Railway Track & Structures - May 2008 - (Page 33)

PIPE RAMMING Pipe ramming can be a horizontal or vertical installation as an Iowa Trenchless crew demonstrates. The crew installed a 30-inch casing at a 47-percent grade for a storm sewer. The crew hammered the pipe on line and grade. After the hammering was complete, the crew used an auger boring machine to clean the casing. Nicholson, Clark and Holcomb all agree that humps, sags and voids are not strong concerns with pipe ramming. “We’ve had a lot better luck with ramming more than anything else with having less humps and sags,” said Clark. “We’re doing an 84-inch ram that was designed with inadequate cover and it’s in looser ground, but humps and sags have not been a problem.” Nicholson said, “This is where the ability to swallow debris is beneﬁcial. We’re dealing with a casing that is typically a half-inch thick in diameter. If we capped off the end of the pipe and were trying to drive it into the ground, we would have a problem, but by leaving the end of the casing open, we’re allowing that debris, material, rock, railroad tie or whatever has been buried to be swallowed in the casing.” “Railroads are purchasing ramming tools and replacing bad culverts themselves and also contract many projects out to contractors that specialize in boring. Many railroads specify ramming as a preferred boring technique after they experience the method because it minimizes the chance for undermining of the tracks,” said Holcomb. Railroad use rising Nicholson relates the safety factor of pipe ramming to its growing use among railroads. “It does go back to the one disadvantage of auger boring, which is that lead head is out in front of the pipe and settlement and rail safety is always a concern, so knowing that soil will not be removed until after the fact creates a great opportunity. “It is a viable option for new installations and certainly [an option] as railroads continue to rehabilitate or continue to improve the state of their infrastructure,” said Nicholson. Clark agrees, “Railroads have been more open and we’ve been doing more of it. Some railroad people are skeptical until they see the process. We’ve never had anyone who did not like pipe ramming after using it.” www.rtands.com Railway Track & Structures May 2008 33 http://www.rtands.com

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Railway Track & Structures - May 2008 On Track Industry Today Supplier News AREMA News NRC News TTCI R&D NRC In Good Shape to Face Upcoming Challenges Pipe Ramming Can Aid Drainage Conrail Building to Handle Booming Northern New Jersey Traffic Products and Literature People Calendar Sales Representatives Advertisers Index Website Directory Professional Directory Classified Advertising Chicago Perspective

Railway Track & Structures - May 2008

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