Albreda Triple DPI Crossing
Method: Direct Pipe Installation (DPI)
Crossing Length: 415 meters
Casing Diameter: 1220mm OD
Pipe Diameter: 1067mm OD
MTBM Used: AVN1000
Location: Valemount, BC, Canada
OVERVIEW
Direct Pipe® Installation of 415m of OD1220mm casing pipe executed in 5 pipe strings under Highway 5, CN Rail and Albreda River. MTBM Used: AVN1000
CHALLENGES
Bothar Inc. served as the prime contractor for tunneling, facing the task of installing a pipe beneath a busy highway, railway, and river. The original design called for a one-pass direct pipe installation of a 1067mm product pipe, complicating matters due to challenging soil geologies, including clay, silt, sand, and cobbles, as well as groundwater, and extreme temperatures below -35c.Bothar Inc. served as the general contractor for tunneling, facing the task of installing a pipe beneath a busy highway, railway, and river. The original design called for a one-pass direct pipe installation of a 1067mm product pipe, complicating matters due to challenging soil geologies, including clay, silt, sand, and cobbles, as well as groundwater, and extreme temperatures below -35c.Bothar Inc. served as the general contractor for tunneling, facing the task of installing a pipe beneath a busy highway, railway, and river. The original design called for a one-pass direct pipe installation of a 1067mm product pipe, complicating matters due to challenging soil geologies, including clay, silt, sand, and cobbles, as well as groundwater, and extreme temperatures below -35c.Bothar Inc. served as the general contractor for tunneling, facing the task of installing a pipe beneath a busy highway, railway, and river. The original design called for a one-pass direct pipe installation of a 1067mm product pipe, complicating matters due to challenging soil geologies, including clay, silt, sand, and cobbles, as well as groundwater, and extreme temperatures below -35c.
SOLUTIONS
To address these challenges, Bothar recommended a two-pass approach. This involved the installation of a 48″ casing pipe through direct pipe methods, with the subsequent use of a clamp with 42″ inserts to thrust the product pipe through the casing. The 48″ direct pipe machine was equipped with 5″ slurry pumps, offering increased capacity. Additionally, the 48″ machine provided 60% higher torque power compared to the 42″ machine, facilitating progress through difficult ground conditions. To enhance stability during the installation of internals on steep slopes, corrective action was taken by welding together the internal tabs and ends of the rails.
