Microtunneling is a remotely guided tunneling method that installs pipe on exact line and grade. An operator steers the machine from a control unit on the surface while jacking pipe follows behind it. It’s built for gravity sewer and other lines where a fraction of a percent of slope matters.
How Microtunneling Works
- Launch shaft. A jacking frame is set in the launch shaft at the design line and grade.
- Remote guidance. The microtunnel boring machine (MTBM) is steered from the surface with laser guidance.
- Pipe jacking. Pipe sections are pushed in behind the machine as it advances.
- Spoil removal. Cuttings are carried out in a slurry or auger system and the face is supported throughout.
When Microtunneling Is the Right Call
- Gravity sewer requiring precise, consistent grade
- High groundwater and soft soils common on the Gulf Coast
- Deep crossings under highways, rail, and waterways
- Sites where settlement above the bore must be minimized
Why Owners Specify It
- Precision. Tight line-and-grade tolerances over the full drive.
- Safety. No crew in the tunnel; the machine is run from the surface.
- Ground control. Face pressure limits settlement under roads and structures.
Need a gravity line on grade?
To confirm or correct
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- Do you perform microtunneling, or partner with a firm that does?
- MTBM sizes and pipe diameters
- Longest drive and deepest shaft completed