengthen infrastructure around the world. Since 1971, the Company has played a pioneering role in finding transformational solutions to rehabilitate aging infrastructure, primarily pipelines in the wastewater, water, energy, mining and refining industries. Aegion also maintains the efficient operation of refineries and other industrial facilities and provides innovative solutions for the strengthening of buildings, bridges and other structures. Aegion is committed to Stronger. Safer. Infrastructure®.
If you’d like to visit with one of NASTT’s Platinum Sponsors, head to booth #301 at NASTT’s No-Dig Show in Washington, D.C.! For more information, go to nodigshow.com.
We are proud to spotlight NASTT’s 2017 No-Dig Show Platinum Sponsor and Corporate Member TT Technologies.
