Pipe cracking is a very effective trenchless service that is used to replace underground water and sewer pipes. Instead of digging up the old or damaged pipes, this trenchless method makes use of a “bursting head” that is pushed into and through the existing pipe.
A service that Rolkon has always offered, it has not been a main focus of the business….until now that is!
With 197 000km of reticulation system in South Africa, the majority of which was built 30-60 years ago, ageing infrastructure and its impact on service delivery and new development is a major issue.
It is estimated that our losses on all these systems sit at about 37%, with the majority of this loss experienced in urban and peri-urban areas where trenching is difficult to implement. This of course makes it the perfect environment for trenchless services such as pipe cracking in that disruption is kept to a minimum and the safety of pedestrians is a key benefit.
Along the same vein, stormwater systems face the same ageing issue having exceeded their design life and subsequently collapsing. These need to be re-sleeved or made larger or completely replaced. Again the right environment for trenchless construction.
Environmental protection is another area of demand, where less invasive alternatives to trenching are becoming a baseline requirement of many construction and civil engineering projects.
With these pressing needs, Rolkon has expanded its offering in this space through investment in new machines, staff resources, skills development, and coverage that allows it to undertake mega pipe cracking projects. Get in touch on 031 765 7788 / email: reception@rolkon.co.za or fill in our contact form and we will guide on how this service can work for you.
How does pipe cracking work?
Using dedicated equipment and experienced operators pipe cracking is a relatively simple process:
- The rod of the pipe-bursting system is pushed into the existing pipe.
- Bursting blades are attached to the end of the rod and an expander is added which can be as much as 30% larger than the new pipe’s outside diameter.
- The new pipe is connected to the expander.
- The rod is pulled back through the pipe, drawing the bursting blades through the old pipe, breaking it up.
- The expander follows the bursting blades and is immediately pulled through the old pipe, expanding the burst pipe and pushing the fragments into the surrounding earth.
- The new pipe is attached to the expander and is pulled through the length of the existing bore.
When the bursting blades and expander leave the bore, the new pipe is in place, waiting to be connected to the appropriate service.
What are the key advantages of pipe cracking?
- Being a trenchless method, there is no-dig and little rehabilitation
- It can be used to replace pipes of any material ie: plastic, clay asbestos and the replaced pipe can also be of any suitable material.
- It allows for re-sleeving with smaller pipes or those of the same diameter as the old pipe, and it can also be used to expand pipeline capacity by replacing existing pipes with larger ones.
- The limited disturbance of ground, structures, services and traffic
- High-speed efficiency over conventional excavation or trenching
- No bedding or backfill is required
- It is more cost-efficient than conventional construction
