Trench Cutter Technology – the multi-purpose solution-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The presentation introduces the trench cutter as a multipurpose tool for deep foundation and infrastructure projects. Its established uses include diaphragm and retaining walls, cut-off walls, foundations, and mining. Retaining walls resist earth and water pressure and may be temporary or permanent. Diaphragm walls are constructed in two phases.

Three projects demonstrate the system’s range:

- <strong>Boston residential tower (2018):</strong> In a constrained urban site, HUB Foundation built 16 load-bearing elements for a future elevator shaft. Elements were 19–25 m deep and 900 mm wide. A grab excavated cohesive soils, while the cutter socketed into rock.
- <strong>Dead Sea cut-off wall (2011):</strong> Lehrer constructed an 800 mm-wide wall to a depth of 34.2 m as part of rehabilitation addressing cracking, sinkholes, and seepage. The work involved challenging ground, including highly abrasive gravel, clay and silt, limestone, and salt layers.
- <strong>FalCon mining project, Canada (2019):</strong> Rio Tinto used the cutter to collect kimberlite samples from 10 exploration trenches, reaching a record depth of 251.1 m. The 1.5 m-wide, 3.2 m-long system produced and separated material for geological analysis. Crews collected 6,848 labelled bags, totaling 8,271 wet tonnes, and excavated 11,025 m of material across the project.

Together, the examples illustrate the trench cutter’s adaptability to confined construction sites, difficult geological conditions, and deep mining exploration, including projects requiring controlled material sampling.

Keywords

trench cutter

deep foundation

diaphragm walls

retaining walls

cut-off wall

mining exploration

Boston residential tower

Dead Sea rehabilitation

kimberlite sampling

infrastructure projects