In Fort Worth, Iowa Trenchless provided critical trenchless support on a three-mile, 36-inch HDPE sanitary sewer force main installation that included two major HDD crossings requiring steel conductor casings. When drilling conditions demanded a stabilized entry point, Iowa Trenchless was called in to install two large-diameter pneumatic pipe-rammed casings:
- 90-foot 54″ casing near the Trinity River
- 180-foot 54″ casing under an interstate, multiple frontage roads, and six railroad tracks
Using a 24-inch Grundoram Taurus ramming system powered by two 1600 CFM compressors, crews installed 30-foot casing sections—ramming at speeds up to one foot per minute during early segments. Soil conditions varied dramatically between the two sites, with the first requiring penetration through historic fill material and debris, and the second transitioning from clay into sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders.
Superintendent Rick Siemers and Supervisor Brandon Derry led the effort, supported by a seasoned crew and several new trainees who gained firsthand experience in pipe ramming. Bentonite lubrication and an auger boring machine were used to clean out the conductor barrels before turning them over to the HDD contractor.
These conductor barrels provided a stable, fluid-containing launch environment for HDD operations—preventing inadvertent returns, improving steering capability, and ensuring successful long-distance drilling in challenging conditions.
