GUIDED PILOT TUBE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of guided pressing small and medium sized tubes over distances of a few meters up to 500 meters, an assembly comprising a pressing segment and an outer guiding tube, said pressing segment, and said outer guiding tube. The present invention is suited for heavy traffic constructions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general prior art construction of tubes involves drilling of a tube-element. The drill-head typically removes soil, and transport soil back through a drill tube to an entrance cavity or the like, such as by a means for removing excavated soil from the drilling segment, such as a helical chain, a press, a screw-pump, a conveyer, and the like. The excavated soil needs to be removed to another location.

When finished with drilling a drill may be removed. However at an exit of the tube-element a receiving hole has to be dug, typically a few meters deep and a few meters wide, in order to remove the drill head and to have access to the exit. In non-populated areas such might not be much of an issue. However in populated areas not alone extra security measures have to be taken, but more important if close to a transport zone, such as a way, a railway, or the like, traffic has to be stopped. In addition such removal can only take place during tranquil periods, such as during the night; such is costly and in fact more risky as well.

Before removing the drill a tube or the like may be provided into a drill tube or the like. Thereafter the drill tube is removed. Hence drilling and providing a tube includes the steps of providing a drill tube, drilling, removing the drill, entering a tube into the drill tube, and removing the drill tube. In addition the drill head needs to be removed as well from the above receiving hole.

It is also relatively difficult to provide tubes that are suited for a given purpose, such as being watertight and soil tight. In addition further requirements may be present, such as when used underneath roads or buildings.

Some documents recite construction of tubes. GB 866 658 A recites a method and apparatus for driving holes through unconsolidated earth formations. Therein holes are driven into earth formations by placing a drive point at the end of a drive string which is hammered down- wardly. The top of the drive string receives an anvil on which a conventional piledriver operates, and a collar is secured to the drive string to bear on the upper edge of the casing string so that the driving force is partly transferred to the casing string. The string is finally withdrawn, leav- ing a casing and the point in the hole, but the casing may be retrieved subsequently for use elsewhere.

CA 970 762 A recites an impact drive point for impact penetration of the earth for taking soil samples. Drilling is performed in a vertical direction with relatively small pipes.

EP 1 006 322 A2 recites a method of inserting a heat exchanger vertically into the ground and ground heat exchanger. Therein, an earth heat exchanger is installed in the ground for heat withdrawal from surrounding soil and/or for feeding it. It has an elongated body with one or more circulating conduits for a heat transport medium. An elongated hollow tube is inserted vertically in the earth and has a head at its lower end. The head can be uncoupled from the tube. The hollow tube can be withdrawn from the ground after having been uncoupled from the head, so that the head and the earth heat exchanger coupled to it remain in the ground. When the heat exchanger is lowered into the ground it couples automatically with the head.

EP 1 983 274 A2 recites a vertical ground probe for extracting thermal energy from the ground and/or releasing thermal energy to the ground. The probe has an outer pipe and a probe foot arranged at a lower end of an outer pipe for sealing an inner hollow space of the probe. The probe foot is pressed into and/or engraved into earth, and is slidably con- nected with the outer pipe in the axial direction of outer pipe. The outer diameter of the foot is greater than that the diameter of the outer pipe. An inner pipe runs inside the outer pipe. Inner space of the inner pipe and an intermediate space between the inner and outer pipes form conduits for a heat transfer medium. An independent claim is also included for a method for insertion of a probe into the earth.

DE 35 13 750 Al recites a method and device for the direction-controlled feeding of pipes in accordance with the displacement principle. Lengths of pipe can be laid in the earth or can be pressed through the earth, in that excess earth is either transported away or is displaced to the sides and is compressed. For the direction-controlled feeding of pipes which are laid in accordance with the displacement principle, according to the invention, the displacement head is driven in a rotating manner when the direction is correct. As soon as the actual direction deviates from the desired orientation, the rotation is interrupted and the head is rotated into a fixed position such that a control surface guides the head back into the desired position during the compression feed. The respective orientation of the head is displayed in a monitoring station by means of an optical monitoring device, for example a laser beam.

