What are the advantages of non excavation construction technology for municipal pipeline engineering?

Recently, with the continuous improvement of urban fine management level, municipal pipelines, as the "underground network" of the city, undertake important functions such as water supply, drainage, gas, and communication. Their construction quality and efficiency directly affect the normal operation of the city and the quality of life of residents. Traditional municipal pipeline construction often uses excavation methods, which can easily cause traffic congestion, environmental damage, and disturbance to residents' lives, making it difficult to meet the green and efficient needs of modern urban construction. Non excavation construction technology, with its characteristics of minimal environmental interference, high construction efficiency, and controllable comprehensive costs, is increasingly widely used in various municipal pipeline projects.
Non excavation construction technology for municipal pipeline engineering refers to the construction method of laying, repairing or replacing underground pipelines through professional technical means such as directional drilling, pipe jacking, and lining repair without the need for large-scale excavation of the ground. Compared with traditional excavation construction, this technology does not require large-scale demolition of the ground, and only requires the opening of small operation wells in the construction area to achieve the construction operation of underground pipelines. Its advantages are mainly reflected in multiple aspects such as green environmental protection, friendly transportation, high efficiency and convenience, controllable cost, and safety and reliability, which are in line with the development concept of "green construction, convenience and benefit for the people" in modern municipal engineering.

Green environmental protection and reduced environmental interference are one of the most prominent advantages of non excavation construction technology. Traditional excavation construction requires extensive removal of road surfaces and excavation of soil, which not only damages urban green spaces and vegetation, but also generates a large amount of construction waste and dust. The mechanical noise during the construction process also seriously affects the lives of surrounding residents. Non excavation construction only requires the excavation of small work pits, with minimal damage to ground vegetation and road facilities. The amount of earthwork generated during the construction process is significantly reduced, and the amount of construction waste emissions is significantly reduced. At the same time, construction dust and mechanical noise are effectively controlled, minimizing interference with the surrounding ecological environment and residents' lives.

In the Tuanchengshan Anda Road pipeline network restoration project in Xialu District, Huangshi City, the construction unit adopted the non excavation rotating cutting and crushing pipe synchronous in-situ expansion and replacement technology, only opening incisions with a length of less than 1.2 meters and a width of less than 0.2 meters on the road surface. There were no tall fences on site, only low telescopic fences were used for isolation. The noise during the construction process was reduced by about 60%, effectively avoiding dust pollution. The surrounding businesses and residents' lives were not significantly affected, truly achieving the green construction goal of "underground construction, no disturbance on the ground". In addition, this technology does not require extensive surface damage and can effectively protect the original municipal facilities and cultural relics of the city. Its advantages are particularly evident in pipeline construction in special areas such as old urban areas and historical districts.

Reducing traffic impact and ensuring smooth traffic flow are important advantages of this technology in adapting to construction in urban core areas. Municipal pipelines are often laid in densely populated and heavily trafficked areas such as urban main and secondary roads, commercial districts, and residential areas. Traditional excavation construction often requires partial road closures, which can easily cause traffic congestion and affect citizens' travel and urban traffic operations. Non excavation construction does not require the closure of large areas of roads, and only occupies a small amount of road space to set up work wells. During the construction period, vehicles and pedestrians can pass through normally, effectively avoiding traffic congestion caused by construction.

In the urban water supply network renovation project of the 121st regiment of the Eighth Division, the construction unit adopted horizontal directional drilling without excavation technology. The intelligent drilling rig accurately shuttles underground, and only small operation areas are set up on the ground. Residents' lives and traffic flow remain normal, completely changing the traditional excavation construction of "cutting open the belly" and obstructing traffic. In traffic sensitive areas such as urban core commercial districts and main roads, the advantage of non excavation construction is more prominent. It can ensure the smooth progress of municipal pipeline construction, minimize the impact on urban traffic, and achieve orderly connection between construction and traffic.

