It’s a Lower Cost Alternative to Traditional Excavation and Replacement:

A number of factors impact the cost of pipe bursting. These factors include items that commonly impact the cost of other construction, such as:

• Overall size of the project

• Degree of difficulty

• Level of Risk

• Market conditions

No two projects are alike, and many factors act in combination to impact the overall cost of pipe bursting projects. Generally speaking, pipe bursting is less expensive than traditional excavation and replacement when one or a combination of the following factors are present:

• A relatively low density of service connections

• Surface areas are paved or otherwise improved

• Surface obstacles (e.g., water bodies, roadways, railways)

• Environmentally sensitive areas (e.g., wetlands)

• Conflicts with other utilities

• Disruption of the site must be minimized

• Contaminated soil

Since there is relatively little excavation required for pipe bursting, it stands to reason that this minimally invasive method of replacement would be less expensive than traditional excavation and replacement.

Increases Flow Capacity:

One of the main features of pipe busting is that flow capacity can be increased by installing a same size pipe or  larger pipe. While this upsizing can be done with traditional pipe replacement, pipe busting accomplishes this goal with less risk, at a lower cost, and in less time.

Access Issues:

In addition to underground access conflicts, such as other existing utilities, access to the site from the surface can present challenges that increases costs when traditional excavation is being considered. Replacement of pipes under railways, roadways, or water bodies can add huge costs to the project, not to mention delays resulting from permitting requirements and technical challenges. Utilizing pipe bursting to cross under these surface obstacles will save cost, disruption to the public, and time.

Reduced Trench Settlement:

Even the best excavation projects risk subsequent subsiding of the trench, resulting in pavement settlement. Many projects allow for pavement settlement over a period of time prior to final paving; however, this additional step in a project increases overall cost. And even if covered under warranty, additional return trips to make pavement repairs further increases the costs of disruption to the public.

As trenches settle, parallel or crossing utilities can also be negatively impacted as fill and surrounding soils shift with the settling trench. The resulting damage to other utilities may be recognized soon after trench settlement, or some time well into the future. Either way, the risk of cost escalation goes up with greater amounts of excavation.

Avoidance of Hazardous Materials:

Where the soil surrounding the pipe is contaminated, bursting through the contaminated area avoids having to address issues associated with testing and disposal. And when the contaminated area is very large, placement of access pits for pipe bursting significantly reduces the volume of contaminated soil that has to be disposed.

Where Rehab isn’t the Solution:

Where rehabilitation is not the solution, the Owner/Engineer turns to replacement. And pipe bursting is often the solution. Here are a few examples:

• Where an existing pipe is severely “squatted” (i.e., excessive ovality), beyond the amount that can be addressed by cured-in-place pipe (CIPP)

• When there is uneven deterioration of concrete pipe where a “shelf” is created above the flow line of the pipe

Advantages of Pipe Bursting:

The bursting method of pipe replacement compares well with replacement because it is:

• Safer

• Costs less

• Faster

• Less disruptive

• Presents less risk

Call Pipe Bursting of New England^SM for more information.