Industry News, trenchless people
It is with regret, but much fondness, that we remember the life and contribution of ISTT Chairman Emeritus Ted Flaxman who died December 8, 2020, aged 92.
Ted (EW) Flaxman, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, had a distinguished career with Binnie and Partners (now Black and Veatch). As Past President of the Institution of Public Health Engineers (IPHE), he chaired the organizing committee of the IPHE Conference “Trenchless Construction for Utilities,’’ the 1st No-Dig Event in 1985. In his concluding address, he proposed a series of international trenchless events, the formation of the International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT), an industry journal, and an annual prize for innovation.
With customary vigor, he made all of these promises happen, and ISTT was established in 1986. Ted served as its Chairman from 1986-2003 and as a Guarantor until 2016. In 1988 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineers. He received the Kurose Award in 1993 and the UKSTT’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. Ted was Master of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators in 1996 and with Ted Jackson he published a “Sweet and Wholesome Water-five centuries of the history of water bearers in London.”
A much accomplished leader, visionary and friend who did much to encourage generations of trenchless technologists, he had a keen wit and joked that his epitaph should be ‘Ted Flaxman fled taxman’!
Respectfully,
Dec Downey
Image caption: Ted Flaxman (right) with (from left) Rolf Bielecki, Dec Downey and Dr. Tohyama. Photo courtesy of Dec Downey.
Industry News, trenchless people
Insituform Technologies, an affiliate of Aegion Corporation, the world’s largest cured-in-place pipe 
(CIPP) provider in underground pipeline rehabilitation, announced that Cindy Preuss, P.E. has joined the company as Senior Business Development Manager for the Northern California and Pacific Northwest Regions.
Cindy brings more than 21 years of professional engineering experience working in the design consulting industry, where she was an important driving force for evaluating, designing, and promoting trenchless technologies for myriad pipeline projects in the West. Formerly Principal/Vice-President and Associate of HydroScience Engineers and Harris & Associates, respectively, her reputation in the industry is both impressive and significant, and Insituform is fortunate to have her aboard.
Hailing from the University of California at Berkeley, Cindy is well known both nationally and regionally through her recent service on the NASTT Board of Directors, the WESTT Board of Directors, the Northern California Pipe Users Group (PUG), and through her current service as an instructor for the NASTT Trenchless Good Practices Courses offered nationally. She is a strong asset to both the trenchless industry and the Insituform team.
Cindy will be responsible for handling business development in the Northern California and Pacific Northwest Regions, in addition to participating in R&D and strategic planning in the pressure pipe rehabilitation arena. She can be reached at cpreuss@aegion.com or at (925) 408-3815.
Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless projects
On Thursday, November 12 the NASTT Student Chapter at Rutgers University participated in a trenchless presentation discussing various projects in the Northeastern United States.
A Zoom session was hosted by Dennis Walsh – Senior Project Manager – Horizontal Directional Drilling of PSE&G and the presenter was Rich Palmer of Northeast Remsco. Scott Murray – Project Executive at Northeast Remsco arranged for Rich to present and worked with Rutgers Professor Nenad Gucunski and Student Chapter President, Ian Walczak to make it happen.
12 attendees logged on to this evening session which included project info, lots of photos and a lively Q and A session.
Many thanks to all the volunteers that made this happen and are helping our Student Chapters stay involved during the quarantine where group learning settings can be difficult to navigate.
Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless products
Since its founding over 100 years ago, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce has been steadfast in its mission is to lead the region in business and community development through collaboration and innovation. Currently, over 1,900 regional business and organizations are members of the Chamber. In 1993, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce created its annual and truly iconic Business Excellence Awards program to celebrate and honor businesses that have distinguished themselves by being a significant presence in and/or providing substantial benefit to the citizens and economy of Stark County.
To be considered, the business must be for-profit and needs to have demonstrated several of the following attributes:
• Growth in business and/or employment (i.e. growth in sales or employees, etc.)
• Stability and longevity in your industry (i.e. adaption to changing industry, viability to the industry, etc.)
• Capital investment or expansion of operations and/or efficiencies
• Innovation (expansion of products/product lines)
• Outstanding customer service
• Entrepreneurship
• Consistent Involvement in the community
This year, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is holding its 106TH VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING, featuring Community Updates & the 2020 Business Excellence Award Honorees on Tuesday, October 27.
2020 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD HONOREES:
Barbco Inc.
