London, UK
Concrete Removal
Maxi Miller & Maxi Power+
Picote Consulting, Thames Water, Lanes for Drains
London, UK
2021
Concrete removal
3 days
Clay, DN150
Introduction
Picote Solutions tools and equipment were put to the test at a busy urban site in London, UK to tackle a job for Thames Water, consulting Lanes for Drains, the main contractor on the job.
Issues and Challenges
With technical consulting support from Picote Solutions, the task was to mill out 22 metres of a very hard cementitious compound from a DN150 clay pipe, accessible via manholes, 27 metres apart.
The pipe was positioned in a busy urban area with very limited access at either side, owing to ongoing construction works and bus lane restrictions. The portability of Picote was paramount, with the equipment manoeuvred to allow construction site access throughout the day.
To date the contractor had been able to remove around 0.5 metres of the cementitious compound per day, using Super High Pressure Water Jetting, however, the remaining deposit levels varied between 40% to 100%. A 7.5T Jet vac unit had been deployed twice daily over a prolonged period to prevent flooding. The ongoing associated costs and disruption were significant.
Strategy
A CCTV inspection revealed that the pipe invert was partially filled with silt and loose debris, which was first removed by HPWJ. The Maxi Miller Power+ (18mm shaft) powered by a Picote Generator (12kVA) in combination with a Maxi Miller Plus (12mm shaft), both exceptional machines used for the toughest of challenges, were utilised to remove the cementitious deposits.
These machines are capable of outstanding high-speed cleaning, descaling, root cutting, blockage removal, concrete removal and more, allowing for maximum power and efficiency on the job.
From Picote’s extensive portfolio, the following tools were chosen to undertake the project:
- Maxi Miller Power+
- Maxi Miller
- Tiger Twister Concrete Remover
- Tiger Chains
- Twister Concrete Remover+
Implementation
The Maxi Miller Power+, the machine for the most challenging cleaning jobs, was set up with the Picote Generator and used throughout the project, in combination with a Maxi Miller Plus.
The removal rate varied between 0.5 to 1.5 metres per hour based on the consistency and hardness of the cementitious material, miles faster than the 0.5 metres per day that had previously been the average.
Overall, 22 metres of very hard cementitious compound and silt were milled out using this combination of Picote High Speed Millers and Tools, completing the project in only three days, with no remedial works on the clay pipe required.
Benefits
This project reinforces the concept that using trenchless technologies, with their low carbon footprint, create not only operational savings in terms of time, labour, costs, disruption and efficiency, but also make a substantial contribution to improving quality of life for us all.
Click the image below to find out more about how this project won the UKSTT environmental Award in 2022!