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The
following specifications are common to the industry. They are
general in nature. Each job has it's unique circumstances. These
specifications are not complete for any job and cannot be used
as such. Earth Tool Company LLC makes no claim as to the specifications'
accuracy or completeness and does not represent or warrant them
as such. The project engineer, city, or the contractor must
provide the final specifications.
DESCRIPTION:
This specification shall cover the rehabilitation of existing
water lines using HDD/Impactor, Pneumatic, Hydraulic or Static
pipe bursting systems (See Appendix 1). Pipe Bursting is a process
by which the bursting tool splits the existing pipe while simultaneously
installing a new Polyethylene Pipe of the same size or larger
where the old pipe existed. Reconnect existing service connections,
pressure test the Polyethylene Pipe and complete the installation
in accordance with the contract documents
QUALIFICATIONS:
A. The contractor shall be fully trained in the operation of
the Pipe Bursting Equipment by the particular Pipe Bursting
System manufacturer in the use of pipe bursting equipment.
B.
Personnel directly involved with installing the new pipe shall
receive training in the proper methods for handling and installing
the polyethylene pipe. Personnel trained in the use of butt-fusion/electrofusion
equipment shall perform polyethylene pipe joining. A qualified
representative shall perform training.
C.
The contractor shall hold the city and engineering firm whole
harmless in any legal action resulting from patent infringements.
SUBMITTALS:
Submit the following contractor's drawings:
A.
Shop drawings, catalog data and manufacturer's technical data
showing complete information on material composition, physical
properties and dimensions of new pipe and fittings. Include
manufacturer's recommendations for handling, storage and repair
of pipe.
B.
Method of construction with detailed drawings and written descriptions
of the entire construction procedure to insert the pipe, pipe
fusion techniques, non-fusion pipe joining techniques and connections
to water services, fire fireplugs and intersecting water mains.
Drawings shall show, but are not limited to, excavation locations,
access pits, dimensions, shoring, method of de-watering, adjacent
utilities and traffic control.
C.
If required, plans and procedures for supplying temporary water
service during pipe bursting operation.
METHODS FOR NEW PIPE INSTALLATION:
The method approved for rehabilitation of existing water lines
by pipe bursting and installation of new polyethylene pipe is
the Vermeer On-Line, Pneumatic or Static pipe bursting system
or approved equals.
MATERIALS:
Polyethylene Plastic Pipe shall be AWWA C906 high-density polyethylene
pipe.
A.
Sizes of the insertions to be used shall be such to renew the
water line to its original or greater than flow capacity.
B.
All pipe shall be made of virgin material. No rework except
that obtained from the manufacturers own production of the same
formulation shall be used.
C.
The pipe shall be homogenous throughout and shall be free of
visible cracks, holes, foreign material, blisters or other deleterious
faults.
D.
Prior to construction, contractor shall submit for approval,
the manufacturer's specific technical data with complete information
on resin, physical properties of pipe and pipe dimensions pertinent
to this job. A certificate of "Compliance with Specification"
shall be furnished for all materials to be supplied.
E.
Dimension Ratios: The minimum wall thickness of the polyethylene
pipe shall meet pipe manufacturers recommendations.
F.
Check for damage on the pipe prior to installation. If there
is any abrasion, cuts or gouges deeper then 10% of the wall
thickness of the pipe, it will need to be cut out and repaired.
This is according to ASTM specification F585.
BURSTING
EQUIPMENT:
The pipe bursting unit shall be designed and manufactured to
force it's way through existing line by fragmenting the pipe
and compressing the broken pieces into the surrounding soil
as its progresses. The bursting unit shall generate sufficient
force to burst and compact the existing pipeline. See manufacturer
specifications for what size unit should be used in what diameter
of pipe, as well as parameters of what size unit for percentage
of upsize allowed.
An
on-line system pipe bursting system utilizes a 24,000, 33,000
or 50,000 class Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) to provide
continuous tension to assist the tool. If using a pneumatic
system, the pipe bursting tool shall be assisted by a continuous
tension winch through the old line. In each case the bursting
unit shall pull the polyethylene pipe with it as it moves forward.
If
the pipe bursting tool is pneumatic or mechanical the bursting
action of the tool shall increase the external dimensions sufficiently,
causing breakage of the pipe at the same time expanding the
surrounding ground. This action shall not only break the pipe
but also create the void into which the bursting tool can be
winched and enables forward progress to be made. At the time
the polyethylene pipe, directly attached to the burst head shall
also move forward. The bursting tool shall have its own forward
momentum while being assisted by HDD rod pullback or winching.