US 4,286,651 A recites a geothermal system and method of installing the same comprises the steps successively driving a drive pipe structure vertically into the ground at a plurality of locations so that a major portion of the length of the drive pipe structure is located below the frost line. An elongate geothermal pipe having closed ends is inserted into the drive pipe structure and its lower end is in- terlocked with a drive point device located at the lower end of the drive pipe structure. Thereafter, when the drive pipe is removed, the geothermal pipe remains anchored to the drive point. The geothermal pipes are connected together by conduits and connected to a heat pump so that a heat exchange liquid will be circulated through the system.

All the above documents relate to vertically applied pipe structures. These are typically not pilot guided. It is a priori questionable if these pipe structures can be applied horizontally with the means provided in the documents. In ad- dition the documents are typically silent on dimensional and constructional issues, such as inner or outer diameter, and on tolerances thereof. The documents are also not clear on relationships between various elements.

Hence there is a need for an improved and more effi- cient system and method of providing tubes in a soil, which overcomes at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art, without jeopardizing functionality and potential advantages thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in a first aspect to an assembly according to claim 1, a hollow conduct according to claim 20, an auger press segment according to claim 21, and a method according to claim 26.

The present assembly provides an easy guided pilot tube assembly, comprising an outer tube and an auger pressing segment. The outer tube can typically be used for transport of liquid media or as shell tube and can withstand heavy traffic. The assembly is forced through soil by a press. The press typically exerts a force of up to 50 tons therewith pushing aside soil. A rotating action of a press head provides sufficient control of a 3-dimensional movement direction of a head section. The auger head section amongst others provides auger pressing and directional control. The auger head segment can be typically de- tached. The follow up auger press segments drive the auger head and moderate press forces. The assembly is suited for applications wherein the soil can be pushed away. Herein the soil is the mixture of minerals, such as stone, sand, clay, and so on, and whatever is further present in the soil, such as organic matter, peat, gases, and water, and typically having a density of 1-3 gr/cm ³ . The present system is not suited for rock or the like.

In view of the forces applied upon pressing and thereafter the present tube is preferably sufficient stiff and strong, such as being reinforced with fiber, such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, and basalt fiber, typically having a tangential stiffness and compressibility of 10 * 10 ³ N/m ² , or better, which is sufficient for coping with a load of the heaviest class vehicles {verkeersklasse 60 in the Netherlands) . The tangential stiffness and compressibility is preferably > 20 * 10 ³ N/m ² , more preferably > 50 * 10 ³ N/m ² , even more preferably > 100 * 10 ³ N/m ² , such as > 250 * 10 ³ N/m ² , e.g. 300 * 10 ³ N/m ² , 350 * 10 ³ N/m ² , 400 * 10 ³ N/m ² , and 500 * 10 ³ N/m ² . Pipe stiffness is considered to refer to a resistance to deflection. Pipes of standard stiffness classes are regarded as flexible because pipe deflection has a considerable effect on the load and pressure distribution in the soil, with the result that the soil plays a major role in the overall load-bearing system. In an example, the greater a pipe's wall thickness, the greater is the stiffness and therefore its ability to resist external bending loads or low internal pressure; the wall thickness may in addition to a choice of a material be varied in this respect. For better understanding tubes can be classified into certain stiffness classes. SN 5000: Pipes {or tubes) of this stiffness are selected for minor loads, for example when installed in mixed soil at a depth of 3 m and a live load corresponding to a 60 t truck. SN 10000: These pipes are designed for high loads, for example for installation in mixed soil at a depth of 4 m or a live load corresponding to a 60 t truck with little soil cover. SN >10000: For special cases pipes can be produced with a stiffness up to well over 500,000 N/m ² , e.g. for landfill or well pipes. In the above SN refers to a Nominal

Stiffness in N/m ² . The present tubes are according to the two latter (more stiff) classes.

Examples of the present tube relate to GRP (Glass Reinforced Polyester) Pipes (GVK) . From a mechanical point of view, it has proved useful to classify GRP pipes according to stiffness - as opposed to wall thickness. Instead of polyes- ter other materials may be used as well, typically polymers, such as poly alkanes, such as PTFE, poly alkenes, e.g. poly propylene, polyesters, such as PET, vinyl esters, a poly epoxy, and polyamides, such as nylon, and resins, such as phenol formaldehyde resin, as well as co-polymers thereof, and substituted polymers thereof, and combinations thereof.

