The company prides itself in offering a quality pipe jacking service to all of our clients. Since inception in 2014, we have strived to provide specialist experience in the field of tunneling either underneath buildings, roads, railways or rivers. Pipe jacking is simply the installation of either concrete culverts or concrete pipes beneath the surface utilizing powerful hydraulic rams. This method is devised to cause minimal disruption to above surface infrastructure such as traffic, property or existing services. Services include sewer, storm water or even gas installations. Concrete pipe sizes range from 900Ø up to 2500Ø. Culverts can range in size depending on the requirements from the client.

Material is excavated on the face of the jack and removed to the jacking pit revealing sufficient space for either a culvert or pipe to be jacked into place. Projects executed range from 15 meters up to 200 meters. With the varying distances, up to 60 meters the normal jacking process can take place, but as the distance increases beyond this threshold, intermediate jacks need to be put in place to reduce the pressure on the thrust push wall as well as the joints between the pipes. Distances can go beyond 200 meters depending on the requirements of the client or the project.

Shaft Sinking

In order to execute a pipe jacking project, the shaft with which the concrete pipes and other materials are inserted needs to be excavated. Unforeseen circumstances such as insecure soil conditions or ingress of water can inhibit safe working progress for people entering and exiting the shaft. To counter this issue, measures need to be put in place in order to prevent an incident occurring. Methods such as Guniting, Lateral Support or steel shuttering can be utilized in this regard to secure the side walls of the shaft thereby creating a safe passage for people to continue working. Using either one of these methods, the stability of the exposed vertical shaft walls is secure and safe up to completion of any specific project. The company, to date, has carried out sinking of shafts up to a depth of 15 meters, but deeper shafts can be sunk depending on the necessary specifications of the client.

Grouting

Once the jack has been completed, the exterior void, which has been created to insert the concrete pipe or culvert, must be grouted in order to safely secure the exposed soil from collapsing. In order to carry out this operation, a mixture of cement, plaster sand and water are combined together according to the specification of the client or engineer and are then pumped into the void using a combination of plastic pipes and a grouting machine. The SABS-9001 states a 10:1 mix design is to be implored, which is suitable to support the roof of the exposed material. The client or engineer can increase this mix design depending on the soil conditions on the site. Internal grouting of steel pipes can also be carried out, but approval for this method of grout must then be approved before work can commence