The Upgrading of the Technological Process of the Main Pipeline Break by Means of the Bucket with the Improved Running Gear

Abstract

When doing major repair works on underground main pipelines, there is a need to carry out earthworks. The single-bucket excavators are used today since they are the mostly wide spread. When stripping main pipelines with the single-bucket excavator, the sequence moving from one stop to the other in the longitudinal direction upon completing the working cycle, it was revealed that the trench profile turns out to be enlarged. It is caused by the fact that the bucket is turned at a definite angle in relation to the axis of the pipeline. As a result, a redundant earth volume from the trench is extracted which results in the increasing of work execution process in stripping the main pipeline. Target of the proposed engineering solution is the improvement of the stripping process when carrying out the major repairs of the main pipeline. The research object is a single-bucket excavators equipped with the working element – a back hoe. The observations and a detailed study of technological processes of earthworks have been carried out, and the analysis has been done for the existing problem in the topic under examination. In addition, based on 3D modeling, an innovative simulation spatial model of the device was developed. As a result of the development of the proposed engineering solution, the technological process was improved to strip a main pipeline. On this basis, technical and economic features were improved. The reduction in the extracted soil from the trench impacts directly not only the duration of the stripping process but also the duration of the back filling process made by the bulldozer. This results in the reduction of harmful atmospheric emissions. The proposed single-bucket excavator can be used in places with structurally unstable soils as well as in all the climatic areas of this country. The proposed engineering solution enables to improve and to enforce the equipment of the repair and construction site. Moreover, the application of the excavator helps strip the pipelines of any diameters. The device design can be used in combination with any single bucket excavator.