Both the pressing segment and tube are modular. The modular parts of the outer guiding tube are fixed together during pressing, typically by the force exerted on them. The pressing segment modules are removably attached to one and another. Pressing proceeds until a next follow up part can be attached, to the tube and to the pressing segment. The inner diameters of the tube modules are the same, in order to allow passage and free rotation of the pressing segment. It is preferred that also the thickness is the same, hence the outer diameter. For the follow up tubes typically the thickness is the same.

The press head receives the head tube, therewith protecting the head tube, fixing the head tube segment relative to the press segment and mitigating forces exerted on the tube and press. The receiving section typically also al ^¬ lows for compensating follow up tube product variation, e.g. in terms of length thereof.

For pilot guided pressing a guiding element is provided. The guiding element is preferably removably attached to the press head. In an alternative the guiding element is provided in a first follow up press segment, as an integral part thereof.

The tube inner diameter (D _t i) is slightly larger, such as 0.05-10 mm larger, preferably 0.1-5 mm larger, more preferably 0.2-4 mm larger, such as 0.5-2.5 mm larger, than the outer auger press diameter (D _do ) allowing free rotation of the auger pressing segment.

The assembly further comprises a means (400} for pilot guided combined auger pressing of the tube and the auger pressing segment, hence the outer guiding tube and auger pressing segment are pressed within one and the same process step and at the same time; both are pressed in a horizontal direction, i.e. substantially parallel to a surface, such as of the earth.

The present outer guiding tube is water and sand tight. The tube can be used directly to provide conducting elements such as cables, conducts, piping, glass-fiber, and so on. Typically the present outer guiding tube can withstand higher temperatures, such as above 60 °C, low temperatures, such as below -40 °C, and it can withstand temperature changes, such as of ±80 °C. The tube is preferably non-permeable, such as to contaminations being present in the soil. It is typically also chemically inert to contaminants being present in the soil, environment, or inside the tube. The inner side of the outer guiding tube is typically provided with a smooth surface which amongst others supports easy access for cables and conducts. The outer wall of the tube typically has a low coefficient of friction μ, e.g. lower than 0.5, preferably a low coefficient of kinetic friction p _k , such as < 0.4 (e.g. according to DIN 51130) . The tube is closed and hence no sol- id contaminants can enter or move through the outer tube. The present tube is preferably light weight, i.e. having a low specific mass, typically of less than 2.5 gr/cm ³ , preferably less than 2 gr/cm ³ , such as less than 1.5 gr/cm ³ . The present tube can also withstand high pressure forces, such as up to 50 tons. As such a wide range of applications is provided.

Contrary to many prior art devices the present as ^¬ sembly does not remove soil, especially for smaller diameter tubes up to 300 mm, which is a big advantage as no soil needs to be removed from a drilling or pressing location. In addi ^¬ tion there is no need for a receiving hole, which makes the assembly more cost-effective, safer, and having a lower impact on measures for providing safety to workers and the di ^¬ rect environment. If necessary the drill head can be removed by digging only a very small hole, after localizing the drill head. Such is typically not much of an issue, even when the location is relatively dangerous, such as close to a (high- ) way or railway track.

Thereby the present invention provides a solution to one or more of the above mentioned problems.

