Bothar Drilling | Auger Boring

auger boring ireland

What is Auger Boring?

Like Directional Drilling, Auger Boring is well suited to working in close proximity to roads, footpaths, rivers and other obstacles where you need to insert pipes or cables into the ground.

The Auger is set within a steel pipe and as it bores into the ground it pulls the pipe along with it. We use this method to place pipes under busy roads and intersections where there needs to be minimum disruption to traffic flow at all times.

Called Dry Boring this particular method of pipe laying produces no slurry. The waste material is simply funnelled into the pit and taken away.

Use Cases

Busy Roads and Intersections

Train lines, Platforms and crossings

Streams and Rivers

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Where existing infrastructure is already in place

Why Use Auger Boring?

Non disruptive to local services such as roads and rail networks. We are able to bore under all types of infrastructure without effecting traffic or public access.

Dry boring produces no slurry and the dry fill can simply be taken away or spread over the surrounding area for landscaping.

A superb method for point to point pipe laying with little or no disruption.

Work can be carried out during the day because we do not impact traffic or pedestrian areas while working.

How it works

Auger Boring is a great method for installing straight runs of pipes without impacting the local environment.

We dig a small pit at one end of the site for our equipment. Called the Launch and Reception pits they are for housing our equipment and are cordoned off for safety and to protect the general public.

We install rails on one side of the pit to carry the boring machine. We will often reinforce this pit with concrete as this is where all the heavy work is done.

We then attach a metal pipe to the front of the machine. As the rig pushes forward the pipe is pushed into the ground and the soil is pushed back down the pipe into our collection area. The cutting head can cut through both soil and rock.

When the first pipe is pushed all the way into the hole the rig is moved back on the rails and we install a second pipe. This pipe is welded to the first pipe, the rig is repositioned and the boring continues.

Once we get to the other end of the site the cutting head is removed from the pipe. The rig is then pulled back and each section of the Auger is removed while pulling the remaining soil and rocks with it.

The end result is a fully in situ steel pipe in the ground clean and clear to install your services.

This is a great way to install sewage or new water pipes without having to dig disruptive trenches through and alongside roads.