Sliplining and grouting - how hard can it be

Abstract

Designers, Contractors and Principals push the boundaries of trenchless technology in pursuit of greater lengths and diameters, to achieve stretched technical and financial objectives. This pressure for continuing performance improvements has widened the application of horizontal directional drilling (HDD), microtunnelling, and related trenchless processes, and installation shots which would have been considered impossible until very recently are now feasible. Individual shots measured in kilometres, and at depths in excess of 60metres can now be achieved. However, the practical difficulties which must be overcome to succeed in these installations are greater, and grouting continues to be one of the major obstacles to greater length. The aim of this paper is to review the practice of sliplining, as applied in longer and deeper installations, below manentry sizes, using polyethylene (PE) pipe, with a particular focus on the issue of grouting.

Techniques