Blog, Industry News, trenchless people
NASTT is pleased to present three new membership opportunities in 2018:
Attention Students!
Available now: Student Non-Affiliated Membership
NASTT proudly engages 18 official Student Chapters,and now we are branching out to all students throughout North America! The NASTT Student Non-Affiliated Membership ($50 USD per year) is available to any student actively enrolled full-time in a North American university that doesn’t currently have an official Student Chapter on campus.
Overseas Opportunities!
Available now: International Individual Membership
The NASTT International Individual Membership ($250 USD per year) is available to any individual residing outside of North America.
Stay Engaged!
Available now: Retiree Membership
The NASTT Retiree Membership ($40 USD per year) is open to NASTT members after they retire from the industry.
Click here to learn about all of NASTT’s membership options.
Industry News, trenchless products
Vac-Tron Equipment has released their new CS 1270 trailer vac. This new Compact Industrial Vac Series comes standard with a 1200-gallon debris tank and 580 or 1,000 cfm. It is also available with a hydraulic operated opening and locking rear door, wet/dry filtration cyclone, 30’ x 3” suction hose and tool, and 27 HP or 37 HP Kohler gas engine. Options include 24 HP Kohler diesel engine and reverse pressure.
It is ideal for drill slurry cleanup as well as other projects that call for slurry removal. With the optional reverse pressure, you can collect the slurry, transport, and offload it into another container or simply open the rear door and dump the material quickly.
For more information about the CS 1270 GT or SGT model, contact Vac-Tron Equipment at 888-822-8766 to request a free demo.
Industry News, trenchless people
GeoEngineers, Inc. is closing out 2017 by creating a new Pipelines business unit to help its professionals focused on pipeline services collaborate and work across geographic regions even more effectively. GeoEngineers’ busy pipelines practice has ranked in the top half of Trenchless Technology Magazine’s Top 50 Trenchless Design Firms industry survey for the past 10 years.
Principal Mark A. Miller, PE, who works from GeoEngineers Springfield, Missouri office, will lead the new Pipelines Business Unit with support from two team leaders; Principal Jonathan L. Robison, PE, also located in Springfield and Principal Trevor N. Hoyles, PE in the Raleigh, North Carolina office.
GeoEngineers also hired veteran pipeline industry project manager, Gary Castleberry, in November 2017 to help grow its pipelines practice. Castleberry is a senior construction consultant with 17 years of experience in the pipeline industry. He started his career as a drilling mud technician, monitoring drilling mud volume and properties on trenchless construction sites, and worked his way into project management of large pipeline routes. Most recently, Castleberry was a field engineer for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which is comprised of 600 miles of natural gas pipeline extending from West Virginia to North Carolina. Now at GeoEngineers, Castleberry continues to collaborate with project and construction management and engineering staff on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline’s 28 horizontal directional drills (HDDs) and one Direct Pipe® installation. Other recent projects Castleberry has worked on include the nearly 500-mile-long, award-winning Sabal Trail Pipeline extending from Alabama to Florida with 21 horizontal directional drill (HDD) installations and the New Jersey-New York Expansion Project extending from Linden, New Jersey to Manhattan, New York. The 20-mile project route included nine HDDs, a marine tie-in of two HDDs in the near shore Hudson River waters adjacent to Jersey City, New Jersey, and a landfall HDD tie-in in Manhattan, New York.
Most of GeoEngineers’ business units are organized geographically and tend to serve clients within their regions. The company’s pipeline work is distinctly different. Oil and gas projects are geographically dispersed, and staff are regularly deployed to project sites throughout the country.
“Our work is international. Our clients are everywhere, and our projects are everywhere, so from a structural standpoint, this made sense,” said Miller.
GeoEngineers’ pipeline services include the entire life cycle of trenchless projects—from concept to completion. This includes geohazards analysis and geological desktop studies; pipeline route selection assistance; feasibility analysis of trenchless methods, including geometry, workspace and constructability; and geotechnical investigations before engineering and construction even begins. GeoEngineers continues to assist in pipeline projects with trenchless design engineering, bid specification preparation and pre-construction support, permitting, construction observation with detailed daily reporting, and post-construction documentation.
“The new unit will improve our ability to support clients and give them more consistent relationships and work products,” Miller explained.