High construction efficiency and shortened construction period are important manifestations of non excavation construction technology to improve engineering efficiency. The traditional excavation construction process is cumbersome, requiring multiple steps such as road breaking, earthwork excavation, pipeline laying, earthwork backfilling, and road surface repair. It is greatly affected by factors such as weather, traffic, and surrounding environment, and the construction period is often long. Non excavation construction does not require complex road breaking and earthwork backfilling processes, making the construction process simpler and less affected by external environment. It can achieve continuous construction and significantly shorten the construction period.

According to industry experts, non excavation directional drilling technology can quickly complete pipeline laying and usually shorten the construction period by more than half; In pipeline repair projects, the advantages of non excavation technology are more obvious. For example, in the Anda Road pipeline repair project in Huangshi City, it takes 2 to 3 months to complete using traditional excavation methods, while non excavation technology can be completed in less than 1 month, saving about 24 to 25 days of construction time. In addition, non excavation construction has strong adaptability to geological conditions and can be smoothly constructed in common formations such as silty soil and clay, without the need for complex geological treatment, further improving construction efficiency.

The controllable comprehensive cost and outstanding economic benefits are important supports for the widespread promotion of non excavation construction technology. Many people believe that non excavation construction technology and equipment are advanced and require high initial investment, but from the perspective of the entire project cycle, their comprehensive cost is more advantageous. Traditional excavation construction not only requires a large amount of manpower and material resources for road breaking and repair, but may also incur additional costs due to traffic congestion, complaints from surrounding residents, etc. Improper road repair in the later stage can easily lead to settlement, cracking, and other problems, requiring additional maintenance costs.

Non excavation construction does not require extensive road surface repair, reducing manpower and material resources investment, while avoiding additional costs such as traffic congestion and environmental governance caused by construction. The overall cost can be reduced by a certain proportion compared to traditional excavation construction. In the Anda Road pipeline network repair project in Huangshi City, the traditional excavation repair cost is about 4.8 million yuan, while the use of non excavation technology only requires more than 2 million yuan, significantly reducing the cost. In addition, non excavation technology can greatly save land acquisition and demolition costs during construction in special areas such as under houses and rivers. The larger the pipe diameter and burial depth, the more obvious the saving effect. In some large-scale underground pipeline projects, non excavation technology can reduce comprehensive costs by 20% -30%.

The construction is safe and reliable, and the engineering quality is guaranteed, further highlighting the application value of non excavation construction technology. Traditional excavation construction requires deep excavation of soil, which can easily lead to safety hazards such as slope collapse and pipeline damage. Especially in areas where underground pipelines crisscross, excavation construction can easily damage existing pipelines such as water supply, gas, and communication, causing safety accidents. Instead of excavation construction, the construction trajectory is precisely controlled by professional equipment, such as the horizontal directional drill with "precise navigation", which can control the underground trajectory error within 30 centimeters and accurately avoid existing underground pipelines, effectively reducing construction safety hazards.

At the same time, the pipeline materials and construction processes used in non excavation construction are more advanced, such as the CIPP flipping method for lining repair technology. By inserting resin and non-woven fabric lined hoses into old pipelines and curing them, the corrosion and leakage resistance of the pipelines can be significantly improved, and the service life of the pipelines can be extended to more than 50 years; Non excavation repair techniques such as spiral winding and spraying can effectively solve problems such as pipeline corrosion, rupture, and deformation. The repair effect is stable and reliable, effectively improving the engineering quality and service life of municipal pipelines.

The reporter learned that with the continuous upgrading of construction technology, non excavation construction technology is developing towards automation and intelligence. Through advanced sensors and control systems, construction equipment can perceive changes in the construction environment in real time, automatically adjust construction parameters, and further improve construction efficiency and accuracy. Industry experts say that non excavation construction technology is in line with the needs of urban green development and refined construction. It not only solves many pain points of traditional excavation construction, but also improves the construction quality and efficiency of municipal pipeline engineering. In the future, it will be widely applied in municipal pipeline construction, repair, and renewal projects, providing strong support for the high-quality development of urban underground pipeline construction and helping to create a more livable, convenient, and safe urban environment.