Combi Packaging
Kempthorn Motors
Mid’s True Sicilian Pasta Sauce
Morgan Engineering
Muggswigz Coffee & Tea
Sand, Sebolt & Wernow Co.
Barbco, Incorporated joins Combi Packaging, Kempthorn Motors, Morgan Engineering, Muggswigz Coffee and Tea, MID’s “True Sicilian Pasta Sauce” and Sand, Sebolt & Wernow Co., LPA in the Business Excellence Awards Class of 2020. Barbco, Incorporated is proud, honored, and humbled to be considered alongside such esteemed companies that are committed to the continued growth and economic strength of the region.
Industry News, trenchless projects
Fully Engineered, manufactured and on Site in 6 weeks!
On July 1st, 2020, The Atkinson / Technique Joint Venture entered into a contract with Kelley Engineered Equipment (KEE) for the supply of a 90.25” (2.3 m) digger shield. On August 15th, just Six weeks later, the machine was on site and ready to work. Averaging about 5.3’ (1.6 m) per day, the distance needed to install 4 rings of liner plate, the shield finished its drive on October 6th, 2020.
The task at hand was tunneling 356’ (109 m) of varying stiff clays, saprolite and mylonite for the City of Atlanta’s Water Supply Project Phase II. This undertaking connects a new 3.4-billion-gallon (12.9 million m³) emergency drinking water reservoir to a new treatment plant. However, the shield’s most important job was to provide the required Cooper E-80 Loading support under 154” (47 m) of the CSX railroad passing intermittently overhead with cover as low as 15’ (4.6 m).
In addition to thrust and steering systems, the unit was designed with special features to expedite assembly and disassembly in the heading. After the collapsed shield was lowered down a 30’ (9.1 m) diameter shaft, it was transported through an existing pre-lined tunnel and assembled at the mining site. The shield was assembled within these liner panels and thrust off smaller ID panels that were erected within the safety of the shield.
Fabrication, workshop assembly and factory acceptance testing were performed at KEE’s longtime partner, Wolf Hills Fabricators, LLC in Abingdon, VA. Wolf Hills supplied exceptional quality and were instrumental in achieving the very quick delivery.
Atkinson Construction’s Konner Horton was quoted as thanking KEE for “a machine that worked great and getting it done for us so quickly”.
Image 1: KEE digger shield fully assembled in the Wolf Hills facility and awaiting its trip to Atlanta.
Image 2: The 90.25” (2.3 m)) Kelley Shield in transport mode as it travels through the existing tunnel.
Image 3: The shield was lowered down a 30’ (9.1 m) diameter shaft before riding the rails to the excavation area under the CSX Railway.
Industry News, trenchless products
Designed for pipeline and large-diameter HDD projects
Vermeer expands its horizontal directional drilling (HDD) fluid management equipment line with the new R600T reclaimer. The new 600-gallons-per-minute (2,271.3-L/min) mud recycling system can pair with maxi rigs pumping between 300 gallons per minute and 600 gallons per minute (1,135.6 L/min and 2,271.3 L/min) on pipeline and other large-diameter installation projects. The R600T features a redesigned linear-motion shaker deck to help reduce weight, increase the available G-force and extend screen life, as well as several other performance and serviceability-enhancing features.
According to Adam Bates, Vermeer product manager for fluid management equipment, the R600T is the successor to the popular R9x12T reclaimer widely used in the pipeline industry. “Since Vermeer launched its first reclaimer, the industry has embraced mud recycling systems because these machines help reduce the amount of drilling fluid additives and freshwater required on HDD projects,” he explained. “Our latest generation of reclaimers, starting with the R250C reclaimer and now the R600T, are excellent machines for contractors because they are so efficient and thorough at separating sand and coarse silts from drilling fluids. Our latest reclaimer model, the R600T, offers excellent jobsite flexibility with its ability to work in conjunction with a range of maxi rig drill sizes.”
The three-tank (scalped, middle and clean) R600T reclaimer has a total fluid capacity of 7,729 gallons (29,257.4 L), and can process 1,100 gallons per minute (4,163.9 L/min) of drilling slurry for a true cleaning capacity suited for HDD projects in the 600-gallons-per-minute (2,271.2-L/min) range. The drilling slurry cycles through two 10-inch (25.4-cm) desanders and a desilter manifold with sixteen 5-inch (12.7-cm) desilters to remove sand and coarse material before being deposited onto the unit’s linear motion shaker decks. The unique design of the desilter manifold reduces turbulence when the liquid exits the hydrocyclone to help minimize recycled sand content and keep spoil/soil moisture levels low.