Advantages of the present invention are detailed

throughout the description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in a first aspect to An easy guided pilot tube assembly according to claim 1. The term "easy" expresses that compared to prior art assemblies the present assembly provides an assembly that can be provided without much effort.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the outer guiding tube is made of a reinforced material.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly an outer diameter (D _to )of the head tube and at least one follow up tube is the same.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the auger press heat comprises a magnetic material or wherein the auger press head is a disposable.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the head tube and or at least one follow up tube are made of a material selected from glass reinforced plastic, cast iron, carbon reinforced plastic, glass reinforced synthetic materi- al, carbon reinforced synthetic material, a reinforced poly ^¬ mer, and a high strength polymer.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the head tube has a length dht) of 10-200 cm, preferably 20- 100 cm, such as 30-50 cm.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the at least one follow up tube has a length (l _fut ) of 10-200 cm, preferably 20-100 cm, such as 30-50 cm.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the auger press head has a length (l _a h) of 10-200 cm, prefera ^¬ bly 20-100 cm, such as 30-50 cm.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the at least one follow up auger press segment has a length (l _as ) of 10-200 cm, preferably 20-100 cm, such as 30-50 cm.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the tubes have a wall thickness (t _w ) of 2-10 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the tube inner diameter (D _t i) is 5-500 mm, preferably 10-300 mm, more preferably 15-250 mm, even more preferably 20-200 mm, such as 50-150 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the at least one follow up auger press segment is hollow to function as at least one optical passage.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly at least one tube follow up segment comprises an inner stop.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the head tube has a receiving section (25) at one end thereof, wherein the wall thickness of the tube is increased from the end inwards in a longitudinal direction.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the at least one follow up tube has a receiving section

(25a, 25b) at at least one end thereof wherein the wall thick ^¬ ness of the tube is increased from the end inwards in a longitudinal direction.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the inner diameter of the at least one follow up tube is de ^¬ creased from one end inwards in a longitudinal direction and wherein the receiving section has an average thickness smaller than 50% of the wall thickness (t _w ) of the tube and/or wherein the inner diameter of the receiving section remains constant and wherein the receiving section has an average thickness larger than 50% of the wall thickness (t _w ) of the tube .

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly a length of the receiving section (l _rs ) is 10-100 mm, preferably 15-75 mm, more preferably 20-50 mm, such as 25-45 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the means (400) for pilot guided combined auger pressing of the tube and the auger pressing segment is selected from a combined auger press,

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the means (400) for pilot guided combined auger pressing comprise at least one of a precise angle measurement device, such as a theodolite, an optical camera, a distance measure- ment device, an accelerometer, a transceiver, a positioning device, a monitor, and a connecting means.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present assembly the tube segments comprise at least one recess for receiving a flexible sealing ring, and a sealing ring, wherein the re- cess has a width of 2-15 mm and a depth of 0.5-5 mm.

In a second aspect the present invention relates to an outer guiding tube (200) for use in an assembly according to the invention, the outer tube comprising

(ia) an head tube (21) , and

(iib) at least one follow up tube (22a, 22b), wherein the head tube and the at least one follow up tube are removably connected, wherein the tubes have a same inner diameter (D _t± ) , and a same thickness (t) .

In a third aspect the present invention relates to an auger pressing segment (300) for use in an assembly according to the invention, the auger pressing segment comprising

(iia) a auger press head (31) , the auger press head comprising a head tube receiving section for receiving an end section of the head tube,

(iib) a auger press guiding element (33) removably attached to the auger press head, and

(iib) at least one follow up auger press segment (32a, 32b), wherein the auger press guiding element and at least one follow up auger press segment are removably con- nected, wherein the auger press head and at least one auger press segment have a same outer diameter (D _do ) ·

In an exemplary embodiment of the auger pressing segment the head tube receiving section extends 10-200 mm. The term "extends" may be understood as having a length at an end section of the tube.

In an exemplary embodiment of the auger pressing segment the head tube receiving section comprises an inner stop .

In an exemplary embodiment of the auger pressing segment the receiving section has an inner diameter which is 0.1-10 mm larger than the outer diameter of the head tube.

In an exemplary embodiment of the auger pressing segment the auger press head has a cylindrical drill 34 bit with a cut-out section under a constant or varying angle of 20-70° relative to a side of the cylinder, preferably 30-65°, more preferably 40-60°, such as 45-55°. In principle typically used auger press heads can be used and a selection thereof can be adapted to various soils. It has been found that the cut-out section reduces friction and improves movement of the auger press segment through the soil.

In an exemplary embodiment of the auger pressing segment the auger press head is closed.

