Issue 2/2015

PipeLine
h Railway Jacking
1 | h CC-GRP Culverts DN 3000 Jacked Under Railway, Cikowice, PL
3 | h Jacking Pipes Installed under a Railroad, Ettelbruck, LU
4 | h Jacking Pipes Premiere in Hong Kong
5 | h Pipes Jacked at Port Cape Lambert, AUS
6 | XXL h GRP Jacking Pipes replace Concrete Railway Culvert, PL
7 | Interview with Kimberly Paggioli h GRP Pipe: Jack Of All Trains
8 | Trenchless Project on the Rails with h GRP Pipes, Budapest, HU
8 | Auger Boring Small Diameter h GRP Pipe Beneath Dutch Railway, NL
9 | Croatias Most Challenging Project Realized with h Pipes
10 | Russian Railways Authorize h Products
11 | h GRP Jacking Pipes Under Railway Track in Tinec, CZ
12 | Polish Railway Project on the Fast Track with h, Chiechanw, PL

h CC-GRP Culverts DN 3000

Jacked Under Railway
When a pipeline route crosses a railway embankment, jacking is usually the optimal installation method as it does not require disruptions in
rail traffic. In the village of Cikowice in Southern
Poland, four culverts with a diameter of 3000
mm and a length of 34 m each have been jacked
under a railway line for the sake of flood control.
HOBAS Poland supplied the required GRP pipes
for this challenging project.
In 2010, the Raba River overflowed its banks
and flooded Cikowice and its neighbouring villages. Unfortunately, Cikowice is bordered by a
railway embankment to the north, which acted

as a dam, causing an additional accumulation of

water. The water level on the village side was
almost a meter higher than that on the opposite
side, an area consisting largely of meadows.
In order to prevent such incidents in the future
and enable the outflow of excessive water, a
flood prevention project was initiated in 2014.
It was realized in the context of the modernisation of the railway line E30/C-E 30 and involved
the construction of four large culverts beneath
the railway embankment. If the water level rose
again, the culverts should allow for the water to
pass freely to the other side.

E Engineering GmbH | Pischeldorfer Str. 128 | 9020 Klagenfurt | Austria

T +43.463.48 24 24 | F +43.463.48 21 21 | info@hobas.com | www.hobas.com

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 02

Year of construction
2014
Construction time
2 months
Total length of pipeline
136 m in total,
4 parallel lines of
34 m each

HOBAS Poland supplied the required pipes with an external diameter of 3000 mm for the
realization of the culverts. The pipes smooth inner surface ensures that flood water which
flows through them and usually contains various impurities does not lead to siltation.
HOBAS Pipes also made it much easier to resume jacking works after an installation
interruption due to heavy rain: The water causes the sandy soil to become slightly
compacted and adhesive, and the thrust force required to restart works after the interruption is usually quite high. Thanks to the smooth outer surface, the necessary
forces would be comparably lower and a restart quite easy.

Diameter
De 3000
Pressure class
PN 1
Stiffness class
SN 40000, SN 64000
Application
Culvert beneath railway
for flood protection
Installation method
Trenchless installation /
pipe jacking

Before the start of the jacking works, the rail tracks were equipped with special
beams that transferred the load from the trains evenly to the rails in case of any
ground movements. The structure of the pipes, on the other hand, was strong
enough that even in the course of their installation the vibration induced by
passing trains was not felt inside. The jacking machinery was secured against
sliding on the sandy and slippery soil and positioned in a way to install the
pipes with a slight slope, so that the water would eventually flow in the right
direction. Once a culvert had been jacked through the embankment, its ends
were specially prepared: One side was bevelled from the top, while on the
uninhabited side of the embankment the culverts were equipped with special
flaps, which prevent the backflow of water to the village.

Client
PKP (Polskie Linie
Kolejowe) S.A.

The construction of culverts in Cikowice took around two months. The project is
in successful operation and the client satisfied with the HOBAS Solution.

