2017 Trenchless Technology Projects of the Year Revealed

Trenchless Technology magazine, the leading publication covering the trenchless marketplace, has announced the winners of its 25th annual Projects of the Year for 2017. Projects are awarded in New Installation and Rehabilitation categories. The announcement was made during a special live Webinar event this afternoon, as part of World Trenchless Day, on Sept 28.

This year’s winning projects feature the trenchless applications of microtunneling and pipe relining. “It is fascinating to see the evolution of the industry through the Trenchless Technology Projects of the Year. Each year, the standard of excellence for trenchless projects is advanced through improved understanding of existing techniques, new and improved technology and collaboration. 2017 is no exception,” says Trenchless Technology editor Jim Rush.

The Project of the Year for New Installation is the Rebecca Trunk Wastewater Main Project in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, which consisted of 4.08 km of 1,200- and 1,350-mm pipe by trenchless construction comprising five jacking pits, six receiving pits and nine drives — one straight and eight curved — varying in length from 180 to 626 m. The drives located at depths up to 14 m below ground surface were excavated using a slurry microtunnel boring machine (MTBM) on a grade of 0.15 percent. With the exception of two of the drives (mixed face), microtunneling was through rock. The rock drives located within the Georgian Bay Formation comprised shales with interbedded siltstone and limestone.

Other projects recognized in the New Installation category are: Miami Beach 54-in. HDD (Runner-up); Delaware River Pipeline Replacement Project (Honorable Mention); and Crabtree & Upper Pigeon House Sewer Tunnels Project (Honorable Mention).

RELATED: Blue Plains Wins Tunnel Achievement Award

The Project of the Year for Rehabilitation is the West Palm Beach Force Main Rehabilitation Project. During summer 2016, work began on one of the largest rehabilitation projects ever of its kind – a critical project to rehabilitate a PCCP force main carrying the entirety of the sewage flow for the City of West Palm Beach and Town of Palm Beach to the East Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility. The project was broken up into six separate shots, with the largest measuring over 1,100 lf. This project was able to be pressure tested at 55 psi, which at 48 in. in diameter equals over 100,000 lbs of force. This project was the first rehabilitation project to use fiber-reinforced CIPP at this pressure, diameter and length.

Other projects recognized in the Rehabilitation category are: McGuire AFB: Largest CIPP Liner Ever Installed (Runner-up); Tredyffrin Township: Emergency Rehab of the Wilson Road Force Main (Honorable Mention); and Record Upsizing Using Static Pipe Bursting Technology (15 to 34 in.) (Honorable Mention).

Winners are featured in the October 2017 issue of Trenchless Technology and formally recognized at the 2018 NASTT No-Dig Show, to be held in Palm Springs, California, March 25-29. Winners are chosen on the basis of technical advancement, technical complexity, milestones and records achieved, interaction and cooperation and advancement of the trenchless industry. They are selected by a committee of experts representing a cross section of the industry.

RELATED: Tunneling Awards 2017 Shortlist Announced