What is trenchless technology?

Trenchless, or no-dig, technology refers to the science of installing, renewing, and repairing underground pipes, cables & ducts using techniques that eliminate the need for excavation.

The use of trenchless technology can reduce social costs and environmental impact, and simultaneously provide economic alternatives to traditional open-cut methods of repair, renewal, or installation.

The success of such no-dig technology methods depends heavily on training, thorough & comprehensive site survey, planning, material selection, and equipment choice. For surveying or location inspection, advanced techniques like radio/electromagnetic detection, sonar, CCTV, laser profiling, ground probing radar, GIS and mapping, and multi-sensory robots are used.

Trenchless technology is particularly useful in plumbing jobs and pipeline repair.

Application of trenchless technology

Trenchless pipe replacement

No-dig technology pipe relining is suitable for all types of pipe-work, for pipes measuring 75mm and above in diameter. No-dig relining is carried out with minimal disruption and is much faster than the excavation and repair method. However, relining is not feasible if the drain line has badly collapsed, or displaced, or if the pipe is deformed.

Drain relining using trenchless technology restores and resurrects the drainage system without the need for large excavations. It is very popular among customers in domestic properties, as well as highway construction agencies who use this method on the road’s primary drains.

Trenchless pipe repair

The trenchless technology is used also to install patch liners that restore cracks, holes, fractures, and breaks as part of drain repairs. In many places, this trenchless technology is used to fit full-length liners to extend the life of the drainage system, bypassing the need to excavate and replace the line completely. The benefits of this no-dig technology are endless and it is a blessing for pipeline repair and installation work sites.

No-dig technology repair techniques are a cost-effective remedy, particularly if the faulty drain connection goes below an extension, and more so when excavating the spot means creating major disruption. The no-dig technology does away with the chaos and waste generation related to digging and excavation work.

Trenchless sewer repair process

Pipe-relining or cured-in-place-pipe lining is a process that involves creating a new pipe within the old one by inserting an epoxy-soaked liner into the damaged pipe and leaving it to cure for several hours. Within a few hours there will be a new pipe inside the old one.

CCTV Drain Surveys and No-Dig Technology

As the CCTV site survey progresses, the camera moves along the pipeline upstream and downstream, and the distance from its starting point is recorded. Additional details like date and time may be recorded and shown on the display screen, along with the image taken during the survey. The CCTV records structural defects as well as anomalies together with other useful observations.

The necessity of cleaning a pipeline prior to a CCTV survey depends on the survey’s relevance. If, for example, a sewerage system has frequent blockages, it is advisable to survey without cleaning, to determine both the service as well as structural condition. But, if a structural state survey is needed, with prior knowledge of significant defects, cleaning the pipeline in advance is recommended.

Express Drainage Surveys are on hand throughout the South East to carry out thorough and efficient CCTV drain inspections and pipeline repairs for all domestic and commercial customers. Get in touch today to find out more about trenchless technology and how we can use it to help you.