In a fourth aspect the present invention relates to a method of auger pressing a horizontal passage with a length of 2-500 meters comprising the steps of

digging an entrance cavity for auger pressing, at one end of the passage,

providing an assembly according to the present in- vention,

pilot guided auger pressing a first segment of a passage way using the auger press head and head tube and thereby forcing soil aside,

(a) attaching at least one follow up tube to the head tube and at least one follow up auger press segment to the auger press head,

(b) pilot guided auger pressing at least one follow up segment of a passage way comprising at least one follow up tube and at least one follow up auger press segment and thereby forcing soil aside, repeating steps (a) and (b) for auger pressing optional further follow up segments of the passage way, and

detaching a first follow up auger press segment from the auger press head,

retracting the at least one auger press segment from the tube segment. The method is performed in one pass. With the present pilot guiding means length of up to 150 meters are possible, as for larger length optical control of the pilot head becomes cumbersome. In view thereof lengths are more often limited to 50-100 meters, such as 70-90 meters.

In an exemplary embodiment the present method fur ^¬ ther comprises the steps of

determining a location of the auger press head, and retrieving the auger press head, such as by digging a hole at the other end of the passage way.

The invention is further detailed by the accompa ^¬ nying figures and examples, which are exemplary and explanatory of nature and are not limiting the scope of the invention. To the person skilled in the art it may be clear that many variants, being obvious or not, may be conceivable falling within the scope of protection, defined by the present claims.

SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of an example of a head tube.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged part of the head tube.

Fig. 3a shows a cross-section of an example of a follow up tube.

Fig. 3b shows an enlarged part of the follow up tube. Fig. 4a, b shows the pilot tube assembly.

Fig. 5a shows a cross section of the present auger head, fig. 5b a front cross sectional view of a follow up auger press segment 32a for entering into the receiving section and fig. 5c a cross section of one follow up auger press segment (32a) .

Fig. 6 show a deflection (%) as a result of a force ap ^¬ plied.

Fig. 7 shows schematically steps of providing a tube. Fig. 8-9 show the present assembly in over view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In the figures:

100 pilot tube assembly

200 outer guiding tube

21 head tube

22a follow up tube

22b follow up tube

25 receiving section head tube

25a receiving section follow up tube

25b receiving section follow up tube

300 Auger pressing element

31 auger press head

32a auger press segment

32b follow up auger press segment

33 auger press guiding element

34 cylindrical drill bit 34

35 stop part

400 means for pilot guiding

41 fixing element

Ddo outer auger press diameter

Dfut reduced inner diameter follow up tube

Diss inner diameter solid segment auger press

Dri inner diameter recess

Dro outer diameter recess

Dss outer diameter solid segment auger press

Dti (head/follow up) tube inner diameter

Dto outer diameter (head/follow up) tube

Dtro reduced outer diameter head tube

lah auger press head length

las auger press segment length

Ifut follow up tube length

Iht head tube length

In receiving section length

Irs receiving section length

Itp follow up auger press segment tip length

t _b head tube bottom wall thickness

tt head tube top wall thickness

t _w tubes wall thickness

a auger press head pointe top angle

In figure 1 a head tube 21 is shown. All of the below dimensions (for all figures) are ±0.1 mm, except if indicated oth erwise. The head tube has a length l _ht of 750 mm. The inner diameter D _ti is 100 mm and the outer diameter D _to is 116 mm (both ±0.3 mm} . The outer diameter may undergo a postprocessing step, e.g. in order to more precisely produce the diameter. The receiving section length l _rs is 110 mm. The tube wall thickness t„ is indicated. Indicated is also a part that is further enlarged in figure 2.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged part of figure 1. Therein the inner diameter D _t± is 100 mm and the outer diameter D _to is 116 mm (both ±0.3 mm). Further a reduced outer diameter head tube D _tro of 110 mm, and an outer diameter recess D _ro of 105 mm are shown. Two recesses are shown. The recesses have both a width of 8 mm with an intermediate width between the recesses of 15 mm. Further the reduced outer diameter head tube sections have a width of (seen from left to right) 6 mm, 15 mm (as mentioned) and 8 mm, respectively. A total length l _rs of the receiving section therefore is 45 mm .

