Pipe Bursting

Pipe bursting is a Trench-less method of replacing buried pipelines (such as sewer, water, or natural gas pipes) without the need for a traditional construction trench. “Launching and receiving pits” replace the trench needed by conventional pipe-laying.Pipe bursting conventionally involves the insertion of a cone shaped bursting head into an old pipe. The base of the cone is larger than the inside diameter of the old pipe and slightly larger than the outside diameter of the new pipe to reduce friction and to provide space for maneuvering the pipe. The back end of the bursting head is connected to the new Polyethylene (PE) pipe and the front end is attached to a cable or pulling rod. The new pipe and bursting head are launched from the insertion shaft and the cable or pulling rod is pulled from the pulling shaft, as shown in Figure 1. The bursting head receives energy to break the old pipe from one of the following sources: a pulling cable or rod, a hydraulic source, or an air compressor. The energy breaks the old pipe into pieces and expands the diameter of the cavity. As the bursting head is pulled through the old pipe debris, it creates a bigger cavity through which the new pipe is simultaneously pulled from the insertion shaft.