Before bidding for a pipe jacking (microtunneling), The most profitable approach is to invest in a previous campaign that reduces uncertainty in the market: type of soil, permeability/water table, strength-deformability, abrasiveness and front-end hazards. These data can be used to fine-tune the equipment selection, The company's risk management system, well design and risk sharing in the supply.
Recommended FIELD TESTS (geotechnical and hydrogeological investigation)
Soundings along the route (and in attack/reception wells).
Continuous core (if applicable), stratigraphic description and unaltered sampling when possible.
SPT in granular soils / heterogeneous fills (at least for correlations and variability control).
CPT/CPTu (static penetrometer, ideal in soft/granular soils)
Very useful for profiling stratum changes, estimating resistance and detecting granular lenses.
Water control: water table and permeability
Installation of piezometers and monitoring (including seasonal variations or tides if applicable).
Permeability tests in situ (depending on terrain): Lefranc in soils, packer/Lugeon in rock, and/or pumping tests if the aquifer can condition the front or the wells.
Complementary in situ tests (as required)
Vane test in soft clays, pressuremeter/DMT if you need deformability and seating parameters.
Geophysics (seismic, georadar, etc.) to detect heterogeneities, voids or contrasts if the environment justifies it.
Recognition of services/obstacles and constraints
In urban: service detection campaigns + identification of sensitive structures.
In crossings under watercourses: it may be necessary to complete with specific surveys (bathymetry/topobatimetry) in addition to geotechnical surveys.
Recommended LABORATORY tests
Soil identification and classification
Humidity, densities, granulometry y Atterberg limits (key to evaluate behavior, plasticity and clogging potential in certain scenarios).
Strength and deformability
In soils: simple compression and/or triaxial (UU/CU/CD as required), and oedometer for consolidation/deformability if seating is a concern.
In rock: UCS (simple compression), point load and geomechanical characterization if applicable.
Laboratory permeability (when relevant)
Tests to estimate permeability coefficient and support the choice of method and water control.
Abrasiveness and wear (especially in rock or granulars with quartz)
Abrasiveness tests (e.g. Cerchar/LCPC or others depending on the program) to anticipate tool consumption, performance and costs.
Soil and water chemistry (durability and compatibilities)
pH, sulfates, chlorides, chemical aggressiveness: useful for concrete durability, corrosion and water/sludge management.
To bid with less uncertainty (what “pays better”)
A geotechnical and hydrogeological model that allows to choose method with criteria (EPB/hydro-shield/open) and to size wells and thrusts; this fits with Choice of tunnel boring machine and the approach of Technical assistance and engineering.
Prepare the bid/RFQ with the minimum essential information (including geotechnical and water): What information should an RFQ include to value a crossing or outfall?.
If you want to focus the campaign on typical risks by terrain: Geotechnical hazards by soil type and mitigation.
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