Figure 3a shows a follow up tube 22a.22b with a length l _fut of 1045 mm and an outer diameter D _to is 116 mm (±0.3 mm) . The tube wall thickness t _w is indicated. Two receiving sections 25a, 25b are shown. Indicated is also a part that is further enlarged in figure 5.

Figure 3b shows an enlarged part of figure 3. Therein the inner diameter D _t i is 100 mm and the outer diameter D _t0 is 116 mm (both ±0.3 mm). Further a reduced inner diameter follow up tube D _fUt of 111 mm, and an inner diameter recess D _r i of 105 mm with a width of 8 mm are shown. Further the re ^¬ duced inner diameter follow up tube sections have a width of (seen from left to right) 5 mm, 8 mm (as mentioned) and 32 mm, respectively. A total length of the receiving section therefore is 45 mm. Together with the reduced outer diameter section, and one or two flat O-rings (not shown) , having a width of 7-8 mm and a thickness of 1.5-2 mm, a firm and tight connection between two consecutive tubes can be made.

Fig. 4a shows the pilot tube assembly 100. Therein an outer guiding tube 200, the outer tube having a head tube 21, follow up tubes 22a, 22b, an auger pressing segment 300, with an auger press head 31, an auger press guiding element 33 removably attached to the auger press head, follow up au- ger press segments 32a, 32b with length l _ss , and a means 400 for pilot guided combined auger pressing of the tube and the auger pressing segment. A force P is applied to the auger press, optionally also to the (combined) outer tube. Thereto a fixing element 41 may be provided.

Fig. 4b shows an outer auger press diameter D _do being slightly smaller than the (head/follow up) tube inner diameter D _t i- The (head/follow up) tube inner diameter D _ti plus the tubes wall thickness t _w result in the outer diameter

{head/follow up) tube D _t0 .

Fig. 5a shows a cross section of the present auger head with a receiving section head tube 25 and an auger press head length l _ah . The head has a pointed top, with an angle a of 35- 65°, preferably 40-50°, and a second angle β of 180- (35-65) ° , i.e. 115-145°, preferably 130-140°. The outer diameter of the auger head D _do is 125 mm, that D _ss of an inner largely solid segment receiving section is 100 mm, the length of the receiving section l _rs is 100 mm, a thickness of said (circular) receiving section is 2.5 mm. The solid segment has an inner non-circular diameter Di _{S S} of 60 mm, a receiving length l _r i of 60 mm, a top thickness t _t of 15 mm and a bottom thickness t of 25 mm (hence not circular receiving part) . The receiving segment may be welded to the head.

Figure 5b shows a front cross sectional view of a follow up auger press segment 32a for entering into the receiving section with a diameter of 70 mm and a cut-off section with a width of 60 mm. Figure 5c shows a cross section of one follow up auger press segment 33 with a diameter D _1SS of 60 mm, a length l _p of a top part of 55 mm, a stop part 35 extending 15-25 mm out of the top part and having a width of 20 mm, and a right section symmetrically positioned around a virtual central axis thereof.

Figure 6 show a deflection {%) as a result of a force applied. On the vertical axis the applied force in N is plot ^¬ ted versus a relative deflection (in %), calculated as the deflection (in meter) divided by a relative size.

Figure 7 shows schematically steps of providing a tube. At a left side a hole is dug to make room for an auger press. The objective (top figure) is to apply a cable or conduit. Drilling starts {second figure) by providing elements, one after the other. At some point the pipe has reached its des- tiny (third figure) . The auger element can be retracted. At a right side a small receiving section needs to be made availa ^¬ ble. Than the cable or conduit can be applied.

So at first, a starting cockpit needs to be dug out. In this cockpit the adjusted controlled auger system is placed. When making the cockpit, the rear end of the cockpit should be strong enough to process the occurring pressure forces. A first EGP-Tube to be drilled consists of a launch tube attached with a loose chuck. The probe is also located in this tube. The probe will be attached to the chuck with a releas ^¬ ing assembly. After this standard tubes can be used to drill. The chuck has an oblique flat side which controls the chuck. Through turning the flat side into the right direction, a driller will be able to steer this into the required direc- tion. Because of this measurement system and steering head, the drilling will only have a couple of mms of deviation. The system will drill in a straight line. When drilling with an EGP-Tube, the soil is being repressed. The advantage of this is that no soil is released. Because the soil gets repressed, a ground cover of approximately 1 meter may need to be accounted for to prevent ground deformation.