GeoEngineers, founded in 1980 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is an integrated earth science and technology firm with 13 offices in Missouri, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, North Carolina and Louisiana. GeoEngineers specializes in crafting unique environmental, geotechnical, and ecological solutions for the energy, transportation, water and natural resource, federal, and development sectors, and it is currently ranked #223 in the 2017 Engineering News Record Top 500 National Design Firms survey. For more information, please visit www.geoengineers.com.
Industry News, trenchless projects
Fusible PVC® pipe for fault crossings, curvilinear alignments and restrained joint sections
The Los Carneros Water District Recycled Water Project was designed t
o provide the Los Carneros Water District (LCWD) service area, located just south of Napa, California, with a reliable recycled water supply. This system is used to offset groundwater use during the summer irrigation season allowing more potable water to be available for critical consumption.
This project included the construction of 8.6 miles of 6- to 20-inch diameter recycled water pipelines to provide a distribution system which supplies recycled water to portions of residential landscape and agricultural land within LCWD. The recycled water will be sourced from the Napa Sanitation District’s existing Soscol Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The system is located within existing road right of ways and did not require new pump stations or storage facilities. All storage and pumping requirements are met using Napa Sanitation District’s Soscol WWTP facility. The project serves approximately 115 parcels or 3,800 acres of irrigable land within the District with approximately 1,300 acre-feet of recycled water per year. Irrigation water users connect their own irrigation systems and facilities to various turnouts on the system to provide the recycled water to their private lands and fields.
The District bid Fusible PVC® pipe, with its thermally butt-fused joint, as the base bid for restrained joint areas, fault crossings and curvilinear alignments that exceeded the allowable deflection of conventional bell-and-spigot pipe. The District also allowed mechanically restrained bell-and-spigot PVC pipe, using bell restrainers with 316 stainless steel hardware for the restrained pipe lengths. The bell restrainer also needed to be wrapped in an AWWA approved four-part petrolatum tape wrap system for corrosion control. JMB Construction, the low bidder on the project, elected to use Fusible PVC® pipe in the restrained areas as the most cost-effective option.
Approximately 20 percent of the pipeline was constructed with Fusible PVC® pipe. Fusible PVC® pipe addressed several specific design elements that conventional bell-and-spigot PVC pipe could not. These included seismic fault crossings where the fusion joint provides a fully restrained joint that resists ‘pull-out’ during earth movement. It also included curvilinear horizontal and vertical pipeline alignments that
exceed the allowable deflection capability of bell-and-spigot joining technology. Finally, it was used as the non-corrosive restrained-joint pipeline required to resist axial thrust at fittings and appurtenances along the pipeline. Fusible PVC® pipe is the only PVC restrained joint meets the requirements of the AWWA C605 PVC pressure pipe installation standard, regardless of pipe size.
JMB Construction’s Sean Quinn commented, “JMB has utilized and installed Fusible PVC® pipe on many projects including HDD, sliplining, pipe bursting and open cut installations. This is another project in a long line of successful projects using Fusible PVC® pipe.”
Image 1: Placing the restrained, Fusible PVC® pipe length under existing utility crossings
Image 2: JMB used standard, mechanical joint ductile iron fittings with restrainer glands to assemble the pipe system
Industry News, trenchless people
Area’s leading equipment provider increases product offerings.
BALTIMORE, MD – November 15, 2017 – Vermeer Mid Atlantic (VMA), the East Coast’s premier Vermeer dealer partner and member of the Norris Companies, is partnering with Yanmar Equipment to fill out its already extensive product lineup. Customers now have access to commercial trucks, trailers, two equipment brands, finance options and after-sales support all in one location.
VMA is one of the few suppliers of Yanmar in the market, especially for the utility, landscape and forestry industries. Some of the most popular Yanmar models, like excavators, articulating wheel loaders, tracked carriers and skid steer and tracked loaders will service the existing Vermeer markets in addition to opening new ones. All products will be sold and serviced by trained VMA representatives working out of 11 existing locations, plus a brand-new store opening later this year in Roanoke, Virginia. Stock units, demo units and rental fleet options are now available.
“Adding a premium brand like Yanmar gives our group another powerful tool to help serve the needs of our commercial clients,” says VMA CEO Andy Franklin. “It allows our commercial clients to streamline the number of vendors they have to contact on a daily basis and spend more of their time focused on their business.”
Yanmar, which was founded in 1912, specializes in diesel engines and has built a solid reputation for innovative and thoughtfully designed pieces that work to tackle the toughest jobs. Some of the most popular options, like the Vi035-6A excavator, SV08-1B mini excavator, S165R-1 skid steer, patented rotary pistons and C50R-3C tracked carriers, will help better serve customers in niche markets.
