Determining the structural parameters and forces of resistance to movement in the soil of the working equipment of the knife pipe dredger

Abstract

One of the most effective methods of laying underground pipelines is the deepening method,
when, with the help of a plow-knife working body and pipe-laying equipment, the pipe is lowered
into the soil to the required mark without the formation of a trench, and, accordingly, without its
filling and reclamation of the fertile soil layer. A feature of the process is the high resistance during
deep cutting of the soil by the knife working body, which requires significant traction efforts from
the base machine. The costs of moving the pipe-laying equipment, which is designed to lay the
pipeline at a certain depth, require additional efforts that must be taken into account. It is also
necessary to take into account the structural dimensions of the laying equipment, which is
determined by the amount of deflection of the pipeline and its stiffness.
The work proposes a method for calculating the structural and technological parameters
of the equipment for laying distribution linearly extended pipelines, which is carried out by the
trenchless method by deepening them with a knife pipe sinker. Calculations to determine the
resistance forces of the soil take into account both the size of the equipment, which is
determined by the rigidity of the pipe being laid, and the physical and mechanical properties of
the soils being developed. The task of reducing the size of the pipe-laying equipment and,
accordingly, the resistance forces during its movement in the soil is also being solved. This
happens by reducing the length of the bend of the pipeline whip by forcibly pressing the pipe
within the limits of its permissible stress in the bend. The reduction of resistance to the
movement of pipe-laying equipment can reach 40 percent. In the total balance, this component
will make up to 10 percent.
The results of the conducted research can be applied in the creation of special machines for
trenchless laying of distribution pipeline networks for the supply of water, gas, food pipelines, etc.