UEA Trenchless recently completed a pilot tube microtunnelling project under a major retail store in Aspley, Queensland.
A guided boring machine (GBM) was used in conjunction with an auger boring system to complete the 90 m, 450 mm diameter bore under the retail store. The bore allowed retrofitted electrical infrastructure to be linked via the shortest possible route.
The accuracy of the GBM pilot enabled installation of the NB450 steel sleeve to the exact location required, eliminating the use of oversize pipe to allow for adjustment of the conduit.
Pilot tube microtunnelling has offered far reduced disruption to the retailer, as well as proving accurate and cost effective, as it avoided any clash with a new multilevel car park development under construction and allowed trading to continue.
UEA has also begun construction on a design and construct pipe bursting contract in South East Queensland.
UEA were contracted in November 2012 to replace 1,100 m of 150 mm diameter asbestos concrete pipe and PVC sewer rising main with 250 mm PE pipe using pipe bursting technology.
With the design phase now complete, the program of works is on target to have the pipe bursting completed by early February, with restoration, testing and commissioning complete by mid-late February.
Pipe bursting provides major benefits in this project as it limits contact with the existing asbestos pipe, as excavation is only required approximately every 110 m.