4:00 PM (2.0 PDH)
Trenchless Technology
Presented by Mr. David Ellett, CCM with Pate Garver
BIO: David grew up in North Louisiana, attending Louisiana Tech University and receiving his Bachelor of Science in 1993. His tenure coincided with the early years of Louisiana Tech’s Trenchless Technology Center, where he and fellow classmates were the few students in the country with the opportunity to learn about trenchless rehabilitation and new construction of utilities from leaders of the trenchless technology research industry, like his advisory Dr. Tom Iseley, and then grad student, Mo Najafi. David remained in the trenchless industry after graduation by taking a position as a Field Service Technician with Hobas Pipe USA, witnessing and consulting with installers on fiberglass reinforced pipe installations of jacking, tunneling, microtunneling, sliplining, and traditional open cut across the country. In 2000, David joined the team of one the first implementers and pre-imminent installers of microtunnel installations in the United States, BRH-Garver. Beginning as a Project Manager responsible for installing trenchless and open-cut heavy-utility projects, David is now a partner and Vice President, responsible for the company's Estimating, Project Management, and Marketing sectors. In addition, David serves on the Gulf Coast Chapter and formerly the National Board of the Underground Construction Technology Association (UCTA), and is a member of the Industry Advisory Board of the Trenchless Technology Center as a representative of both BRH-Garver and UCTA.
ABSTRACT: Although microtunneling has been available in the United States since 1986, there remains a fair amount of misunderstanding and confusion on what exactly makes a trenchless installation a “microtunnel”, particularly for those not frequently exposed to the technique. The presentation will discuss the definition of microtunneling and compare/contrast it with the common vernacular still used incorrectly in contract drawings and specifications. We will discuss the components of the equipment that provide the benefits of a microtunnel project as well as discuss case studies and how microtunnel projects provide environmentally and socially friendly solutions to tight condition and tight tolerance utility pipeline projects.