When installing underground utilities, you have two options. Either use the open-cut method where you dig deep trenches, or you utilize trenchless pipe drilling. Trenchless drilling can also be referred to as directional drilling, underground boring, or horizontal directional drilling. Trenchless drilling for pipe installation supersedes the trenching method in the following ways.
1. Trenchless Pipe Drilling is Minimally Invasive and Creates Less Disturbance to the Immediate Environment
Imagine digging trenches in highly populated cities like Dallas or Austin. You would inconvenience many people and traffic, and you would probably have to pay more to get a license or permit from the local authorities. Additionally, you would run a high risk of utility strike, which would be very costly if it happened. Today, it is unfeasible to use the open cut method for underground pipe installation in most cities because of the existing infrastructure and utilities. The good thing is that you can seek directional drilling services from a Texas directional drilling contractor. Trenchless boring doesn’t disturb traffic or the existing structures and utilities.
Since trenchless drilling does not involve ground excavation, it is the most suitable method for conduit installation in densely populated cities. Boring contractors only have to dig an entrance pit and receiving pit, and the drilling rigs will do the rest of the job. The rigs drill on a pre-established bore path and install the conduits. The drilling and installation take place underground without the need for excavation. Resultantly, there is no spoil material left spreading all over the installation site. What’s more, the modern drilling rigs are designed to cut down noise levels. These are the reasons that make underground drilling minimally invasive and environmentally friendly.
2. Trenchless Pipe Drilling is Safer and Facilitates Quality Installation
When you opt for the open-cut method for your underground pipe installation project, you will expose the construction crew and third parties to additional risk. For conduit installation, deep trenches are required. These deep trenches are risky because a crew member may slip and fall. An unsuspecting member of the public may also fall into the trench. Conversely, directional drilling does not jeopardize the installation crew’s safety since there are no trenches dug.
On quality matters, directional boring yields better results. The drilling rigs can install even the heaviest conduits without causing cracks or breakages. High-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE) is the most common type utilized in the directional drilling market, according to a 2017 Horizontal Directional Drilling Survey. About 47% of conduit installation projects utilize HDPE. To safeguard the quality of these pipes, it is better to install them by using the trenchless drilling method. Additionally, the drilling rigs are equipped with controls that guide the installation crew. This means that the pipes will be installed in the bore path’s exact position as envisioned in the planning phase.
3. Trenchless Pipe Drilling is Cost Effective and Saves Time
Underground boring has faster completion times than the open-cut method. After a boring contractor has established the bore path, the conduit installation can be completed in a short time-frame. Smaller projects can be completed within a day. Although the completion time depends on your project’s size and scope, it is generally faster when done using directional drilling. Trenching demands a lot of labor and time, especially where the subsurface location is hot and dry. The extra labor and time needed adds to the overall costs of using the open-cut method. If you are embarking on a large underground pipe installation project, you will be better off utilizing directional drilling services.
Trenchless pipe drilling saves time and money, preserves the environment, and results in quality conduit installations. On the contrary, the open-cut method takes more time and money to complete and poses a danger to the public and the immediate environment. In most cases, especially in developed and densely populated cities, you must use directional boring for all your underground utility installations. You can always trust Texas directional boring contractors for all your underground conduit installation projects.