VMA and Yanmar have a dedication to landscape and tree care customers, so these new products will give customers in this industry a previously unavailable selection of equipment to solidify their business. The wide variety of products available from Yanmar will also allow for expansion into new markets, like water and sewer management, gas industry, utility installation and more.
“Yanmar has the best quality products in the industry,” says VMA President Mark Boyle. “We’ve wanted for years to bring this product to our customers, and we’re proud to finally have it come together.”
Both Yanmar and Norris Automotive Group have established over the past century what it means to serve customers, so both companies have a proven dedication to providing only the best. This partnership will give customers options that were not available before, a more streamlined sales and service process and an entire new line of products to grow their business.
“Together, the family of Norris Companies can provide a turnkey offering from the truck, trailer, equipment, finance and after-sale support to simplify the process from all of our partnering customers,” says Mark.
About Vermeer Mid Atlantic
Vermeer Mid Atlantic, Inc. – a dealership group with 12 locations serving the Northern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina markets – is a full-service Vermeer Platinum equipment dealer that specializes in selling, leasing, training and servicing Vermeer® NAVIGATOR™ horizontal directional drilling machines, equipment for utility installation, tree care, organic recycling and wood waste processing equipment.
Equipped To Do More™, the extensive product line, pre-owned inventory, expansive parts catalogue and professional staff have made VMA a top-performer in the Vermeer Corporation partner network. Visit VermeerMidAtlantic.com for more information.
About Norris Companies
Norris Automotive Group has been serving the automotive and equipment needs of Maryland’s consumers and businesses since 1917. The Norris Automotive Group retail brands include Norris Ford, Norris Honda, Norris Acura, Auto Connect, Northpoint Motors and Norris Insurance. The Norris Commercial division is the number one Commercial Services provider in the Mid-Atlantic with 20 locations spanning from Maryland to South Carolina. The Norris Commercial Division maintains over $15 million in light and heavy vehicle parts inventory including OEM and aftermarket, 75 parts delivery vehicles servicing the region with multiple daily deliveries, four aftermarket parts locations, four dedicated commercial service facilities in the Baltimore/Washington market, over 20 mobile service and hydraulic repair crews that operate 24/7, 12 full-service Vermeer equipment dealerships specializing in equipment for utility installation, tree care, organic recycling, and the largest commercial vehicle sales team in the region. For more information visit NorrisAutoGroup.com, NorrisCommercial.com and VermeerMidAlantic.com.
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Media Contact: Lindsey Smith Norris Automotive Group | 925 Merritt Blvd Baltimore, MD 21222 | lsmith@norrisautogroup.com | 410-285-0600
trenchless products
Additional Forged, One-Piece Pipe for Ditch Witch and Vermeer Now Available
(Hutchinson, Kansas) – StraightLine HDD announced the addition of multiple pipe sizes to its growing offering of in-stock drill pipe. The product expansion more than doubles the number of available Vermeer-compatible pipe and adds three common Ditch Witch-compatible pipe sizes.
Strengthening its in-stock pipe product range is designed to stay ahead of the growing trend of contractors favoring pipe suppliers offering delivery speed. In addition, all StraightLine pipe sizes and types feature forged, one-piece construction and is backed by a pro-rated warranty.
About StraightLine HDD
Since 1984, StraightLine has produced “Professional Drilling Solutions” to the trenchless industry. It’s full line of down-hole tools, wear parts and accessories are known for their innovative and rugged design. In 2015, StraightLine HDD merged operations with Source: HDD, Inc., a leading provider of used HDD rigs and support equipment. Together, the merger created a company offering total HDD solutions—from rig to bit. Call 620-802-0200 or visit us at www.straightlinehdd.com for details.
Industry News, trenchless products
Landmark Conveyor revs up Akron OCIT Muck Removal
On October 18, 2017, a Robbins 9.26 m (30.4 ft) diameter Crossover machine started up at the Akron Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel (OCIT) in Ohio, USA—but the startup wasn’t the only milestone. Running behind the Crossover TBM is the 100th Robbins Continuous Conveyor system supplied for muck removal. The side-mounted conveyor is a design standard, but the landmark is a significant one: “With this system we have provided more conveyors than any other TBM conveyor supplier,” said Dean Workman, Robbins Director of Conveyors, Cutters, & SBUs. Counting conveyor systems the company has on order but has not yet delivered, that number is now well above 100, Workman added.