Figs. 8-9 shows the present assembly 100 in over view, in an initial stage. Therein the outer guiding tube, a first follow up tube, an auger pressing element with a auger press head 31, the means for pilot guiding (which typically in ^¬ cludes the frame shown} , as well a construction with a fixing element 41 allowing the means for pilot guiding to apply a combined force on the outer guiding tube and auger pressing element .

EXAMPLES/EXPERIMENTS

The invention although described in detailed explanatory context may be best understood in conjunction with the accompanying examples and figures.

Experiment

The present tube has been tested according to EN 14364, EN

1226, EN 1228 and ASTM D 2412. A test specimen was cut from a pipe with number 0002 ID 150. The pipe relates to a so-called helical filament winding 85° glass fiber reinforced polyester isophthalate resin (direct rowing TEX 2400) type. Three meas- urements per test were performed on 1 specimen, at 25 °C. The thickness was approximately 1.48 cm, an outer diameter 17.9 cm and an inner diameter of 16.4 cm.

For the EN 14364 a specimen was placed in a press machine between two parallel compression plates. According to method B a load was applied in steps such that a relative deflection of 2.5% and 3.5% was reached. The deflection was maintained constant for two minutes and an average value for three sec ^¬ tors was determined.

A similar test was performed, now having a relative deflec- tion of 5%, which was also maintained for two minutes. The absence of internal cracking and structural break was estab ^¬ lished.

The present tubes were capable of withstanding a force of up to 300 * 10 ³ N/m ² , without showing any deterioration. The tan- gential stiffness of the tubes is thus similar, namely capable of withstanding at least 300 * 10 ³ N/m ² .

Position Charge F Deflection y Deflection

(newton) (meter) relative

y/dm (%)

360° - 180° 2068.0 0.0010 0.6084

3073.0 0.0020 1.2169

4563.0 0.0030 1.8253

15366.0 0.0050 3.0421

15193.0 0.0050 3.0421

Table 1. Results of deflection measurements of charges on various positions of a tube. The position are taken in the indicated segment of the tube.

The specific tangential initial stiffness is calculated as follows: SO = (0,0186 + 0,025 y/dm) F/ (L ^χ y} = 300.915 N/m ² . The results are also plotted in figure 6.

Similar results are obtained for the 60° - 240° section, resulting in an average SO of 341.934 N/m ² , and the 120° - 300° section, resulting in an average SO of 290.596 N/m ² . In all cases no cracking and no structural break was observed.

Application of an easy guided tube

When making a crossing, using a drill, with a controlled auger system, a receiving cockpit is necessary to remove the chuck and to connect the pipeline. At some crossings, a receiving cockpit may give the environment too much distress. For example, for drilling to a median strip of a highway for lighting one or multiple lanes need to be closed, or for drilling in between railway tracks to connect a signal no trains are allowed on the tracks during the time of the drilling. Both situations will cause unwanted delays, and in some cases the creation of a receiving cockpit is simply impossible. An example for this is applying a drainage under a building.

Inventors have developed an innovative drilling pipe and drilling method under the name of EGP-Tube (Easy-guiding Pi- lot Tube} . This enables drillings without a required receiving cockpit. An auger system can be adjusted through the means of a couple of accessories in order to successfully drill an EGP-Tube pipe. Depending on the size of the controlled auger system, people can control a very accurate drill over 50 meters with a deviation of approximately 20 mm, from a 2.5 square meter cockpit. An additional advantage is that the chuck can be dug up at a later point in time, at a more convenient timespan for the drilling's environment, and the cables or pipeline can be pulled in. The hole for the re- moval of the chuck only needs to be about 25 cm wide. The removal of the chuck and the application of cables or a pipeline can be executed relatively simple in a short timespan. Multiple projects have been executed successfully using the EGP-Tube, such as providing tubes underneath railway tracks, a tube 40 m underneath an Amsterdam house, underneath highways, etc.