A hydraulic or hydrostatic winch shall give the bursting tool
friction by which it can be moved forward. To form a complete
operating system, the pneumatic or mechanical tool must be matched
to an HDD or a continuous tension hydraulic or hydrostatic winching
system and be able to maintain the continuous tension throughout
the burst. The HDD or winch should be fitted with a direct reading
load gauge to measure the pullback force or winching load.
When
utilizing a winch the winch, cable and cable drum must be provided
enclosed so that it may be operated safely without injury to
persons or property. The contractor shall provide a system of
guide pulleys and bracing at the exit pit to minimize cable
contact with the existing line between launch and exit pits.
The winch cable, burst head and polyethylene pipe cannot come
into contact with the supports of the trench shoring in the
insertion pit.
CONSTRUCTION METHOD
PIPE
HANDLING AND JOINING:
The contractor is required to transport, handle and store pipe
and fittings as recommended by the manufacturer.
If
new pipe and fittings become damaged before or during installation
it shall be repaired as recommended by the manufacturer or replaced
as required by the engineer at the contractor's expense, before
proceeding further.
The
polyethylene pipe shall be assembled and joined at the site
using the butt-fusion method to provide a leak proof joint.
Threaded or solvent-cement joints and connections are not permitted.
All equipment and procedures used shall be in strict compliance
with the manufacturer's recommendations. Fusing shall be accomplished
by personnel certified as fusion technicians by a manufacturer
of polyethylene pipe and/or fusing equipment.
The
butt-fused joint shall be in true alignment and shall have uniform
roll-back beads resulting from the use of proper temperature
and pressure. The joint shall be allowed adequate cooling time
before removal of pressure. The fused joint shall be watertight
and shall have tensile strength equal to that of the pipe. All
joints shall be subject to acceptance by the engineer and/or
his representative prior to insertion. All defective joints
shall be cut out and replaced at no cost to the city. Any section
of the pipe with a gash, blister, abrasion, nick, scar, or other
deleterious fault greater in depth than ten percent of the wall
thickness shall not be used and must be removed from the site.
However, a defective area of the pipe may be cut out and the
joint fused in accordance with the procedures stated above.
In addition, any section of pipe having other defects such as
concentrated ridges, discoloration, excessive spot roughness,
pitting, variable wall thickness or any other defect of manufacturing
or handling as determined by the engineer and/or his representative
shall be discarded and not used.
Terminal
sections of pipe that are joined shall be connected with Central
Plastics Electrofusion Couplings, or approved equal, or connectors
with tensile strength equivalent to that of the pipe being joined.
Service
connections with the polyethylene pipe shall be accomplished
by the sidewall fusion method in accordance with the manufacturer's
printed instructions.
Where
the polyethylene pipe is connected with ductile iron fittings
or valves, an HDPE flange adapter shall be fused to the end
of the pipe and the connection made with bolted flange components.
All
joints shall be inspected by the city before insertion. The
pipe shall be joined on site in appropriate working lengths
near the launching pit.
LAUNCHING
AND RECEIVING PITS:
A. The location and number of launching and receiving pits shall
be proposed by the contractor and approved by the city prior
to excavation. The pits shall be located such that their number
shall be minimized.
B.
Before any excavation is done for any purpose, the contractor
shall contact the various utility companies for determining
field location of existing utilities.
C.
All work is to be completed within existing street right-of-ways
or easements.
D.
Any damage to adjacent properties that are not part of this
work shall be repaired and restored to it's original condition
at the contractor's expense.
E.
Where it is necessary to excavate, the contractor shall furnish
and install trench shoring or bracing in compliance with OSHA
standards.
INSERTION OF POLYETHYLENE PIPE:
A.
If required, the contractor shall develop a temporary water
system to supply water service to area residents and businesses
during pipe bursting operations. It is anticipated that the
system will be fed from existing fire fireplugs. The temporary
system and fireplugs shall be disinfected according to engineering
specifications.
B.
All buried utilities adjacent to the pipe bursting operation
shall be reviewed and where necessary be excavated to relieve
transient loading during the insertion operation. If any utilities
are within 24" of the pipe to be burst, the contractor
shall excavate a pit at the location to check clearance. The
amount of clearance will be affected by the soil type, the amount
of up-sizing and the location of the existing utility in relation
to the line being burst. If adequate separation does not exist
between the existing water line and the subject utility, the
contractor shall employ substitute means to rehabilitate the
existing water line.
