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Research needs for new construction using trenchless technologies
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Abstract
This paper presents a considered view of research needs associated with new pipeline construction using trenchless techniques, such as
pipe jacking, microtunnelling and horizontal directional drilling. These research needs were compiled by core members of NETTWORK
prior to, and then debated at, a UK workshop involving those with specific interests in the topic from academia, industry and other
stakeholders. The aims of the workshop were to assess whether the suggested needs were accurately stated, to determine whether there
were any omissions and to attach a priority to the research needs. This was achieved by a process of debates and subsequent voting. For
convenience, the issues have been categorised under the topic headings of generic issues, machine–ground interaction, pipes and joints,
and associated works. In each case the important research studies that have been carried out, or were known to be in progress, have been
highlighted so that research needs could be assessed in this context and references have been made to the most important documents
arising out of the studies.
The areas considered to be most important for research were: whole life costing of trenching and trenchless technology operations;
issues associated with connections and laterals; mapping of underground infrastructure; multi-utility tunnels; drilling fluid reuse and disposal;
improved modelling of ground movements; development of ‘see ahead’ technology; and the development of economic (remotely
interrogated) sensors for pipes and joints. Work in many of these topics has since got underway.
2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Trenchless technology; Pipelines; Construction; Research needs
1. Introduction
Novel pipeline construction methods using trenchless
technology have been developed over recent years to install
new pipelines and cables, such as sewers, pressurised water
and gas pipes and cables. The techniques range from relatively
simple percussive techniques to highly sophisticated
processes involving balanced excavation or displacement
of the ground ahead of the service insertion. The techniques
have not been described in this paper as there are
many references available on this subject (e.g. see Kramer
et al., 1992; Milligan and Rogers, 2001; Stein, 2005).
This paper contains a list of research needs on the subject
of new pipeline construction prepared as part of the
Network in Trenchless Technology (NETTWORK).
NETTWORK was funded by the UK Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in the UK
from 2000 to 2004 (Rogers and Chapman, 2005). It aimed
to bring all relevant UK academics and a representative
group of industrialists and other stakeholders together to
synthesize knowledge in the broad field of trenchless
technologies,
agree on the research needs in a priority order,
disseminate this information as widely as possible, and
formulate research teams and proposals to address these
needs.
0886-7798/$ - see front matter 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tust.2007.05.003
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 121 4145150; fax: +44 121 4143675.
E-mail address: d.n.chapman[at]bham.ac.uk (D.N. Chapman).
www.elsevierlocate/tust
Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 22 (2007) 491–502
Tunnelling and
Underground Space
Technology
incorporating Trenchless
Technology Research
The scope of the present paper is:
(a) To review recent and current research on trenchless
technologies related to new construction. The review
is focussed, perhaps naturally, on research conducted
in the UK, although relevant research conducted elsewhere
is also reviewed;
(b) To identify areas where future research could usefully
be done;
© To present the outcome of an exercise in which the
research areas identified in (b) were prioritised.
With reference to (a), the paper provides a list of important
references from which the research needs were primarily
developed. The topic addressed herein was intended to
cover all aspects of new construction using techniques such
as microtunnelling, pipe jacking, horizontal directional
drilling (HDD), simple percussive moling, steerable moling,
auger boring and pipe ramming. Since they are very
different in character, many of the research needs will be
relevant only to some of the techniques. Nevertheless the
paper has been written in an attempt to portray the issues
generically rather than with any one specific technique in
mind.
The research needs have been grouped into four
categories:
generic issues of planning, design and monitoring,
machine–ground interaction,
pipes and joints,
associated works.
A workshop entitled ‘Research Needs for New Construction
using Trenchless Technologies’ was held on
17th June 2003 at the University of Birmingham UK,
with invited participants with appropriate expertise
and/or experience from academia, industry and other
stakeholders. A total of 23 delegates attended the workshop,
of which 5 were from academic/research organisations,
9 were consultants, 3 were from client/owner
organisations, 3 were from professional representative
groups and 3 were equipment manufacturers. The suggested
areas of research needs were initially developed
by a core group of the members of NETTWORK, all
of whom had conducted research in the area. This listing
of research needs and recent past or current research was
circulated in advance of the workshop to the workshop
delegates, and each list in turn was introduced in plenary
presentations. The lists were then subjected to detailed
consideration in three parallel sessions, during which all
topics were considered by the three smaller groups, such
that items were added or removed until the full cohort of
workshop attendees were satisfied that it was accurate.
The lists were then rationalised and finalised at a further
plenary session. Delegates were requested to prioritise the
research issues, i.e. to establish their relative importance,
with each delegate being given thirteen votes: five votes
for ‘generic issues’, five votes for ‘machine–ground interaction’
and three votes for ‘pipes, joints and associated
works’. The outcome of the voting at the workshop is
presented.
2. Generic issues of planning, design and monitoring
The research needs in this section relate to all aspects
of the planning, site investigation, choice of technique,
design (in a general sense) and subsequent monitoring.
The construction operations and the specific issues of
design relating to the construction techniques and pipes/
joints are covered later. It should be noted that implicit
in this section is a comparison with traditional trenching
techniques for the construction of new buried pipelines
and services.
2.1. Suggested areas of research need
The topics of interest to those contemplating the use of
trenchless technologies are listed in Table 1. Not all are
necessarily candidate subjects for research, but all will need
to be considered in any research programmes that are
developed, hence their inclusion in the lists. It should be
noted that the political climate can influence greatly many
of the following topics, examples of recent political initiatives
in the UK and elsewhere being the Aggregate Levy,
the Landfill Tax, Environment Agency pollution directives,
concerns (extending even to bans) over the manufacture of
PVC-u in some countries, concerns and legislation over
asbestos cement (broadly whether to exhume or leave in
place), lane rentals and restrictions on carriageway
occupancy.
The results of the voting that took place during the
workshop are also provided in Table 1. This indicates that
the main priority areas concerning the generic issues of
planning, design and monitoring, in order, are:
whole life costing of trenching and trenchless technology
operations,
dealing with connections and laterals,
multi-utility tunnels,
mapping of underground infrastructure,
long-term environmental issues,
ground and surface layer displacements (hence stresses
and strains), and
adjacent buried infrastructure displacements (hence
stresses and strains).