(Polish rail infrastructure

company)
Contractor / Subcontractors
Intercor / PROI, PROI2
Advantages
Smooth inner and outer
wall surface, high
structural strength

Fmd: hobas.poland@hobas.com

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 03

On the Right Track with h

h Jacking Pipes Installed
under a Railroad, LU
Installing pipelines that run under railroad lines is always a difficult undertaking. While you can usually close roads for limited periods and divert
traffic, when it comes to trains construction poses far greater problems.
This is why engineers tend to opt for trenchless technology, particularly
in railroad projects. An added bonus is that very long pipelines can also be
jacked without visible construction sites at the surface.

Year of construction
2009
Construction time
3 days
Total length of pipeline
40 m
Diameter

Not only the installation method but also material selection calls for careful consideration. Electric rail systems create electromagnetic fields during
operation, which can lead to corrosion in materials such as steel or cast
iron. In addition, leakage current could flow to the metal components in
the pipes. Risks that have to be avoided at all costs.

De 1720
Wall Thickness 68 mm
Stiffness class
SN 64000
Application
Protection Pipe

A new pipeline running under railroad tracks was planned in Ettelbruck

in Luxembourg. Various networks were then to be installed in the pipeline. The planners initially selected a protective concrete pipe but soon
changed their minds when they heard about the unbeatable benefits
of HOBAS Jacking Pipes. Built up layer by layer, the GRP pipes do not
contain any metal components and are both corrosion resistant and nonconducting. Leakage current does therefore not affect HOBAS Pipelines.

Client
SIDEN
Contractors
Kuhn, K-Boringen
Special Features
Jacking under a railroad
line, fast installation,
low weight, small out-

In February 2009, HOBAS Pipes (De 1720) were jacked under the railroad
at a depth of 3 m. After installation, the pipeline was filled with a
25 cm thick layer of concrete to facilitate future maintenance work on the third party lines inside it. Once
construction had been completed, the client and
contractor alike were impressed by the rapid
installation rate and very pleased with the
pipes low weight and small outside
diameter, which meant that the jacking pits were much smaller than
anticipated. Quality from HOBAS
solutions for all situations!
Fmd:
hobas.france@hobas.com

side diameter

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 04

h Jacking Pipes Premiere in Hong

Kong Trenchless Installation of Protection
Pipes beneath Rail Tracks
Year of construction
2013

In December 2013, HOBAS Pipes De 1026 SN 320000 were jacked in the Chinese metropolis
Hong Kong underneath a railway track as protection for power lines.

Construction time
6 nights / 15 hours
Diameter
De 1026
Pressure class
PN 1
Stiffness class
SN 320000
Application
Protection pipes for
power lines
Client
MTR Corporation
Limited
Planner

Hong Kongs Mass Transit Railway (MTR) includes more than 200 km of rail. With an
average of 2.45 million passengers per day, it is one of the worlds most profitable rapid
transit railway systems. Its operating company, the MTR Corporation, is currently extending the network in the vicinity of Hung Hom railway station in the urban area
of Kowloon. Since the space around the existing rail track was very limited, the
construction company had to remove parts of the adjacent slope over a length of
400 m and relocate the existing power transmission lines. With the new planned
route crossing beneath the double-track, the project managers sought for the least
invasive and most sustainable solution. They found what they were looking for
in HOBAS Pipe Systems: HOBAS CC-GRP Pipes with an outer diameter of
De 1026 mm and a stiffness class of SN 320000 were jacked over a length of
12 meters in 2.3 m depth beneath the double-track as protection pipes for the
power lines. Thanks to the non-conductive material and high load capacity,
HOBAS Pipes are ideally suited for the given conditions.

Ove Arup & Partners

Hong Kong Limited
Constructor
Gammon Kaden SCL
1111 Joint Venture
Jacking Contractor
Victory Trenchless
Engineering Company
Limited
Advantages

The installation was challenging in several respects. Due to the limited working
space on the tracks ballast bed, the starting pit had to be kept quite narrow
(4 x 4.5 m) and the pipes could not be stored on site but had to be rolled to the
jacking pit one after the other on temporary tracks over 50 m distance. As the
railway track is in operation 19 hours a day from 5:30 to 00:30 a.m., the client allowed the jacking works to be conducted at nighttime between 1:30 and 4:00 a.m.
only. The contractor had to work very efficiently to achieve each nights installation
goal within these 2.5 hours. With their smooth outer surface and quick and easy
coupling system, HOBAS Pipes increased the installation efficiency significantly.

