Why Trenchless

Not all tunneling techniques are created equal! Discover why APEX Directional Drilling prefers trenchless technology.

WHAT IS HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE PIPE?

High-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer pipe that’s made from the monomer ethylene, which is capable of being melted and reformed. Sometimes called polythene when it’s used for pipes, polyethylene pipes are flexible, durable, and incredibly resistant.

Polyethylene pipe has been used for piping applications for more than 50 years because of its incredible physical and performance benefits. It’s these benefits that make it a great choice for piping systems installing by directional boring contractors.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF USING POLYETHYLENE PIPE?

There are many reasons why polyethylene pipe has been used in trenchless technology for years and why it continues to be a key ingredient in many piping projects today.

Here are three advantages that polyethylene pipe provides in many pipe installation projects:

1. Corrosion resistance. Corrosion is a common problem in metal piping systems that can occur both inside and outside the pipe. Unfortunately, corrosion can impact hydraulic efficiency. In comparison, HDPE pipe doesn’t rust or corrode.

2. Fatigue resistance. Unlike metal piping systems, HDPE pipe is flexible and ductile rather than rigid, which makes it great for taking on pressure such as handling surge events in water distribution systems.

3. Leak-free joints. Traditional piping has a specified leakage factor that can be problematic in some cases when joined with mechanical type joints. This causes water loss and waste in water distribution systems. Yet, with HDPE piping, leaking isn’t a problem. HDPE piping systems can be joined with heat fusion, which produces leak-free joints that are permanent.

Fewer Disruptions

With more traditional tunneling methods like open cut excavation, there is far more impact on society than there is with trenchless. After all, if you dig under a road with heavy traffic, you can do the work without disturbing traffic, whereas if you use the open cut method, you would likely need to close the road and reroute traffic along other streets. With trenchless technology, we can install new pipes, repair existing sewer lines, and accomplish a variety of other tasks without disrupting everyday life on the surface.

Environmental Impact

Trenchless tunneling is also a great way to minimize environmental impacts. Especially when it comes to digging under creeks, rivers, and lakes, the ability to reduce our effect on the water is a huge benefit, and we also don’t disturb any animal populations that may be living on the surface. Furthermore, when you’re digging and excavating large trenches ― and then working in an exposed open cut ― there’s more air pollution than there is with trenchless methods.

Lower Overall Cost

You can also often save money with trenchless, largely because it helps avoid relocating existing utilities. Other tunneling methods are more disruptive to underground utilities, and whether you move those utilities or reroute your excavation plans to work around them, your costs can skyrocket in a big hurry. Even though trenchless technology is slightly more expensive than open cut excavation, in the long run it often saves money by preventing problems with existing utilities.

Safety

Most importantly, trenchless is often safer, especially when dealing with tight spaces that would require steep excavations. Because there’s no need to dig trenches, it’s easier to avoid issues like mud and water in the tunnel, and landslides are basically nonexistent. In addition, because less ground is affected by trenchless tunneling, there’s also fewer surprises regarding what might be hiding in the soil. You never know when you’re going to encounter unexpected hazards underground, and the less soil you’re moving, the better.