HDD and Microtunneling: Trenchless Methods Meet Today's Needs

Trenchless construction methods, including horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and

microtunneling, have been used in the United States since the mid 80s, and are likely to grow
in popularity due to the advantages they offer. To construct utilities within busy urban areas,
underneath waterways, or other natural or manmade barriers presents environmental concerns,
safety hazards, and community pressures to minimize disruptions to businesses,
transportation, and residences. Government authorities and corporations that develop or
rehabilitate utilities are finding trenchless methods provide an array of construction
alternatives that can address these concerns.
Trenchless methods can improve worker safety because the workers do not work in trenches
like they do on conventional cut-and-cover projects. Environmentally sensitive areas such as
wetlands and streams can be bypassed underground with trenchless methods. For areas
impacted by soil or groundwater contamination, reduced excavation, compared to cut-andcover trenching methods, also reduces public and worker exposure to potential contaminants.
In addition, in congested urban areas, trenchless construction methods can save time
compared to traditional cut-and-cover construction, and can also facilitate construction where
cut-and-cover trenching may not be practical. All of these advantages can combine to reduce
project costs and risks.
HDD and Microtunneling Methods
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and microtunneling are two of the various "trenchless"
construction methods used to install new pipelines and other facilities. HDD refers to a
steerable system for the installation of pipes, conduits, and cables in a shallow arc using a drill
rig at the ground surface. Microtunneling is a procedure that uses a remotely-controlled,
relatively small diameter tunnel boring machine. One major advantage of trenchless pipeline
construction is the freedom to follow the most direct route between two points if the right-ofway allows. Open-cut trench construction normally has to follow existing pipe utility
easements, roadways, or other unobstructed surface alignments.
Because the HDD and microtunneling remain underground, these methods allow the
flexibility to go straight between two points, even if the alignment traverses directly beneath
utilities, structures, or other surface features. Recent technological advances in HDD and
microtunneling equipment allow longer drives with greater accuracies, resulting in a reduction
in both project costs and completion times. Equipment guidance systems that use gyros for
steering can be used for curved drives to tunnel between inaccessible obstructions.

The applicability of HDD or microtunneling for pipeline construction is primarily a function

of required pipe size and material, alignment tolerances, ground conditions, and available
staging areas. Selection of an appropriate method depends on site conditions and project
priorities. Recent trenchless projects undertaken by Haley & Aldrich illustrate the ways these
construction alternatives contribute to meeting project goals of minimizing surface disruption
and excavation hazards.
Vista/Carlsbad Sewer/Storm Drain Replacement
The Vista/Carlsbad Interceptor Sewer Replacement in California was well suited for
microtunneling due to the groundwater and soil conditions, the need to avoid existing
underground utilities, and the need to keep traffic flowing in the community business district.
The Carlsbad Village Business Association, a group of local business owners, influenced the
decision to use microtunneling in order to minimize construction impacts on the community.
Vertical shafts were at jacking locations to launch the microtunneling boring machine
(MTBM) and at receiving locations to recover the MTBM. Along the 5,200-ft microtunnel
alignment, surface impacts were minimized by keeping the jacking shafts and staging areas
limited to one lane wide by 200-ft long, and spaced at 2,000-ft intervals. Noise impacts were
limited to the 65-decibel range. The receiving shaft impacts were even less disruptive, where
two retrievals of the MTBM, construction of the manhole riser, and backfill were the only
activities. Traffic was maintained and businesses were accessible throughout construction.
In addition to reduced disruption, another advantage of microtunneling over traditional cutand-cover methods is that it produces less material that requires disposal. This turned out to
be a significant advantage for the Vista/Carlsbad project when soil and groundwater
contaminated by diesel fuel was encountered approximately 200 ft into the second
microtunneling drive. The contaminated soil and groundwater was readily contained and
successfully managed with little impact to the work. The impacts would have been much
greater had the contamination been encountered in a trench excavation.
As the trenchless design and construction engineer, Haley & Aldrich prepared drawings and
specifications for microtunneling and associated geotechnical instrumentation. Haley &
Aldrich reviewed trenchless technology submittals as the Engineer-of-Record, and inspected
trenchless construction portions of the work as part of the construction management team.
Horizontal Directional Drilling Used to Install Electrical Cable
To increase service capacity, National Grid needed to install two 115-KV underground cables
through congested portions of Quincy and Dorchester in the greater Boston area. Connecting
two electrical substations, the 3-mi-long transmission lines include two 8-in.-dia pipe-type
cables, welded joint steel conduits, and two 4-in.-dia communication conduits. The
transmission lines cross beneath the Neponset River, a 1,200-ft-wide tidal river that separates
Dorchester and Quincy, at the mouth of the river where it empties into Boston Harbor. The
lines also cross beneath a portion of an Interstate I-93 embankment, an I-93 on-ramp, and
twice underneath the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority's Red Line rail system.
In the planning phase, an extensive geotechnical exploration program was undertaken to assist
in evaluating trenchless construction alternatives in an area where cut-and-cover trenching
could be problematic. The use of HDD for construction of the cables underneath the river was
recommended, because it offered significant benefits. For example, HDD did not require

mobilization of any marine equipment; and, therefore, did not impact shipping traffic or
sensitive marine life. Also, a lengthy permitting process was avoided. A 1,600-ft-long bore
was used at this river crossing with approximately a 26-in.-hole diameter. The cables were
bundled and pulled back directly through the bore in one single operation.
HDD was also used to construct a 600-ft-long portion of the alignment that is adjacent to the
toe of the 20-ft-high, I-93 highway embankment, and beneath an I-93 on-ramp embankment.
A curved horizontal alignment was used for this section. Using HDD for this section
eliminated impacts on vehicular traffic on the highway and on-ramp, and avoided the need to
pass under a structure owned by an adjacent property owner. These two applications of HDD
avoided the need for permitting and right-of-way acquisitions processes, which enabled
construction to be completed in significantly less time than would have been required by
trenching methods.
Interceptor Relief Project Constructed by Microtunneling
Microtunneling methods were used to install 3,000 lf of new 66-in.-dia sewer and 4,700 lf of
36-in.-dia sewer in Chelsea, MA. The project is one component of the Massachusetts Water
Resources Authority's Combined Sewer Overflow Facilities Plan, and will improve overall
water quality in Chelsea Creek and Boston Harbor.
Haley & Aldrich completed a combined geotechnical and hazardous materials site
investigation that identified the presence of contaminated soil and groundwater along the
sewer alignment. Alternative construction methods were evaluated including cut-and-cover,
soft ground tunneling, pipe jacking, and microtunneling. Microtunneling was selected
primarily to avoid surface disruption and impacts to adjacent businesses that would have
occurred with trench construction. The sewer alignments pass through industrialized
reclaimed land along Chelsea Creek. Soil types encountered included organic soils, estuarine
fine sands and silts, marine deposits, and glacial soils. Inverts are below groundwater level
and range from 15 to 28 ft below ground surface. In addition to the trenchless design, Haley &
Aldrich provided construction management and hazardous materials management services.
As new population growth necessitates expansion of transportation, energy, and water-related
infrastructure; and the demands for new telecommunications technologies drive the expansion
of underground cable and fiber optic networks, construction technologies must keep pace.
HDD and microtunneling are moving trenchless engineering and construction options
forward.