Non-conductive
features, high load
capacity, smooth outer
surface, easy coupling
system

Due to the restricted space on the other side of the

tracks, it was not possible to build a receiving pit.
Instead, the boring head was partly dismantled
inside the pipe after the installation and
withdrawn through the starting pit. After
6 nights and a jacking time of 15 hours,
the installation was successfully
completed.
Fmd: hobas.hongkong@hobas.com

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 05

h Jacking Pipes Down Under

h GRP Pipes Jacked at Port
Cape Lambert, AUS
The Pilbara Region in north-western Australia was first inhabited by the ancestors of todays Aboriginal people some 50,000 years ago. Since 2012, HOBAS Jacking Pipes De 2250 are playing an
important role as stormwater drainage lines for the emerging mining industry.

Year of construction
2012
Construction time
6 months

In the 1950s, it was discovered that the Pilbara area is home to one of the worlds largest iron ore
deposits. Since then it has been an integral contributor to the Australian economy with the help of
mining companies such as Rio Tinto. With most of the ore being exported today, a rail infrastructure and large ports have been built to accommodate the ore transportation. One of the largest
of these ports is Rio Tintos Cape Lambert. Trains travel in from Rio Tinto mines throughout the
region, carrying around 80 million tonnes of iron ore per year into Cape Lambert for processing
and ship loading.

Total length of pipeline

308 m
Pipe specifications
De 2250, PN 1, SN 32000
Client
Rio Tinto
Designer
Sinclair Knight Mertz

Cape Lambert is currently undergoing an upgrade, which will see its capacity more than double
by mid 2015. At the projects completion, an estimated 200 million tonnes of iron ore will be
exported per year from this port. An integral part of the upgrade project was the extension of
the Sams Creek drainage lines, which run under the existing rail lines allowing the release of
stormwater during the wet season. The rail lines needed to stay in constant operation throughout
the construction works in order to ensure the continual loading of ships. Stopping the productivity
was not an option, making trenchless installation the only choice.
The designer of the new drainage culvert Sinclair Knight Merz planned two rows of
2100 mm internal diameter pipes with approximately 100 meters length each.
HOBAS Jacking Pipes with an outside diameter of 2250 mm and a stiffness
of SN 32000 were specified for this purpose. With the soil being hard and
rocky, the initially calculated jacking force added up to 7850 kN. Thanks
to the smooth outer surface of HOBAS Jacking Pipes, the actually applied jacking forces were much lower than expected. The substantially
smaller outside diameter as compared to an alternative concrete
pipe had the additional benefit of allowing increased ground cover
beneath the rail line, reducing both risk and installation time. Furthermore, the lead-time for HOBAS was substantially shorter than that
of locally supplied concrete pipe, and given the tight timeframe for
the project, HOBAS proved to be the best solution.
The installation set a new record in terms of the largest diameter
HOBAS Jacking Pipe ever installed in Australia, and it paved the way for
similar projects in the ever-growing mining industry in Australia. The Rio
Tinto drainage system was also used as an opportunity for creating cultural
awareness: Local artists were invited to paint the HOBAS Pipes in the artistic
style of the traditional landowners. The imagery is supposed to bring good fortune to the land and HOBAS Pipes have become truly part of the local landscape.
Fmd: andy.holman@globalpipe.com.au

Contractor
NRW, Tunnel Boring
Australia
Advantages
Low jacking forces,
small inner/outer
diameter ratio

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 06

XXL h GRP Jacking Pipes replace

Concrete Railway Culvert
h Pipes De 3600 Jacked Beneath
Rails in Gdask, PL
Year of construction
2013
Construction time
2 months

Since the concrete culvert crossing beneath the railway line E65 Warsaw - Gdynia in the polish
city Gdask could no longer handle high water levels from the nearby stream, it was decided to
replace it. For this purpose, HOBAS Pipes with an external diameter of 3600 mm were jacked
beneath the railway embankment.

