Engineering of trenchless pipe replacement projects for infrastructure renewal

Rehabilitation of our aging underground infrastructure continues to be of great concern resulting in the examination of alternative techniques to address this issue. Trenchless pipe replacement, or pipe bursting, is rapidly gaining acceptance as an alternative method for renewing existing sewer, water infrastructure systems and even city gas distribution pipelines. Pipe bursting enables the replacement of an existing pipe with one of equal or larger diameter along the existing trajectory with minimal disruption to surface activities. Unfortunately, limited information exists on practices to properly engineer a pipe bursting project. This paper provides information on engineering of pipe bursting projects by addressing issues including: pipe material; upsize considerations; pipe strain; surface heave; bursting head design; application of different pipe bursting techniques. Recommendations for identifying, preventing, and mitigating potential problems during pipe bursting operations are discussed. Additionally, several case histories are also described.