The Akron OCIT conveyor system consists of the belt plus a main drive, splice stand, storage unit, and advancing tailpiece, operating through several curves requiring patented self-adjusting curve idlers that correct themselves based on varying belt tension and belt load. The system discharges onto a customer-supplied overland conveyor, which delivers the muck to a large storage yard near the portal site. The belt was designed to handle variable geology, from soft soils to partial face rock and finally full-face shale rock.
The 100th conveyor system has been refurbished and customized for the job in a process that Robbins has been perfecting for decades: “We design our conveyor systems to last for five to ten years, but many last for decades longer. We have systems utilizing components that have been in operation for 30 years. We haven’t reached a limit for many of our systems—for example we had a specialized conveyor system built more than a decade ago for the Parramatta Rail Link in Sydney, Australia. Those components were refurbished for a job in Atlanta, Georgia, and now they are being used at the Dig Indy tunnels in Indianapolis, Indiana. These are long and challenging tunnel drives and the components are up to it.” While the Akron OCIT conveyor is just beginning to haul muck, it is sure to be a benefit throughout the project’s varying ground conditions.
The conveyor in Akron is also part of a long history for Robbins conveyors—the first of which (not counted in the list of 100) was the first ever continuous conveyor system used behind a TBM. That prototype, developed by founder James S. Robbins in 1963, was successfully used behind the 11.2 m (36.7 ft) diameter Main Beam TBM at the Mangla Dam project in what was then known as West Pakistan. While conveyors would not be adopted as a standard method of muck removal for many years afterward, the project laid the groundwork for future success.
Today’s conveyor systems are capable of spanning dozens of kilometers and hauling 1,800 metric tons (2,000 US tons) an hour or more. It’s a legacy that Workman sees will continue to grow: “This is my 20th year with Robbins and I remember when we started our conveyor list. It is amazing to look at all of the jobs and things we’ve done. It’s amazing to see what these systems can do.”
Image: The Robbins Crossover (XRE) TBM and its continuous conveyor system began excavation in Akron, Ohio, USA on October 18, 2017.
Desiree Willis
Technical Writer
Email: willisd@robbinstbm.com
Direct: 253.872.4490
The Robbins Company
29100 Hall Street
Solon, OH 44139 USA
trenchless products
AURORA, Ill. – TT Technologies’ redesigned Grundopit pit-launched mini directional drill is well suited for difficult fiber-to-the-home and utility service line installations in tight working conditions. The unit is compact, 54 inches long, 43 inches wide and 57 inches tall. The Grundopit delivers 13,489 lbs. of thrust and pull back and 553 ft. lbs. of torque with bore length up to 150 feet. The Grundopit is an ideal entry-level system for utilities, cable industries or as a supplement to larger units.
The new unit features a patented instant plug-in lock that holds the drill stem in place. The instant plug-in lock system allows new drill stems to be added easily by engaging the new drill stem at the rotational motor. This means that drill stems are only screwed into the lead stem and not the rotational motor, cutting the time it takes to add a stem in half.
Components include a two-part bore rig, patented drill stem plug in, 30 drill stems, bore head with angled steering surface, backreamer and swivel coupling, hose package and power pack.
trenchless projects
Expansive Metro Project Will Provide Transportation Within Rapidly Developing City
On Tuesday, October 31, 2017, a 6.65 m (21.8 ft) diameter Robbins EPB TBM broke through at Chennai Metro, making this the third tunnel the machine has bored for the project and for contractor Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. The three separate bores for the EPB are part of an increasing trend, as many Robbins EPBs have been used on multiple tunnel drives with good performance. Robbins EPBs are built one third heavier than any other EPB on the market and are designed for 10,000 hours of usable life, making them ideal machines for use over many kilometers. “Robbins is known for designing resilient machines,” said Mr. Gopal Dey, Afcons Senior Manager. “For this project, we needed a machine that was specifically tailored to project conditions from soft clay to mixed ground with rock. Robbins EPB TBMs have unique design features that optimize the machine for the geology.”
After completing its original twin tunnels, the EPB was refurbished in preparation to bore its latest 1.8 km (1.1 mi) section. During refurbishment, the inner seal greasing system was changed from auto to manual mode and the foam nozzle system was modified. These changes optimized the machine for excavation in the highly variable mixed face conditions encountered in the first two tunnels.