Diameter
De 3600
Pressure class
PN 1
Stiffness class
SN 40000
Application
Railway Culvert
Client

The 2 x 1.2 m concrete culvert could no longer handle the nearby Krlewski streams
elevated water levels during periods of heavy rain, which occasionally flooded the surrounding area. There was no doubt it had to be replaced. The first respective plan involved
two parallel 2 x 2 m square concrete culverts, laid in open trench. It soon became clear
however that the design was unsuitable for the given circumstances and that a different
approach was necessary. In 2013, a new rehabilitation project was initiated that involved
the construction of a single circular. It was decided to install the new culvert by means
of jacking and to use HOBAS GRP Pipes with a diameter of De 3600 for this purpose.

PKP Polskie Linie

Kolejowe
Contractor
Przedsibiorstwo Usug
Technicznych (PUT)
INTERCOR, PROI2
Advantages
No interruptions of the

The jacking works were carried out using a set of hydraulic jacks and a cutter head that
was specially designed for the project. Where the routes of the old and the new pipeline
intersected, the old culvert was demolished and removed. At the end of the installation
process, the annular space between the old and new structure was grouted with cement.
For safety reasons, the rail tracks had to be equipped with beams. In the case of any
ground movements caused by the jacking process, these beams would transfer the load
from the trains evenly to the rails.

rail traffic, non-conductive and highly durable

pipe material

The E65 is a main-line railway with trains passing every 3 minutes. Although the trains speed
was reduced to 30 km/h in this section because of the construction works, the trains could stay
in operation without interruptions thanks to trenchless installation. The contractors, PUT INTERCOR from Zawiercie and PROI2 from Katowice were highly satisfied with the
project result they have already installed HOBAS Pipe Systems several
times in the past and appreciate the products high quality.
Fmd: hobas.poland@hobas.com

Click on the picture or the below

link to watch a short video about
the installation in Gdask.
http://bit.ly/1GuANDU

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 07

h GRP Pipe: Jack Of All Trains

Interview with Kimberly Paggioli, Vice President of
Quality Control & Marketing at HOBAS Pipe USA
The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) has recently added fiberglass pipes to the 2015 edition of
AREMAs Manual for Railway Engineering. This means that HOBAS Pipes
are covered in the new specifications and may expand the use of HOBAS
Pipes use in rail applications. Kimberly Paggioli, vice president of quality
control and marketing at HOBAS Pipe USA, talks about the usage of HOBAS Fiberglass Pipes for railway projects in the US and in general.

easier to specify and use HOBAS Pipes under

railways. In fact, every time that a pipeline track
crosses a rail, the engineer or the contractor
needs to submit a permit by the owner of the
rights-of-way. This process may be significantly
expedited when the product that is utilized is
already included in these standard specifications.

What are the special challenges when it comes to jacking projects

beneath railways?
KIM: In the vast majority of rail crossings, the tracks must remain in use
and undisturbed during the pipe installation. This means that trenchless
methods are usually be utilized at these locations. Whether it is a culvert
relining or in the case of jacking of new pipes, HOBAS Pipes meet the
specifications developed by AREMA.

The AREMA committees that evaluate products do a very thorough job and accept only the
highest performing products. The inclusion in
the Manual is therefore a great testimony to the
quality of our pipes.

Which requirements do pipes that can be specified for such projects

need to fulfill?
KIM: The pipe must be structurally capable of handling the live road imposed by the rail above. In addition, the non-metallic nature of the HOBAS
Pipes ensures that the pipes will not be affected by stray electrical currents
that may be present. For this reason, often HOBAS Pipes are found to be
preferable over steel for casing applications. Finally, as well as meeting the
long-term performance requirements, HOBAS Pipes can be manufactured
with the required axial capacity to meet the jacking forces foreseen by the
installer.
Any other advantages that make HOBAS Pipes particularly suitable
for railway jacking?
KIM: Generally our pipes under railroads are for sanitary sewers, so their
corrosion-resistance is another important benefit. The tight tolerance
gasket-sealed joints yield a fast assembly and a leak-free performance.
HOBAS Pipes also feature a smooth, constant, non-absorbing
outer surface, resulting in lower jacking loads as well as safer
and longer possible jacking drives.
How challenging is it to get enter the AREMA
Specifications, and what exactly does this
mean/change for HOBAS in the US?
KIM: Our pipes have already been widely used
under various rails across the country dating
back to the late 1980s. However, now
with the inclusion of fiberglass pipe in the
AREMA specifications, it will be even

