Every contractor’s goal when installing pilot tubes is to complete the bore the first time.
Imagine this project scenario. An operator is installing pilot tubes on a road crossing project. The operating pressure looks good, and they are advancing with 30% of the pilot tubes installed, moving toward 50% when the steering head encounters an object. What was a fully visible illuminated LED target image on the guidance system monitor dulls to no visible target at all. What can be done? Is it possible that the cobble or boulder noticed when digging the shaft means there are many more ahead? No project geo-tech report is available because it is a road crossing.
In project situations like this, the operator can draw on experience. Using the tricks acquired over time, the operator may get a partially visible target to maintain line and grade to complete the crossing. If not, it becomes necessary to pull the pilot tubes back. In some cases, the bore can be reattempted to the left or right of the incomplete bore. If the alignment is set and can’t be changed, then what?
The sonde housing, in conjunction with the Akkerman target housing and multi-position target, is a tooling kit in the GBM operator’s arsenal for installing pilot tubes in difficult ground conditions. The sonde housing and multi-position target are aligned with the steering head. The sonde position locater matches the target, so they align. Then, when the pilot tubes are reinstalled, the operator can observe the sonde position on the sonde monitor along with the target.
When the contractor knows that the bore will be tough, starting with the combined tooling of the sonde housing, the Akkerman clocking target housing and the multi-position target is an innovative approach to complete the bore, even if the target visibility is lost. Based on experience, the alignment is not as accurate as a traditional pilot tube installation, but in many instances, when surface access is unfeasible, bore completion is the goal.
Navigating Future Workforce Development
By Jason Holden
Trenchless contractors throughout the Midwest remain busy amid a declining skilled workforce. At the advent of the trenchless industry, developing a skilled team to install tunnels with exact line and grade precision meant hiring individuals on the faith they would graduate from the school of hard-knocks with honors, while remaining loyal for much of their career. These men and women are the trenchless pioneers, and many have, or are currently dreaming about retirement. This is causing many contractors anxiety when considering how to close the knowledge gap as they look to the future. Here are some tactics that business owners can consider as they navigate the future.
Hire Slow, Fire Fast
Hiring slow, firing fast has a harsh connotation; however, it can be the most e ective way to close the knowledge gap between trenchless pioneers and future rockstars. It’s better to be selective until you find a candidate that is a natural ft for the team. Teams that work well with one another will openly share knowledge. Everyone accumulates wisdom through experience and interaction. If your team openly shares tips & tricks they’ve picked up along the way, your new up-and-comers will be exposed to your leader’s know-how, instead of the crew picking up the pieces for someone that’s playing out of position.
Contractors that are fortunate to know their employee’s retirement strategy and are equipped with the resources to do so, should be willing to start their recruitment search early. By allowing yourself the time to carefully select a new employee that checks all the boxes, you can choose someone that will contribute to the growth of the organization, even if you find that candidate sooner than anticipated.
Navigating the Knowledge Gap
A wise man once said, “A bit of knowledge is lost with each generation.” As my daughter approaches her 16th birthday, my wife and I felt it was necessary to teach her how to drive a stick shift before anything else. The likelihood of my daughter ever owning a vehicle with a manual transmission is small since every manufacturer, including many over-the-road trucks, have switched to electronic shift. As parents, we felt an obligation to equip our daughter with the skills to grind gears just in case she was ever faced with the challenge. Many in my daughter’s generation may never encounter a clutch, nor even understand why there was a third pedal on the floor near the brake. The knowledge of operating a manual transmission could become a lost art, just like Dogs & Wedges used to used to square up casing ends, were once commonplace in the bed of a crew members’ trucks. This type of knowledge loss happens organically as new technology obsoletes previous designs. Skills that were once required daily can become just tricks that people need to remember for when an issue arises.
It is advantageous for contractors to establish a process that enables skilled veterans to share their tips and tricks with the new generation of workers to ensure there is a transfer of knowledge. At a leading construction equipment manufacturer in the Midwest, retirees are periodically invited back as consultants to share their perspectives and insight. These types of interactions often expose fundamental know-how gained through experiences that could otherwise be lost; forcing your team to take the time to relearn them based on their shortcomings.
Equipment Training Centers
Equipment manufacturers, trenchless organizations and educational institutions are heavily investing in the future of the workforce. For decades, the industry has offered numerous conferences around the world where one could interact with colleagues and learn about the latest trends. Due to the nature of conferences and the associated high cost, it isn’t feasible to provide hands-on training of equipment at these venues. While they can be great to learn about trends, developing crew members requires a different approach.
In the fall of 2023, Akkerman opened the D.H. Akkerman Training & Development Grounds available to all customers in need of additional assistance. Customers can register to receive two days of factory-certified GBM training on the latest equipment, while having the opportunity to investigate any of the other trenchless methods Akkerman has to offer, such as slurry microtunneling, sliplining, rock boring, and pipejacking.
“Akkerman currently is preparing for the release of an autonomous haul unit in 2025.”
Equipment Updates
The trenchless industry was created from technological advancements by innovators like D.H. Akkerman, who built his first tunnel boring machine in Brownsdale MN in 1963 to install line and grade sensitive tunnels under roadways in a safer, more cost-e ective manner for his construction company. Today, multiple products are available to assist contractors install more accurate tunnels in a wide range of conditions.
Akkerman D-Series TBM Systems
Akkerman TBMs have been a critical piece of equipment for most trenchless contractors around the world. They were built tough, and the system was extremely versatile, with many used machines commanding a higher resale value than when purchased new.
Akkerman D-Series TBMs offers even more versatility in soft ground and includes enhanced power necessary to combat rock. Produced in sizes starting at 48-inch OD and larger, these TBMs have become an extremely popular asset for both new equipment and fleet upgrades.
Akkerman currently is preparing for the release of an autonomous haul unit in 2025 which will reduce jobsite manpower requirements, and enhance tunnel safety. A prototype design has been proven and engineering work is underway on production scale units. Autonomous muck cycling is just the first step in future remote-control TBM operations.
Guided Boring System – GBM
Akkerman has been providing the trenchless industry with top quality guided boring equipment for over two decades. While there are several methods available, Guided Auger Boring is the most prevalent and widely used across North America. With hundreds of systems in service, contractors can accurately install pilot tubes on line and grade and then directly follow-up with steel casing. Auger Bore contractors have historically been limited to water levels or lasers and would have to trip augers to make alignment corrections with control wedges. Guided Auger Boring has many advantages over the traditional jack-and-bore method, but none more important than overall efficiency and worker safety.
