MEDIA RELEASE: 21 | 02 | 2019
Picture available
Caption:1. CCTV survey image of foundation pile in pipe, 2. Lined pipe, 3. Foundation pile after removal, 4. ProKASRO robotic cutter
Culvert cleared as foundation piles get the chop
Two steel and concrete foundation piles that had been driven through a 375mm culvert have been given the chop from nearly 70 metres away using the latest robotic cutting technology.
The sewer rehabilitation service at Lanes Group plc was called in after the 150mm piles were put through the concrete culvert during the building of a garage in the garden of a house in Irvine, Ayrshire.
The drainage specialist, a national leaderin remote access pipe repair, was commissioned to carry do the work because the only other option was to demolish the garage and excavate the culvert.
Such a major undertaking would have been even more arduous, because the culvert took large volumes of water off nearby high ground, making contingency plans to manage the flow more complex.
John Murray, Operations Manager at Lanes' Glasgow depot, who co-ordinated the project, said that, even using remote access technology, it was a significant challenge.
"The high and unpredictable flow rates meant we had to pick just the right moment to carry out the work and select a cutting method that could complete the task safely in as short as possible a time," he said.
"The location where the piles had been accidently driven into the culvert also meant our only safe entry point was from a manhole more than 60 metres away, a distance that compromised certain cutting systems."
The answer was to deploy Lanes' latest ProKASRO electric-powered milling robot. Unlike hydraulic or pneumatic robotic cutting systems, there is no loss of power at longer distances from the point of entry into the pipe.
The 760mm-long ProKASRO 4.0 DN 200-600 milling robot is designed to be operated in pipes with diameters from 200mm to 600mm.
An operator controls the machine from a console in a van, viewing it through a video camera lit by LED lights. Its diamond milling head is more than a match for steel or concrete.
Four specialist crews from Lanes, eight personnel in all, carried out the work. A jet vac crew set up and carried out the over-pumping. Two operatives controlled the ProKASRO robot.
A CCTV drainage survey crew used a robotic camera to record and report evidence of the work, and a point lining team stood ready to line the pipe as soon as the piles had been cut out.
Simon Bull, Manager of the Lanes Sewer Rehabilitation and Lining Division, said: "Each pile took a full day to remove. It's a highly-skilled, precision task that requires a delicate touch and a good deal of patience.
"Key factors were the toughness of the material, the limited operating space within the pipe, given the size of the piles, and the need to proceed with caution to avoid causing further damage to the pipe which might have caused its collapse, making excavation the only option."
Then one-metre point liners were immediately installed - with each section double-lined to provide additional strength.
A point liner, or patch liner, is a short liner, made from resin-impregnated sheets of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) which is wrapped around a cylindrical rubber tube called a packer.
The packer, along with the liner, is then moved into position in the pipe and inflated with compressed air to push the liner against the pipe wall where it is left to cure, or harden, in ambient temperature.
Simon Bull said: "With the four liners in place, the rehabilitated section of pipe had a design life of at least 50 years. This was a challenging project, but with a combination of new technology, lateral thinking and persistence, a good outcome was achieved."
Lanes Group:www.lanesfordrains.co.uk
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PR Contact:Andy Comber
Telephone: 01952 883526
Mobile: 07889 630440
Email: ac@matm.co.uk
About Lanes Group
Lanes Group plc is a national wastewater and drainage solutions provider. It sits at the heart of the drainage industry in the UK and Ireland, and is serious about delivering excellence in service, safety and innovation.
The company has a network of 32 depots and strategic utility hubs, providing high quality utility, drainage, and maintenance services for commercial, public sector and domestic customers.
Its services include CCTV drainage surveys, drain and sewer cleaning and unblocking, sewer excavation and repair, sewer lining, wet well and tank emptying, industrial cleaning, tankering and professional services.
Key market sectors are water utilities, construction, energy, rail, highways, insurance and commercial maintenance.
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