How many railway projects have already

been successfully realized by HPUSA?
KIM: So many I cant even count them. And
there are definitely many more to come.
The Manual for Railway Engineering (MRE) is an
annual publication released every April and may
be purchased at www.arema.org/catalog.aspx

If you have any further questions regarding the

usage of HOBAS CC-GRP Pipes for railway applications, please send an e-mail to
KPaggioli@HobasPipe.com.

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 08

Trenchless Project on the Rails with

h GRP Pipes
h Jacking Pipes Installed Beneath
Streetcar Track in Hungary
For safety reasons, the Hungarian public railway company MV has special requirements for
structures to be installed beneath railways. The only traditional pipe solution and material used to be
double steel pipes with grouted annular space.
In 2002, HOBAS obtained the individual permit from MV for a jacking project in Aszf with 18
meters De 820 (SN 32000, PN 1) pipes. HOBAS Pipes convinced the railway company in terms
of the materials structural properties, its resistance to stray current corrosion, long lifetime
and easy installation. As a result of this successful first project and after thorough tests and
calculations, MV granted HOBAS a general permit for railway projects in 2010. Numerous
projects have been successfully implemented ever since.

Year of construction
2007
Total length of pipeline
30 m
Diameter
De 1720
Pressure class

The creek rdgrok, also known as Devils Ditch, leads rain water from the Buda
Moutains into the Danube in Budapest. While the creek flows freely in the upper part of
the mountains, it runs through a culvert midway down. In Hvsvlgyi street in Budapest,
this culvert passes underneath a streetcar track. When it needed to be replaced in 2007, the
contractor opted for trenchless installation with HOBAS Pipes to keep the impact on
the environment and traffic as low as possible and to benefit from the GRP materials excellent features. 30 meters of pipe De 1720, SN 32000 were jacked beneath
the rails the project was completed to the contractors utmost satisfaction.

PN 1
Stiffness class
SN 32000
Advantages
Low impact on environment and traffic, optimal
structural properties

Fmd: hobas.hungary@hobas.com

Year of construction
2011
Length of pipe
36 m
Diameter
De 220,
pipe wall thickness 20 mm
Installation method
Auger boring
Application
Protective pipe
Contractor
ProRail
Advantages
Quick installation due to
push-to-fit couplings, light
but sturdy material, flexibility in pipe design

Auger Boring of Small Diameter

h Pipe Under Dutch Railway
In 2010, due to the establishment of
new industrial plants in Rotterdams
harbor, a new 10,000 volt power
line became necessary for sufficient
power supply. Since the railway
networks safety measures demand
a protective pipe for all pressure lines
and cables running beneath the railway, ProRail, the company in charge
of the Dutch railway network, set
about seeking for an adequate small
diameter solution.
Quick installation was a crucial factor, so
that the usually employed GRE pipe which
has to be glued at the joints was ruled out.
ProRail turned to HOBAS Benelux: The
easy-to-handle, light weight HOBAS GRP
Pipes are quickly assembled due to their

push-to-fit couplings. HOBAS Benelux had been

an authorized supplier for pipelines undercrossing Dutch railways for a decade. Until then,
the smallest outside diameter for HOBAS GRP
listed by ProRail had been 427 mm. Thanks to
the flexibility in the design of HOBAS Pipes, the
required Jacking Pipes De 220 were produced
with a wall thickness of 20 mm to suit the
required maximal auger boring force of 148 kN
and to comply with all of the networks other
safety measures. The 36-meter host pipe was
installed in 4 meters depth within one day only.
The contractor was pleased with the result and
further small diameter auger boring and jacking
projects beneath the railway were implemented
with GRP, so that ProRail extended the listed
range of GRP diameters by DN 200.
Fmd: hobas.benelux@hobas.com

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 09

Jacking Beneath Railway and Street

Croatias Most Challenging Project
Realized with h Pipes
Year of construction

Slavonia is a region in eastern Croatia and known as the countrys breadbasket. To ensure a successful harvest, a reliable irrigation system is
necessary and this is why 513 m HOBAS Pipes De 2047 have been
jacked as part of a large-scale irrigation project.

