CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Background of Study

Open-trenching construction has been for a long time, the single conventional method
used to install, repair and remove underground utilities and pipelines. This method involves
the installation of utility by performing excavations and removing soil to obtain an
underground area open to the sky. It requires digging a trench along the alignment of the
proposed pipeline, placing the pipe in the trench on an adequate bedding material and then
backfilling (Najafi 2005). Often, the construction effort is concentrated on activities like:
detour roads, traffic flows management, trench excavation and shoring, dewatering,
backfilling and many other operations that are not adding value to the job but are actually
increasing construction and social costs. Because of the drawbacks of open-cut methods, new
technologies allowing underground utilities and pipeline installation without digging have
been investigated and developed. These technologies are mostly known as Trenchless
Technologies, and there are different types of methods available for a wide range of
applications. One of these methods is Horizontal Directional Drilling. Horizontal
Directional Drilling is defined as a steerable system for the installation of pipes, conduits and
cables using a surface launched drilling rig. The oil, gas, and petrochemical industries are an
important market for the HDD industry. During the 1970s and early 1980s, HDD had been

used primarily in the oil and gas industries, either for exploration, production, or pipeline
installation. This sector of the HDD industry mainly consists of 6-inch and larger diameter
pipelines. Because of the HDD lengths and pipeline diameters normally associated with
pipeline HDD applications, larger HDD rigs are often required. Figure 1-1 is a picture of a
typical HDD rig used in a pipeline HDD application.

For pipeline construction, major water crossings, swamps, and environmentally sensitive
areas pose significant challenges and permitting issues. Even though there has been
widespread historical use of open trenching as a means of crossing these obstacles, todays
stringent environmental regulations pose one of the most significant challenges facing the
pipeline industry. In many cases, HDD is specified as the preferred method of crossing these
obstacles. In order to cross these environmentally sensitive obstacles with other methods, the
engineer has to prove that HDD is not a viable method of construction. Moreover, most of
these environmental regulations do not consider increased construction cost as a reason for
not using HDD as the preferred crossing method.
Largely due to the popularity of HDD construction, there has been an increase in the number
of qualified and experienced HDD contractors and improvements in HDD equipment and

technology. In many instances this has significantly lowered the cost of HDD construction.
For routine HDD crossings of water bodies and environmentally sensitive areas, it is not
uncommon for the HDD construction cost to be lower than traditional open trenching costs.
This has resulted in an increase in HDD construction in the pipeline industry.

1.2

Problem Statement

Current HDD installation in industry never collect and use actual depth collection on
site to propose a HDD profile. Aside from that, there hardly any simplified method to propose
a HDD profile with the ability to bring and use it.
We dont have an easy to use platform to suggest, record and draft HDD profile that
can help to monitor and deduce HDD profile trend for different type of HDD installation
referenced to different sets of element.
Therefore, the software is made to solve all the problems. after that, the user can use
this software during installation planning HDD. All data that has been designed can be stored
for easy reference in the future. This software also made to minimize the risk of violation of
existing utilities.

1.3

Objectives of the Study

In order to ensure this study will be held correctly according as planned with the
estimated time, the objectives of the study should be decided. The objectives will be the
benchmark and also the boundary while doing this study. So, the objectives of this study are
as stated below:
i.

To develop a program for HDD planning of pipe installation.

ii.

To evaluate the efficiency of the developed program.

1.4

Significance of Study

The importance and substantial contribution expected after the results of this study:
i.
ii.
iii.

1.5

To introduce this software as one source that can be used in industry nowadays.
Provide exposure of this software to contractors HDD.
To reduce the risk of damage to other existing utilities.

Scope of Study
This study is to develop a software application about HDD installation design

planning

using

programming

MATLAB (matrix laboratory)

and fourth-generation
language developed

is

language

which

is

a multi-paradigm numerical

programming
by MathWorks,

language.
MATLAB

Matlab

Software.

computing environment

A proprietary

programming

allows matrix manipulations,

plotting

of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and

interfacing

with

programs

written

in

other

languages,

including C, C++,

C#, Java, Fortranand Python.

This HDD Installation Design Planning application want to replace manual bore log.
Now, user can use this application to planning easily. The application will act as a platform
where HDD machine operator, site officer and project manager can easily create, update and
manage technical information from the calculation proposed by the software for all HDD
operation. In addition, as the accuracy and efficient use of resources are an important aspect
of the design of the application, the design will thoroughly incorporate these aspects.
In general view, this software for contractor who want to use on planning on site
during installation HDD pipe because nowadays they just guess only which one depth is
suitable. So the risk of damage to other utilities is very high. Then, this software can reduce
the risk of damage to other utilities because user can input existing utilities data with depth
then from that data were appear in figure, user can propose the HDD pathway position
without damage others existing utility.

1.6

Methodology