From the magazine, HDD

Challenging projects completed with Grundodrill 13X

The first project at Albury incorporated a couple of bores, the most challenging being a nest of communication conduits, nine off, 110 mm over a 200 metre length, 10 metres deep in tight hard ground. The dynamic steering hammer of the Grundodrill 13X proved extremely effective in getting the pilot shot through.

Simon Pace of S&R Pace enjoys these challenges and has not found any limitations with this compact 30,000 lb directional drilling package, even with the 500 mm reamer. The project, which was under the Interstate Railway lines, was completed in four days “Ó proving that correct selection of machine, tooling, mixing systems, drill fluid additives and dedicated personnel can produce incredible results, well beyond the nominal capacities of the equipment alone.

Attitude to the project and equipment preparation was the key component to this and other project successes. Naturally, safety and presentation are almost automatic considerations in sound job preparation. Simon and his team, as well as the principal contractor Infrastructure Constructions (who also own another Grundodrill 13X themselves) have had a 100 per cent boring success track record since Simon began directional drilling early in 2004. The crew thrives on large diameter, multi-duct installations, using machinery that meets all their expectations, and they have become specialists in this category of directional drilling.

The other notable project was at Bankstown, Sydney, under the Hume Highway installing a nest of power conduits, eight off, 180 mm with two off, 63 mm, all inside a final 650 mm reamed bore, over 50 metres long through tough, shaley rock.

This project had to avoid a huge number and variety of other services including two trunk water mains (750 mm and 900 mm), two minor 150 mm water mains, two high pressure gas mains, other high voltage power cabling and the major fibre optic network. The installation took six days, including two days spent on location and verifying of all the other services along the route, and developing a safe bore plan.

This was a real test for Simon, his staff and the Grundodrill, with the installation of over three tonnes of Polyethylene Pipe through this myriad of services under one of the busiest roads in Sydney.

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