2011
Construction time
3 months
Total length of pipeline
513 m

Croatias so far most challenging jacking project, realized with

HOBAS Pipes by the construction company and jacking expert Aquaterm,
passes beneath a highway and a railroad line. Three parallel sections were
drilled as planned in order to align the jacking pipes accurately. Heavy rain
and snowfall during the construction works posed a challenge to both
the workers and the equipment, but not to HOBAS Pipes, which can be
laid regardless of weather conditions. The project attracted strong interest from the entire Alps-Adriatic region: Experts in the fields of design,
construction, and finances from Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Slovenia
visited the site and were introduced to jacking technologies.

Diameter
De 2047,
pipe wall thickness 65 mm
Pressure class
PN 1
Stiffness class
SN 32000
Application
Irrigation pipeline
Investor
Hrvatske Vode

The investor is more than satisfied with the unique characteristics of

HOBAS Products and the quick installation as a matter of fact, he used
HOBAS Pipes of the same diameter in a follow-up order for another irrigation project.

Designer
Institut IGD d.d.,
Krimir Gali d.i.g.
Contractor
Aquaterm d.o.o. Karlovac
Advantages

Fmd: hobas.croatia@hobas.com

Short installation time,

low weight, abrasion
resistance, low life cycle
costs

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 10

Russian Railways Authorize

h Products
GRP Pipes Jacked under Railway
Year of construction
2013
Construction time
4 months

Only few pipe producers offer a broad range of technical solutions and are authorized to install their products beneath Russian rail tracks. In order to receive approval, the products
need to comply with the requirements and standards of the Russian Railways (RD),
one of the three largest rail companies worldwide. Safety is absolutely essential.

Pipe length
137 m
Diameter
De 1414 and 1638
Pressure class
PN 1
Stiffness class
SN 32000 and 40000
Application

In summer 2012, RD granted HOBAS the permission to implement a pilot project

on the railway section between Surgut and Tobolsk in the Russian oblasts Samara
and Tjumen. A second rail track is under construction in this area, and the old
culvert running beneath it needed to be replaced, since the old corrugated steel
pipe showed heavy signs of corrosion that had affected its structural integrity.
In addition to this, the contractor asked for the installation of protective measures against flooding during the construction works and not to alter the natural
riverbeds. Disruptions to rail traffic should be avoided as well.

Culvert beneath rail

tracks
Installation method
Jacking,
open trench
Client

(Russian Railways RD)
Advantages

Given the circumstances, the contractor decided for HOBAS Pipes De 1434
which should be jacked directly next to the old pipe beneath the railway track
by means of auger boring. It was planned to first dispose of the spoil with an
auger transporting it through a steel casing. Once the boring head had made
its way through to the receiving pit, HOBAS GRP Pipes were connected to the
steel casing in the thrust pit and driven to the receiving pit. Subsequently,
HOBAS Pipes De 1638 were installed in open trench. For the duration of the
construction works on the rail around the site, trains were slowed to 40 km/h.
Thanks to trenchless installation, the train traffic could be maintained.

Corrosion and abrasion

resistance, high
structural integrity,
easy installation

HOBAS Products not only scored with their structural properties and corrosion
resistance (especially regarding stray currents) but also with a long service life and
easy installation. The construction works were completed in October 2012, after four
months only and to the complete satisfaction of everyone involved.
After this projects success, RD gave HOBAS Russia
the official authorization for using HOBAS Products
also in future projects that run beneath the
Russian railway.

