Why are you showing me that boring picture?
Well, it is a boring picture, a Jack and Bore picture. Bah dum cha
Jack and Bore—What is it?
With it we are able to do a trenchless install of pipe. Why you ask? Well study the picture. At first glance it probably doesn’t look very interesting. It’s just some dirt, trees and construction stuff. A couple of guys looking like they’re taking it easy.
What you are actually looking at is called pipe jacking, slick boring, pneumatic pipe ramming or Jack and Bore. Why so many names? I have no idea. We generally call it pipe jacking.
What does a Jackbore do?
Using this technique, we are able to use a tremendous amount of force to power pipe through many different types of soil. This allows the pipe to be installed without disrupting the surface. In the pictured instance, pipe was installed under mature trees and did not disturb nearby historic structures.
In other instances, under roads too busy to be closed down. This has many and varied benefits. Here at Fort Snelling, we were able to save the old oak trees while utilizing value engineering which means being time and cost-efficient. Ah, value engineering. If only everyone operated that way. (I’m looking at you 90’s EXXON) Additionally, pipe jacking allows us to install pipe in tight quarters. Meh, this is all covered in the website.
Let’s talk about the most important thing in this picture.
Safety.
This is what a properly installed trench box looks like. The dirt is shored right next to the walls of the trench box, which has stabilized it. The soil leading down is benched to prevent the dirt from caving in. Members of the crew are actively monitoring the pipe jack in a two-person team. They’re observing from a safe distance or from behind installed gates. The PWS crew is protecting themselves and the project.
Safety doesn’t look interesting. Safety doesn’t sound like a fun and interesting topic. Safety sounds about as interesting as your mom telling you to clean your room. However, safety is our #1 priority. We run a safe site for our people and yours.
Interesting is overrated, sometimes.
Oh wait, I forgot to talk about the different methods for soil retention. That might be too Boring, though.
I’ll go ahead and see myself out.