Also, contractors have the ability to choose their own power source for the R600T. They can configure the reclaimer with an onboard generator set or connect it to another power source they are already using on the job. “Many contractors prefer to rent support equipment on large-diameter pipeline projects,” explained Bates. “Equipped with quick-connect electrical cables, crews can quickly connect the reclaimer to a rented generator or even a shared gen set that may also be powering the drill’s operator cabin.”
With a one-level working deck, fast deploying walkway and centralized main controls area, the R600T sets up quickly and is efficient to operate.
For more information about the Vermeer R600T reclaimer, contact your local Vermeer dealer or visit vermeer.com.
Industry News, trenchless people
Robert H. Westphal
5/4/1944 – 3/31/2020
A memorial service celebrating the life of Robert H. “Bob” Westphal will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, at Faith Lutheran Church in Fond du Lac, WI.
Bob passed away on March 31, 2020. He is remembered for his many contributions to Michels Corporation, and to the pipeline and trenchless construction industries. An industry icon, Bob devoted 55 years of his life to Michels.
A memorial service remembering the life of Bob Westphal will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, at Faith Lutheran Church, 55 Prairie Road, in Fond du Lac, WI.
Friends and family are invited to attend the service. Based on current rules for public gatherings, masks will be required. Bob’s family will meet with guests immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to The Robert H. Westphal Memorial Scholarship Fund. To contribute, send checks to Michels Scholarship Fund, Attn: Nate Redig, P.O. Box 128 Brownsville, WI 53006. Enter Robert H. Westphal Memorial on the memo line.
Memorials may also be sent to Faith Lutheran Church and School, 55 Prairie Road, Fond du Lac, WI 54935 in memory of Bob.
Blog, Industry News, trenchless products
October 2020—Crosslink Technology Inc. has developed PIPE (Pressure Infused Protective Epoxy) Cure, a fast, easy, and cost-effective way to completely rehabilitate the inside of underground pipes, specifically laterals.
PIPE Cure provides a less destructive and less costly alternative to digging out underground pipes for repair, and it also provides unique advantages over the traditional CIPP (Cure in Place Pipe) restoration products.
While CIPP is a widely used trenchless technology, it can use unsaturated styrenated polyester resin, which may give concern to volumetric shrinkage, odor, adhesion/strength, and sensitivity to temperature.
Crosslink Technology Inc.’s PIPE Cure has been formulated to have:
- Excellent strength and adhesion (flexural modulus of over 500,000 psi and flexural strength of 7000 psi)
- Exceptionally low linear shrinkage (0.0001 inch/inch)
- No odor
- Ability to cure in underground temperatures as low as 10°C/ 50°F (without a heat source AND regardless of the ambient temperature when it was mixed)
- Excellent wetting out of fiber in the liner
- Better health and safety rating than styrene
With Crosslink Technology’s PIPE Cure, you will get a safe, easy, budget-friendly cure for your underground pipe repair problems.
About Crosslink Technology Inc.:
At Crosslink Technology Inc., we deliver innovative thermoset solutions which make a real difference to our customers’ business. We produce a wide range of Epoxy and Polyurethane applications and Custom-cast Electrical components which lower processing costs, improve product quality, and boost profitability.
Since 1981, we have dedicated ourselves to staying on the leading edge of technical innovation, creating solutions tailored to customer needs and processes.
Today our dedicated and knowledgeable workforce produces applications embraced by companies in the United States, Mexico, Australia, and the Far East.
For More Information:
Christa Foy
Product Manager
Crosslink Technology Inc.
6380 Viscount Rd.
Mississauga, ON L4V 1H3 Canada
Cell: (437) 244-7620
Industry News, trenchless projects
Resilient TBM completes Bahçe-Nurdaği Railway
On July 24, 2020, a jubilant ceremony marked a milestone for southern Turkey’s arduous Bahçe-Nurdaği High-Speed Railway Tunnel. The first TBM-driven portion of tunneling using an 8.0 m (26.2 ft) diameter Robbins Single Shield machine is now complete. The 8.9 km (5.5 mi) long TBM tunnel was no easy bore, as it was excavated through some of the hardest and most abrasive rock ever encountered in the country.
“We are proud of the TBM crew who acted rapidly and were well organized to overcome the challenging ground conditions with a unique Single Shield TBM for the completion of the first tube of the Bahçe-Nurdağı Railway Project,” said Deniz Sahin, TBM Chief for contractor Intekar Yapi A.Ş.