Fmd: hobas.russia@hobas.com

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 11

Make Way for the Train with h

h GRP Pipes Jacked Under
Railway Track in Tinec, CZ
Pipelines crossing traffic routes, streams or buildings pose a big
challenge to contractors. Detours and the therefore required pipeline extension would in many cases increase costs considerably
so that they could sometimes not be implemented. A common
solution for this problem is therefore trenchless installation
with HOBAS Pipes such as was the case in Tinec, Czech
Republic, where HOBAS Pipes were jacked beneath a
railway track.
The construction of the 330 m long sewer line started in
November 2010, when winter set in with heavy snow falls
and freezing cold temperatures. These unfriendly conditions represented, however, no obstacle for HOBAS Pipes
which can be installed regardless of cold or hot temperatures. Jacking was conducted without difficulties in frostfree depth.
Several tracks intersect at the rail junction in Tinec. The soil is
very stony in this area. In order to protect the GRP pipes from being damaged by the hard soil conditions, the contractor opted for a
three-step jacking process: After the pilot drill, protective steel casings
were pushed through the soil before the GRP pipes were installed. Since
it was assumed that the steel would gradually corrode due to stray currents
from the railway tracks, the HOBAS Pipes De 427 were designed to provide
full, autonomous structural stability. GRP Pipes, on the contrary, are nonconductive and therefore insensitive to magnetic fields. In the end, the
remaining annulus was filled with a cement/fly-ash mixture.

Fmd: hobas.czech@hobas.com

Year of construction

Application

2010-2011

Sewer

Total length of pipeline

Client

330 m

Glasspol Krom

Diameter

Contractor

De 427

Michlovsk

Pressure class

protlaky a.s. Zln

PN 1

Advantages

Stiffness class

Temperature and cor-

SN 100000

rosion resistance, long-

Installation

term structural stability,

Jacking

leak-tightness

h PipeLine | Issue 2/2015 | Page 12

Polish Railway Project on the Fast Track

with h
Microtunneling GRP Culverts under the
E65 Railway Line
Year of construction
2010 - 2011
Total length of pipeline
94 m
Diameter
De 1720, De 2047

The construction of HOBAS Culverts beneath the railway line in the

area of Ciechanw was carried out as part of the nationwide project
Modernization of E65 Warsaw Gdynia Railway Line. The
main aims of this extensive project were to improve travel
comfort, increase safety and shorten the journey by
27 minutes on this 103-km-long section.

Pressure class
PN 1
Stiffness class
SN 64000
SN 100000
Application
Stormwater,
animal passageways
Installation method
Microtunneling

An initial idea was to construct the culverts under the

railway line near Ciechanw in open trench. In order
to save time and respect the given time schedule,
the method was, however, abandoned in favor of
microtunneling. HOBAS Pipes were jacked to establish
three culverts 16, 24 and 32 meters in length, with an
external diameter of 1720 mm and a nominal stiffness of
100000 kN/m. Another 22-meter section was implemented with HOBAS Pipes De 2047, SN 64000.

Client
PKP Polskie Linie
Kolejowe S.A.
Contractor
Przedsibiorstwo
Przewiertowe MOTYL
Advantages
Quick installation,

The client, the Polish State Railways (PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A.), was already
familiar with HOBAS Products, which are technically approved by the Road and Bridge Research Institute (IBDiM) and the Polish Railway Institute (IK). The first HOBAS GRP Railway
Culvert, a DN 1300 section, had been installed under the E20 railway at Mienia in 2003. One
year later, the second followed at Ostrw Wielkopolski using a pipe with an external diameter
of 2047 mm. In 2005, a line De 1229 to 1434 in diameter had been installed under the railway
between Misk Mazowiecki and Terespol. Numerous further projects followed.

corrosion resistance

The engineering team from HOBAS worked closely with the design office in order to determine
adequate stiffnesses for the pipes, and the load capacity was calculated on the basis of the finite
element method (FEM). Highly experienced in directional drilling and similar jobs, the Polish
contractor Przedsibiorstwo Przewiertowe MOTYL made sure that microtunneling ran smoothly
and was completed successfully. In order to streamline the installation process and save on time,
the company ordered angular cut pipes and equipped these with precast headwalls from HOBAS
Poland. This way, the works were completed in a couple of days only.
Constantly scrutinizing and double checking the performance of pipes to provide clients with
optimal solutions, HOBAS decided to monitor the performance of the employed De 2047 pipes. To
this end, external experts in strength analysis were assigned to measure the pipes before and after
they were installed. After two years of operation they will be measured once again for final results.
Fmd: hobas.poland@hobas.com