10/11/2024
First GRP pipe installation project for Bessac Andina
For the first time, Bessac Andina has installed GRP pipes with a micro-tunneler, using the “Pipe Jacking” method. Find out more about this method, which offers numerous environmental benefits. It is directly in line with pillar 1 of our environmental roadmap: “act now by changing the way we work to integrate the environment into our production processes”.
The project, carried out in partnership with general contractor Mario Alberto Huertas Cotes on behalf of the Urban Development Institute, is part of the TransMilenio works on Bogotá’s North Highway.
A closer look at the technique used on the site:
Bessac Andina is a pioneer in the use of trenchless technology. This method makes it possible to install underground infrastructure (pipes, cables, etc.) without the need for large-scale excavations. Combined with the use of micro-tunneling in major civil engineering projects, it offers numerous advantages, such as :
- Greater efficiency
- Enhanced safety
- Reduced costs
- Minimized environmental impact
- No impacts for road trafic
Unlike manual digging methods or the use of tunnel boring machines, this drilling technique is controlled remotely from the surface. During pipe jacking, the pipe is pushed from the launch shaft by a station exerting a pressure of over 100 tons.
What’s more, this method is often used to avoid excavations that could damage existing underground infrastructure. As a result, underground work can be carried out without interrupting road traffic or disrupting daily routine.
Frédéric Sega, Director of BESSAC Andina, points out that “for the Norte highway crossing at Calle 100, traffic flow remained normal and it was never necessary to interrupt traffic. Citizens didn’t even notice that we were installing two large pipes under the freeway”.
Construction site:
The work covered several areas, including the TransMilenio on Highway North, Carrera 9 and the railroad line. The work was carried out in two main stages:
- Construction of two launch shafts and two reception shafts to facilitate drilling operations and pipe laying.
- Installation of GRP pipes (diameters from 1000 mm to 1200 mm) using trenchless technology with the Pipe Jacking micro-tunneling system.
Both operations were successfully completed, illustrating once again Bessac Andina’s expertise, quality and precision in this type of work.
Low-carbon technology with a positive impact on the environment:
Bessac Andina is adopting trenchless technology to reduce its carbon footprint compared with conventional digging methods. This initiative is in line with the Group’s environmental roadmap, which aims to reduce the ecological impact of its activities.
The advantages of this technology are manifold:
- Reduced excavation of materials: This saves crews the need to transport additional materials or backfill, thus reducing the use of dump trucks and the transport of excavated material, with associated emissions. In addition, no excavation or compaction equipment is required, contributing to lower fuel consumption.
- Preservation of existing infrastructure: For this project, it was not necessary to demolish or replace asphalt, thus significantly reducing the use of concrete and other materials.
- Reduced noise and dust emissions: This technology This technology does not require breaking up or backfilling the work area.
