INTRODUCTION
Bothar Auger Boring Machines are used to bore horizontally through soil or rock with a cutting head and auger. The majority of machines are used to install pipe casings under railways, highways, runways, creeks or any area of ground that cannot be open cut or disturbed in any way.
Bothar Boring’s expertise in auger boring techniques delivers a safe and economical alternative to other forms of tunnelling, without compromising on efficiency or quality. Auger boring is a reliable method for making crossings beneath existing infrastructure with minimal disruption. The company’s auger boring capability ranges in size from 300 – 2100 mm in diameter, dependent upon equipment, soil conditions and the length of the installations.
Bothar has many types of cutting heads, ranging from teeth cutters for cutting through soil to disc heads for boring and cutting through hard rock. Initially the boring machine is set up in the starting pit on a predetermined length of track which is embedded in a concrete pad to withstand the thrust exerted by the boring machine. The machine bores through the earth with a cutting head and the jacking force is provided by the hydraulic thrust. The pipe casing and auger sections are added as the machine advances. Spoil is removed from the auger through the casing to a door located on the side of the machine. The cutting head and auger is removed on completion leaving a fully supported casing.
If required the steel casing can be removed or replaced with a carrier pipe. For this reason, our auger boring drilling technology is specifically useful when undertaking projects that require the removal of material. An example of such a project is the installation of oil and natural gas pipelines where trenching is not possible and jacking forces are required to install the carrier pipeline.
