The rope bursting system (RBS), from the ABS Trenchless company in Germany, uses an innovative clamping technology in order to complete relining jobs with long pulling distances exceeding 1,000 m. This is done in one run, using only one machine pit in certain soil conditions. The RBS-Burster line is available with pulling capacities between 40 and 150 tonnes.

With the use of return pulleys, this technology also makes it possible to overdrive larger doglegs and bent old pipes.

The single operator is able to control everything from a safe distance above the pulling unit, as the Burster is operated by radio remote control – an important safety feature to the machine.

In addition to the safe handling, the new rope pull technology makes the work much easier for the operator as there is no need for rods to be removed.

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Along with pipe bursting, the pulling system can also be adapted for slip lining, relining and swagelining jobs, making the machine very versatile.

Roping in France

ABS Trenchless, with Entreprise de Travaux Publics GIROUD GARANPON – Isére – France, recently completed a project in Vorion, near Grenoble, France with the RBS helping to supply cleaner drinking water to the town.

For this project the team used a RBS 1,200 machine to burst through two sections of water pipelines. The old pipes, which had an OD 250 mm for a 420 m section and an OD 200 mm for a 210 m section were replaced with new HDPE OD 200 mm pipes.

With a pulling force of 40 tonnes, the 420 m section was reached in only one drill string.

Project Manager Marco Wulff said “This is the first time that a 420 m section was burst in only one string.”

Trenchless techniques were chosen for this job as the site was close to a nature reserve and for the reservation of trees. In addition to this, due to the amount of water that was involved, it would have been impossible to do use the traditional open-cut method.

Special tools were needed as the concrete pipes had curves and bends that are quite difficult to crack. The advantage to using a rope is that it can be redirected with a pulley and can burst more of the diameter.

Only taking two days to complete the bursting, the full project was done in just one week.