Hydrotrenching is a safer and more precise method of digging underground than traditional mechanical equipment. It uses high-pressure water to remove excess soil and vacuum to remove it, reducing the risk of damaging existing pipes. It also allows access to areas that traditional equipment cannot reach and requires fewer workers. As safety concerns grow, more contractors are turning to hydrotrenching for underground construction work.
Hydrotrenching is a process in which a high pressure water stream and suction system is used to dig into the ground. It is useful for its ease in removing excess soil from an area. Other methods are less likely to break existing lines and pipes. Hydro digging is considered by construction and demolition specialists to be a surgical method of digging into the ground. It is faster and more accurate than the current industry standard mechanical method of clearing soil to uncover utility pipes and dig holes.
Contractors must regularly carry out underground construction work. They often need to dig underground to install and repair utility pipes or to maintain municipal sewers and waterways. When digging underground in confined spaces, hydrotrenching gives contractors the ability to dig exactly where they need to without disturbing the surrounding soil or pipes. Hydraulic excavators have a key advantage over industry standard excavators and backhoes, as it is easy for excavators and backhoes to blast existing water pipes and channels.
The current industry standard digging equipment consists of excavators and backhoe loaders that dig up earth and haul it on a dirt mound or truck. Once the underground construction is finished, the dirt is removed or replaced. The downside to using this massive piece of equipment is when the metal part of the backhoe accidentally contacts and damages an existing pipeline. Such incidents can injure construction workers and cause major utility outages. Because hydro digging uses water pressure to break up soil and a vacuum to remove soil, it all happens at the same time and the water pressure won’t damage existing piping.
Another benefit of using hydroelectric digging includes lower insurance costs for contractors. This advantage derives from the safety in the use of hydro-excavation compared to other excavation methods. The equipment is more likely to be able to access areas that traditional heavy machinery cannot reach, such as steep slopes or small yards. Hydroelectric excavations use a small workforce, as only one piece of equipment is needed to do the job.
Although construction contractors currently continue to use large mechanical equipment to drill underground, hydraulic trenching is gaining popularity. The growing government response to disruption of utilities due to construction accidents is putting pressure on contractors to be more precise when carrying out underground construction work. More contractors are looking for technological advancements such as hydroelectric excavations to complete the underground construction works. With contractors starting to specialize in hydraulic excavation, the method is likely to gain a reputation as a quick and safe way to excavate.
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