Services

COMPREHENSIVE HDD AND TUNNELING SERVICES

The Crossing Group provides a full range of trenchless construction services to pipeline, utility and construction clients in Canada and the United States.

HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING (HDD)

Horizontal Directional Drilling is an accurate and efficient trenchless solution that utilizes steerable drilling technology. Our extensive fleet of heavy and light HDD rigs allow us to install pipe and product lines over great distances up to 3,000 m (9,843 ft) without the need for continuous excavation.

TUNNELING – AUGERING, BORING AND PIPE RAMMING

Tunneling is used for crossings of shorter length, and is suited for large diameter installations. We offer a wide range of tunneling services and will recommend the one that is right for your project and ground conditions.

DIRECT PIPE® INSTALLATION

Direct Pipe® provides a one-pass installation solution with a high degree of steering accuracy. Our team is experienced in operating Direct Pipe® equipment and offers prefabricated pipeline installations to clients throughout North America. There are a number of factors that come into play. We’ve developed the following chart as a rough guide. For an accurate, professional assessment, please contact a Crossing Group company.
  • Crossing Length
  • Product Line Diameter
  • Soil/Formation Type
  • Required Precision (Alignment and Grade)
  • Product Line/Casing Material (eg. Steel vs Polymer)
Crossing Group Trenchless Service Best Suited To: Product Diameter Continuous Installation Length
Horizontal Directional Drilling Longer crossings at deeper depths for a wide range of product line diameters. Most soil types/ formations. Max 152cm (60”) Max 2,500m (8202′)
Direct Pipe Simultaneous bore hole excavation and installation in nearly all ground conditions. Max 152cm (60”) Max 1,500m (4,921′)
Horizontal Auger Boring
 Installing and cleaning steel casings 305 mm – 1.8 m diameter (12” – 72”). Boring through solid rock. 60 to 182cm (24” to 72”) 25 to 100m (82′ to 328′)
Pneumatic Pipe Ramming
 Installation in wide variety of soil types, at any angle. 60 to 365cm (24” to 144”) 50 to 175m (164′ to 574′)
Guided Boring
 Tunneling applications requiring grade and alignment precision. 30 to 365cm (12” to 144”) 50 to 175m (164′ to 574′)
Down The Hole Hammer
 Drilling through rock, large cobbles and overburden. 60 to 365cm (24” to 144”) 50 to 125m (164′ to 410′)
Slip Boring
 Situations where it is preferable not to leave steel casings in the ground. 5 to 106cm (2” to 42”) 25 to 150m (82′ to 492′)
Tunnel Boring/Pipe Jacking
 Installations with strict alignment and grade tolerances. 1 to 15m (3′ to 49′) 200m to 800m (656′ to 2624′)
Horizontal Directional Boring Thrusting through challenging formations such as shale and sandstone. Max 711mm (28”) Max 200m (656’)

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HORIZONTAL AUGER BORING

Horizontal Augering equipment is utilized to install 305 mm to 1.8 m (12 in to 72 in) diameter steel casings. Our Horizontal Augering machines are frequently employed in cleaning out casings and culverts where dirt or other obstructions are restricting or blocking flow.

Horizontal Augering can also be used in conjunction with a Small Boring Unit (SBM) for boring 610+ mm diameter holes (24+ in) through solid rock, which is done in unison with our disc cutter heads.

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TUNNEL BORING / PIPE JACKING

Tunnel Boring and Pipe Jacking Systems are used to hydraulically install underground pipelines up to 4.2 m (168 in) in OD range within strict alignment and grade tolerances. The likelihood of settling or sloughing is very low. Wheel machines are equipped with various cutter heads and sand shelves. A closed-face attachment is available for boring in unstable ground conditions. This versatile system can be easily adapted to work with any jacking pipe, in any pipe joint length. It can accommodate a wide range of pipe diameters.

Tunnel Boring Machines are used to excavate tunnels with a circular cross section through a variety of soil and rock strata. They can bore through hard rock, sand, and almost anything in between. Tunnel diameters can range from 1 m and exceed 15 m (3 ft to 49 ft).

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SLIP BORING

A boring technique commonly used for installing oil & gas pipelines ranging from 51 mm to 1067 mm (2 in to 42 in) in diameter without leaving casing in the ground. Product pipe is welded to steel casings and either pushed or pulled through the ground in sections. The casing is cut off and removed, leaving just the product pipe. Maximum installation length is 150 m (492 ft).

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DOWN THE HOLE HAMMER

A pneumatic hammer is attached to the inside edge of the casing. The front of the DTH breaks cobles, boulders and even solid rock into small pebbles or dust. The spoil makes its way through the hammer and into the casing, where it is removed by airway augers.

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GUIDED BORING

A Guided Boring Machine (GBM) is used to install 305 mm to 3.6 m diameter pipe (12 in to 144 in) with grade and alignment precision. It is commonly used for installations 50 m to 150 m in length (164 ft to 492 ft) or when line and grade accuracy is critical in displaceable soil. Our GBM is extremely versatile and our customers continually approach us with new applications.

The pipe installation involves a two-step process where launch and reception shafts are strategically located to minimize surface disruption. A pilot tube with a theodolite guidance system is then pushed through the ground at the precise grade and alignment specified in the design into the reception shaft. A reaming head is welded to the pilot tube and the casing and the pilot tube is used as a guide to install casing. The GBM can be used in conjunction with auger boring or pipe ramming methodologies.

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PNEUMATIC PIPE RAMMING

Pipe Ramming is used in a wide variety of soil types including gravel, cobble or sand. A pneumatic hammer is attached to the back of the casing pipe and driven through the material at any angle: from horizontal to vertical. The material is cleaned out of the pipe using an auger boring machine. Pipe Ramming methods are used for pipe diameters of 305 mm to 3.6 m (12 in to 144 in).

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