What pipes can be laid using HDD?

First of all, it is necessary to say about the diameter of the pipe. Standard diameters that are used in HDD are 63, 110, 160, 225, 315, 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 mm. Regulatory technical documentation (SNiP 3.05.04-85, TPR-901-09-9.87) establishes that for pipelines that have a diameter of over 273 mm, spiral-seam and or longitudinal welded pipes are used. In addition, for pipes that are installed by the HDD method, protective cases are necessary. They are made of hot-rolled steel pipes. If the diameter of the pipe being laid is less than 200 mm, it is possible to use a case made of polyethylene pipes. The number of tubes in the bundle may be different. Communication pipes themselves can be made of steel, cast iron or HDPE. At the same time, the price for styling work by the HDD method varies from a variety of factors. It directly depends on the diameter of the pipes: the larger the diameter, the more expensive the installation. Also the price is affected by the type of soil, the complexity of the work and the material from which the pipes are made.

It is worth remembering that the choice of pipes depends on the soil. So, for example, if the soil consists of layers of clay and sand, and there is also ground water pressure that constantly removes layers, then the installation of plastic pipes will be impossible. This will be due to the ascent of pipes to the surface. To avoid this, it is necessary to use heavier pipes (although even here failure is possible in the form of non-fixed pipes in the ground).


Also, the choice of pipes is influenced by many factors. Basically - this is the depth of drilling. Since, for example, the natural bend radius of a steel pipe is approximately 1200 diameters. This means that for laying the pipeline through an obstacle 45 meters long and 4.5 meters deep, steel pipes longer than 120 meters will be needed.

Polyethylene pipes can also be used when laying pipelines using horizontal directional drilling. However, the maximum depth for such pipes is limited to thirty meters.

You also need to decide on what will pass through the pipes. For example, steel pipes are used for the heating system, but they are not recommended to be laid using the HDD method. In general, almost any pipes with the exception of concrete pipes are suitable for the HDD method. Cast iron pipes were laid in this way relatively recently. This is due to the fact that in order to tighten the cast-iron pipe, it is necessary to make considerable efforts. However, now there are special drilling rigs that have a pulling force of up to 45 tons.

Trenchless pipe laying using the HDD method allows creating an efficient communication network. As a result, this method can be laid as a cable bundle, and gas or oil pipeline, and you can use almost any type of pipe.