Infratec International now lays claim to being the largest pipe bursting specialist in the country, with authorities such as South East Water, Barwon Water and Central Highlands Water as regular clients.

Their pipe bursting system is the HammerHead® HydroBurst® HB80 bursting system marketed in Australia by Vermeer Sales & Service (Australia). It features 72.5 tonnes of static pullback force, allowing it to burst pipes ranging from 75 to 300 mm in diameter, and weighs only 1,270 kg, making it easier to transport.

Features include an automatic rod spinner, a 16-second payout per 90 cm rod, and storage capacity for 45 metres of lightweight rod that is flexible enough to go around sweeping bends. A 54 kW Kubota diesel powers the 155 L/min variable displacement hydraulic pump that drives the system’s performance.

The company purchased the system in response to market requests for pipe bursting as an option for larger diameter pipes. Pipe bursting is an attractive remediation option not only because it minimises ground disturbance, but also because unlike other Trenchless Technologies, it allows for pipe to be upsized. This is an important consideration in areas with older pipes that may no longer adequately serve current demands.

The HammerHead HydroBurst HB80’s first job was a design-and-construct project to upsize 715 m of 225 mm asbestos cement pipe to 355 mm. The water table was close to the surface and the ground was soft, but apart from ensuring that the HB80 was adequately braced, there were no specific issues.

Infratec founder and owner Phil Thompson was impressed with the machine’s performance. “Our foreman found the machine a dream to operate, completing our first pull of 84 m in approximately 20 minutes using only a third of the machine’s power,” said Mr Thompson.

Technology pioneers

Infratec has developed a number of technologies to complement its pipe bursting equipment and to reduce the inconvenience to water users during pipe remediation works. The patented Infrastop® line stopping system is designed to isolate water mains under pressure, reducing the length of the bypass and avoiding the need to drain the mains and undertake planned shutoffs. It has been tested, installed and endorsed by South East Water, which has significantly reduced its ‘water off’ hours using the technology, as it allows more than 90 per cent of water main renewal projects to be completed without supply interruption.

One enhancement is a thermal control valve, developed to control the temperature of water in the pipes and ensure that users receive water at a controlled temperature while avoiding the uncomfortably hot water that can result from sitting in bypass pipes in the sun for prolonged periods.

New tapping bands have also been developed to suit the new generation of flexible pipe, as the traditional tapping bands developed for rigid pipe are not suited to the more flexible pipe pulled through in pipe bursting operations.

To avoid having trace currents in an isolated water meter, Infratec has also developed an Electrical Bridging Device.

Infratec manufactures its own fittings, including its special devices, and Mr Thompson puts this down to his background in pipe manufacturing with Tubemakers. This experience has also influenced the non traditional approach to contracting.

He explained: “We have adopted a manufacturing process control approach to everything we do. We examine each element of our work, and constantly seek ways to improve the way we do things. This includes independent pre- and post-project customer surveys to ensure that we maintain and improve the standards of our work.”

Vermeer supports progress

One constant in the change and growth of the business has been the use of HammerHead HydroBurst pipe-bursting systems, distributed in Australia by Vermeer Sales & Service. There are now 13 units in the fleet, including the HB3038 and HB5058 models, as well as the new HB80. The fleet also features three systems of other brands, which will be replaced by HammerHead HydroBurst units when they are due for renewal.

“Hammerhead is dedicated to bringing new technologies to the trenchless market, as well as sharing best practices within the industry,” said Jeff Wage, Vice President of International Sales for HammerHead.

“To expand the pipe bursting market, it’s critical to align with contractors, consulting engineers and the end-customer, providing products, project design specifications and expert on-site technical support.”

Peter Archibald from the Melbourne branch of Vermeer Sales & Service has supported Infratec since the branch bought its first HammerHead HydroBurst unit.

“I have seen Infratec grow from a single machine in 2001 to become the largest pipe bursting specialist in Australia. We are proud to have provided training and support along the way, and had a factory representative on hand when the HB80 did its first job. As an upsizing job at maximum diameter it should have been a testing job for the machine, but it was effortless in the way it performed.”

Mr Thompson said he continued to use HammerHead HydroBurst equipment as “we have found the HammerHead products easier to operate and maintain, and generally more robust in design than other manufacturer’s products. Overall they offer better value for the money.”

He added: “The biggest fear in pipe bursting is losing the grid — you need to constantly be aware of the bearing surfaces. The key is the setup of the machine and its tooling, knowing how and when to pull, and ensuring that the pull is in the centre of the pipe.

“We put a lot of work into the planning stage, and use another company as a design partner and project manager. This approach has worked well for us.”

The Infratec formula for doing business certainly seems to be working, as the company’s staff has grown from two to 70, and the company is viewing new opportunities in New South Wales and Queensland, as well as its traditional Victorian market.