Ground conditions during tunneling ranged from abrasive, interbedded sandstone and mudstone with quartzite veins to highly weathered shale and dolomitic limestone. The TBM encountered rock measuring between 136 and 327 MPa (19,700 to 47,400 psi) UCS. Water ingress with fines was expected in fault lines and shear zones affected by the East Anatolian Fault. “The TBM became stuck in three different fault zones, which we got through by building bypass tunnels. In smaller fault zones, we encountered excessive material flow and the TBM had to be stopped, while ground had to be stabilized with chemical injections while we cleaned the cutterhead,” said Sahin. Water inflows of 10 liters per second on average were removed using a dewatering system.
The majority of tunneling, said Sahin, was in metasandstone with quartz, with an average of 220 MPa (31,900 psi) UCS and a Cerchar abrasion value of 3.87. In such regions, the TBM’s 19-inch back-loading disc cutters had to be changed frequently and there was high vibration. Despite the challenges, Sahin was impressed by the machine’s overall capacity: “The Robbins Single Shield TBM’s motor power, hydraulic power and cutterhead torque were quite strong. The secondary ventilation and air suction systems inside the TBM were powerful. The connections between the gantries, scaffolding systems, walkways and working areas were good.”
The TBM ultimately achieved up to 456 m (1,500 ft) per month, a result achieved with the help of a Robbins continuous conveyor system for muck removal. “The electric motor and gearbox capacity of the conveyor system was quite enough for a 10 km (6.2 mi) tunnel and we had no failure on them. The conveyor performed well even under excess material and the whole system was quite robust,” said Sahin.
The owner, Turkish State Railways Directorate (TCDD), is aiming to overhaul the railway connection in southeastern Turkey by providing a shorter, faster route in one of the country’s busiest railway corridors. The new rail line between the towns of Bahçe and Nurdağı includes two parallel 9.8 km (6.1 mi) tunnels being excavated by both NATM (850 m / 0.5 mi) and TBM (8.9 km / 5.5 mi).
Image 1: Contractor Intekar Yapi A.Ş celebrated the breakthrough of the Robbins Single Shield TBM on July 24, 2020 in southeastern Turkey.
Image 2: The Robbins TBM bored an 8.9 km (5.5 mi) long tunnel through some of the hardest rock in Turkey, measuring up to 327 MPa (47,400 psi) UCS.
Image 3: The new rail line between the towns of Bahçe and Nurdağı includes two parallel 9.8 km (6.1 mi) tunnels being excavated by both NATM (850 m / 0.5 mi) and TBM (8.9 km / 5.5 mi).
Image 4: The Robbins TBM excavated interbedded sandstone and mudstone with quartzite veins, highly weathered shale, and dolomitic limestone using back-loading 19-inch disc cutters.
Industry News, trenchless people
CEO, second-generation owner, Dan Liotti announces retirement
Greenfield, Indiana — August 25, 2020 — Midwest Mole Inc., a premiere specialty underground contractor providing boring, trenchless tunneling and directional drilling services throughout the Midwest and beyond, has announced that CEO and second-generation owner Dan Liotti is retiring.
Ownership of the family business founded in 1982 by Len Liotti will be transferred to an Employee Stock Ownership, in which the company’s employees own shares. “It’s 100% employee-owned,” states Jason Miller, president. An ESOP is a kind of employee benefit plan, similar to a profit-sharing plan, providing advantages for growth and employee retention without alteration of the management structure.
The change of ownership is expected to be a seamless transition for clients and vendors, as the company continues to focus on providing cost-effective and environmentally friendly trenchless solutions, working safely and creating a welcoming work environment.
Midwest Mole is considered a trenchless technology expert, tunneling under highways, railroads, buildings and airports on municipal and private sector projects, operating as either prime contractor or subcontractor. The majority of their work involves utilities or sewer, stormwater and water pipes.
To reflect these changes, Midwest Mole has refreshed its goals and mission statement and adopted new branding, which includes an updated logo and visual identity. The employee-owned company remains committed to long-standing industry relationships and delivering quality work in the demanding world of tunneling, building on their decades of experience to expand services geographically as part of their plan of growth for the future.
For more information, please contact David Howell at david@midwestmole.com.
It is with regret, but much fondness, that we remember the life and contribution of ISTT Chairman Emeritus Ted Flaxman who died December 8, 2020, aged 92.
