Safely uncover water pipes with unique soil retaining system

We attended their project site in Lexmond at the invitation of Van Vulpen. There, two water pipes in use are being connected. A project that suits Van Vulpen exactly!

Van Vulpen, founded in 1966 and based in Gorinchem, is a true specialist in cable and pipeline projects and trenchless techniques. Anyone who takes a look at Van Vulpen's website will see a beautiful display of films and photographs of a series of reference projects. Specialism and professionalism radiate from all sides. Exactly that is the first impression when we arrive at the project on the Driemolensweg in Lexmond.

Because each sheet pile can be pushed down separately, this system is very flexible and can be applied extremely well to cross pipes or other obstacles.

To safely expose the water lines without taking up too much space, Van Vulpen chose to use a soil retaining system from BodemBoX. Because of the intersecting water pipes, a sheet pile BoX was chosen. In this BoX system, sheet piles are pressed into a casing. Because each sheet pile can be pressed down separately, this system is very flexible and can be used extremely well with transverse pipes or other obstacles. By leaving the sheet piling high at the location of the pipeline, the pipeline is enclosed on both sides and at the top by the sheet pilingBoX system. This creates an earth retaining wall around the pipeline and, after excavation, the pipeline can be safely worked on.

After exposing the water pipes, a tee was installed at one pipe.

The team at Van Vulpen is very excited about the system. It was not their first time working with this system, so they chose to dig in the system themselves without instruction. They did this with a 40-ton long reach excavator. From experience they know that the sheet-pile BoX can be dug with a smaller excavator, but that a heavier one with more reach works much faster and thus more efficiently. This also improves safety.

After exposing the water pipes, a T-piece was installed at one pipe. Highly specialized work that the Van Vulpen team is visibly proud of. "In that respect, we only have thankless work, after all, we create a true work of art and then soil is thrown over it and nobody sees anything," says one of the guys from Van Vulpen, laughing. Ungrateful work it certainly isn't because the need for this connection to provide clean drinking water for the hinterland is all too familiar to the guys. "Next week, the pipes will be taken out of service in a controlled manner so we can connect to the other pipe. The planning and lead time for such a connection are obviously very important, but we are right on schedule," the foreman tells us.   

Highly specialized work that the team at Van Vulpen is visibly proud of.

The water pipes are from Oase's water network; they are also present on the project site to take samples. Once the samples are approved, the men from Van Vulpen can proceed with the placement and installation of the intermediate pipe, to make the connection. Then there will be another beautiful work of art under the ground that no one will see, but for which numerous households will be grateful.