Method of monitoring line & level during machine operation

Horizontal directional drilling allows you to install service lines underground by following a

There are different types of locating systems and methods associated with the Horizontal
Directional Drilling Techniques. However, in this hdd crossing to install “PROP. 169.78 Mts. HDD
(2x160mmØ HDPE DUCT FOR POWER, SIGNAL & FO CABLES)” we will be using walk-over
tracking system which is listed below in brief.

Walk-Over Tracking System

The type of locator most commonly used in HDD is a walkover system. Walkover systems, as
the name implies, require that the locator operator "walk over" the top of the drill head with the
receiver to determine the depth and position of the drill head.

Walkover systems consist of two major components, a receiver and a sonde. The sonde, also
known as a transmitter or probe, fits inside the drill head and is powered by cell batteries.
The sonde transmitter behind the bore head registers the Pitch (angle), Roll (rotation &
direction), and temperature. It sends the information through the ground to the surface, where
this type of locator picks it up. The receiver is manually positioned over the sonde to decode
the signal and send steering directions to the drill operator.

Pitch

Pitch is the inclination of the drill head and can be expressed in degrees or as a percent of
slope, depending on the locator being used. Pitch as a percent of slope is used most often in
the field. If the pitch is zero, the drill head is level from end to end. If there is a minus pitch
reading, the drill head is pointing down. A positive reading means the drill head is coming up.
By knowing what the pitch reading is, it is easy to calculate how much depth change there will
be in the next 10 feet. For example, if the pitch reading is +10 percent, the head will rise one
foot in the next 10 feet that the bore advances.

Roll

Roll is the rotational position of the duckbill and is very important when making a steering
correction. Steering changes are made by thrusting forward without any rotation. The rotational
position of the duckbill determines which direction the drill head will move. Roll is commonly
referred to as the "clock face" in the field. When the operator of the drill rack faces the
direction that the drill is advancing, 12 o'clock is up, 6 o'clock is down, 3 o'clock is right, and 9
o'clock is left. The duckbill can be positioned to move two directions at the same time. An
example is the 2 o'clock position. This would cause the drill head to move mainly to the right
and a little up. A 7 o'clock steer would cause the drill head to move mainly down and a little to
the left. Because of patents, some locator manufacturers have broken the clock face into more
segments. However, the vast majority of the operators in the field use a 12-segment clock
when giving and receiving steering commands.

Depth

To determine the depth of the drill head, the receiver must be directly over the top of it. The
receiver converts the signal coming from the sonde and displays the depth. Depending on the
manufacturer, depth can be displayed in inches or feet and inches. Most locators can also be
programmed to display depth in metric.

Remote Displays

A third and important part of a walkover locator package is the remote display. Remote displays
attach to the drill rack and display the pitch, roll, and depth information that is on the receiver.
This makes it possible for the drill rack operator to see what the locator operator is seeing.
They are very useful for the drill rack operator when trying to position the drill head at a
specific clock position or for determining how much of a pitch change is being made while
steering.

Walk-overs are efficient for shallow bores and easy to set up. The more advanced versions give
you real-time remote guidance and can work on multiple frequencies. However, they are limited
by the depth at which you can dig and the amount of interference they can overcome.
The locator device proposed to be used in the hdd crossing will be Digitrak Falcon F5 Plus
made by DCI Inc. The DCI Digitrak Falcon F5 Plus used with Vermeer HDD systems
comprise three components:

1. Transmitter. This is located in the drill head. Usually around 15 inches (38.1 cm) in
length and with a diameter of 1-½ inches (3.81 cm), the transmitter collects and relays
two major pieces of information during operation: data strength and signal strength.
The two make up the clock position of the drill bit — the direction the bit is pointing
— and its depth in the bore. The DCI Falcon F5+ transmitters can track signal strength
up to 180 feet (55 m) depth into a bore. The DCI Falcon F5+ transmitter, for example,
can be programmed to hundreds of frequency combinations to help you accurately
monitor and transmit the right data on every job.
2. Receiver. This is the handheld unit that receives data from the transmitter in the drill
head. The operator — sometimes referred to as the locator — on the surface holds the
unit near where he or she anticipates the drill head will be located in the bore. The DCI
Falcon F5+ receiver has a telemetry range of 3000 feet (914 m).
3. Aurora display. This is the monitor on the HDD drill itself to which the receiver relays
data it collects from the transmitter. It gives the drill operator the ability to see the
location and orientation of the drill head as it relates to the job’s bore plan. This
information enables the operator to make any adjustments to the pitch, direction or
depth of the drill head to help it follow that plan.

Method of Locating (Controlling Line and Level of Bore path)

Method is described considering that the proposed bore is planned along the HDD route and
sufficient marking and details have been placed along the bore path.

Taken together, these above components make up not just a way to stay informed about the
drill head’s specific location, but also guidance to help the operator make the right decisions
during operation to precisely follow the right bore path. DCI systems use “Ball in the Box”
guidance technology to locate not just the drill head, but its expected path based on pitch and
position in the ground. The system creates a visual interface for the receiver operator, enabling
them to guide the HDD operator’s adjustments to keep the drill head on the right bore path.
When you look at a receiver screen, 3/4 of it is broken up into four squares in a crosshair. The
center of the crosshair is a bird’s-eye view of the locator. A small box in the middle of the
crosshairs visually represents the receiver, and should always have a ‘ball’ on the screen. It
could be in any of those four quadrants, and it indicates the direction the drill needs to travel to
stay on the planned bore. If the ball is on the right side of the grid, I need to move right to get
that ball in the middle of the box.

As the receiver operator tracks the bore’s path by keeping the ball in the box, that data is
relayed to the HDD operator, who’s monitoring progress on an Aurora display. The path is also
typically marked on the ground’s surface; three locate points are marked with spray paint
(usually for each rod) on the ground to provide an additional visual guide to help the HDD
machine follow the pre-planned bore path. Once in the optimal location, the operator pulls a
trigger on the receiver to mark the optimal central locate point and confirm the depth of the
drill head.

This data is important to not only checking that the HDD operator is following the desired bore
path, but also facilitates quick decisions to adjust the drill head’s pitch and angle to remain on
that path. The DCI system shows operational data in real time, but it takes strong teamwork
between drill and receiver operators to allow the system to do its job.

The front locate point of one rod will basically start becoming the rear locate for the next rod,
so you may not always have to mark both the front and rear lines. It all starts with walking the
bore path, creating a good bore plan and being proactive in collecting the right data through
the length of the entire bore.
The drill bit head position (pitch, roll and temperature) is controlled using mud pressure flow
from bit nozzles according to locator man who uses the predictability of the tracking device to
perform operations and instruction to HDD machine operator. Predictability mechanism of the
locating system gives the locator man and operator enough time, flexibility to adjust accordingly
to situations by controlling parameters to match designed bore profile path. Which ultimately
results in achieving elevated job performance with enhanced safety.