C.
Any concrete encasements shall be excavated and broken out prior
to the bursting operation to allow the steady and free passage
of the pipe bursting head. All in-line valves and fittings shall
be removed prior to the bursting operation.
D.
The new polyethylene pipe shall be inserted immediately behind
the bursting head in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended
procedures. The bursting equipment shall be specifically designed
and manufactured for the type of insertion process being used.
E.
Work necessary to excavate and backfill potholes at utility
crossings will not be paid for separately, but will be included
in the contract unit price for this item. The surface repair
of the potholes will be paid for separately under the appropriate
bid item.
F. Accepted quantities for valves and fittings will be paid
for at the contract unit price that will be per each appurtenance
installed.
G.
Work necessary to excavate and backfill appurtenances will not
be paid for separately, but will be included in the contract
unit price for this item.
APPENDIX
1
TYPES OF PIPE BURSTING EQUIPMENT
General
Various types of specialized equipment are utilized in pipe
bursting projects and the types are generally unique to each
of the generic methods Static Pull, Pneumatic and Hydraulic.
The primary difference between methods is the manner in which
the force is generated and transferred to the host pipe during
bursting operations.
HDD/Impactor
Pipe Bursting
HDD/Impactor Pipe Bursting is done by creating an impact load
in the pipe by applying a "hoop" stress into the pipe
causing it to burst in tension. The Dynamic Bursting system
consists of a 24,000, 33,000, 50,000 class Horizontal Directional
Drill and a Pneumatic (Air Impactor) or Mechanical (Rotary
Impactor) bursting tool. Both the Air and Mechanical Impactor
rely on percussive hammering action to break out the old pipe
in which the tool travels. Simultaneously the new replacement
pipe is installed into the space created by the bursting tool.
The Horizontal Directional Drill is used to drill from the surface
down to and through the section(s) of pipe to be replaced then
back up to the surface where the appropriate bursting tool is
attached to the drill rod. The Horizontal Directional Drill
then pulls the bursting tool into the old pipe providing a constant
tension pulling force and maintaining correct line and grade
while the tool bursts the pipe. This technique is aimed at the
replacement of gravity pipes as well as pressure pipes and is
suitable for diameters of from 6 inches to 12 inches.
Pneumatic
Pipe Bursting
Pneumatic Pipe Bursting is done by creating an impact load in
the pipe by applying a "hoop" stress into the pipe
causing it to burst in tension. This technique uses a pneumatic
bursting head with a properly sized expander, and relies on
percussive hammering action to break out the old pipe in which
the tool travels. Simultaneously the new replacement pipe is
installed into the space created by the pneumatic bursting head
and expander. A winch cable is attached to the nose of the bursting
head to maintain correct line and grade by providing constant
pulling tension and enhancing the percussive force. Winching
forces up to 20 tons are typical for this method. This technique
is primarily aimed at the replacement of gravity pipes as well
as pressure pipes, and has been used in diameters ranging from
4-inches to 54-inches or larger.
Hydraulic
Pipe Bursting
Rather than the pipe being burst from the transfer of a pulling
or hammering radial force into the plane of the pipe diameter,
the bursting head diameter expands, fragmenting the pipe from
the inside.
The
bursting head is equipped with "petals" which open
and close under hydraulic pressure. Using hydraulic cylinders,
the bursting head first expands to crack the host pipe, then
contracts to allow the winch to pull the pipe string forward,
while tension is applied to the nose of the head using a winch
cable to maintain directional stability. Hydraulic bursting
is primarily used for on-line replacement of sewers and gravity
pipelines 6-inches to 20-inches in diameter or larger.
Static
Pipe Bursting
In Static Pipe Bursting a pulling force is applied to a tapered
or blunt nosed bursting head through steel rods, chain or cable
and new pipe is simply pulled behind the burst head through
the old pipe. In this process the old pipe fails in tension
created by the radial force applied to the pipe wall from by
the bursting head. As the bursting head advances, the old pipe
is fragmented and compressed into the adjacent soil and the
new pipe line is simultaneously installed in the void. The static
pipe bursting winch equipment is modeled after high-powered
hydraulic jacks, mounted horizontally, or a high tension drum
type of winch. Pulling forces of up to 225 tons are typical
for this method. This method is used in pipes 4-inches to 40-inches
in diameter or larger.