The EPB was launched on February 3, earlier this year. According to contractor Afcons, the machine faced a major challenge right out of the gate. “When the TBM came out of the launching shaft, a few rings were erected and then the machine had to cross a live railway track, which meant there would be a possibility of ground settlement,” said Afcons Director, Mr. Manivannan. “At this stage, we had to closely monitor TBM face pressure and advance the machine at a uniform rate to ensure proper primary grouting.” The bore’s geology mainly consisted of clayey sand and about 60 meters (197 ft) of mixed ground.
“We [Afcons] chose this machine for this project due to the underground geology in Chennai, which continuously changes from soil to mixed ground,” said Mr. Dey. “We also liked that Robbins EPB machines are designed with active articulation to allow the machine to turn or steer with ease.” During active articulation, thrust cylinders react evenly against the entire circumference of the tunnel lining, even in a curve—a design that eliminates the problem of tunnel lining deformation. “This feature enabled the machine to negotiate through well-controlled conditions,” added Mr. Manivannan.
With all three tunnels, Robbins Field Service members were on location to assist and support as required. During the course of each bore, Robbins was there to advise Afcons on how best to maneuver through challenging ground and provide instruction for machine operation. The ability of the contractor and manufacturer to work well together, as Robbins and Afcons have throughout their contracts, was critical to the good advance rates. The result was a robust machine that advanced at rates of 80 mm (3 in) per minute in challenging conditions.
This latest tunnel connects multiple stations along the metro line, starting from Washermenpet through to Sir Theagaraya and to Kurukpet. The Chennai Metro Project will provide much needed transportation to a rapidly developing city.
Image 1: On Tuesday, October 31, 2017 a 6.65 m (21.8 ft) Robbins EPB made its third breakthrough at India’s Chennai Metro.
Image 2: Robbins and contractor Afcons celebrate the breakthrough and good performance of the EPB, which achieved rates up to 80 mm (3 in) per minute in mixed ground conditions.
Desiree Willis
Technical Writer
Email: willisd@robbinstbm.com
Direct: 253.872.4490
The Robbins Company
Blog, Industry News
Delivering Outstanding Lifting and Hydraulic Performances
PELLA, Iowa, November 1, 2017 – Vermeer has expanded its compact equipment lineup with the new S925TX mini skid steer, designed to provide impressive lifting performance and the power to conquer the most demanding applications.
With a tip capacity of 2,643 pounds (1,198.8 kg), a rated operating capacity of 925 pounds (419.6 kg) and maximum hinge pin height reach of 84.5 inches (214.6 cm), the radial lift path of the Vermeer S925TX makes easy work of lifting and dumping heavy loads.
The new mini skid steer features a dual auxiliary system which allows the operator to switch between high flow for ground-engaging attachments and low flow for maximum control. It is also equipped with a universal mounting plate that fits a broad range of Vermeer-approved attachments.
“From landscaping and tree care to rental operations, contractors are discovering that Vermeer mini skid steers can increase their daily productivity,” said Jon Kuyers, senior global products manager at Vermeer. “With the S925TX model, we’ve designed a machine that can deliver a higher lifting performance than most other machines in the compact utility loader segment while still maintaining a compact size and impressive hydraulic attachment wielding performance.”
The new Vermeer S925TX mini skid steer is offered in three smooth-running, high-torque, four-cylinder engine options, including a 24.8 hp (18.2 kW) Kubota V1505 diesel engine, a 40 hp (29.8 kW) Kubota WG1605 gas engine and the 35.1 hp (26.2 kW) Kubota V1505 diesel engine offered only for international markets. Contractors can further customize their mini skid steer loader with either 7-inch (17.8 cm) wide tracks that produce 5 psi (.4 bar) of ground pressure or 9-inch (22.9 cm) wide tracks with 4 psi (.3 bar) of ground pressure for even better floatation.
The S925TX mini skid steer has a travel speed of 4.1 mph (6.6 km/h). Like other Vermeer mini skid steers, the S925TX is built with a chariot-style platform for optimum operator comfort, and pilot-operated ground drive to help the user maintain smooth control on the jobsite, as well as in tight areas.
The Vermeer S925TX is backed by a three-year/3000-hour extended limited warranty on the mainframe and loader arms for even more assurance and piece-of-mind on the job.
For more information about the Vermeer S925TX mini skid steer, contact your local Vermeer dealer or visit Vermeer.com.
NASTT is pleased to present three new membership opportunities in 2018:
