Innovations in Trenchless No-Dig Pipe Repair: The Latest Techniques

The biggest innovation in the pipe repair industry is concealed in the very title of this article. Trenchless technology makes it possible for damaged pipes to be rehabilitated and repaired in place, marking a step away from financially draining and time consuming excavation and pipe replacement projects.

Through a combination of creative thinking, revolutionary design flair, and innovative materials, it was Insituform’s founder Eric Wood who first came up with the idea of a resin embedded pipe liner that could be fed into a pipe and then activated to reseal any cracks and signs of damage. Since then, Insituform has become the world leader in trenchless pipe repair – future-proofing pipes and breathing new life into damaged drainage networks.

But what is it about trenchless technology that makes it innovative, and how has the industry continued to push boundaries with regards to pipe repair?

Why Trenchless Technology is Such an Innovative Concept

Trenchless technology and the rollout of CIPP liners has been heralded across the industry as being both environmentally friendly and budget friendly.

CIPP stands for Cured-In Place Pipe, with the liners designed to be fed into the pipe via a felt-like material and then activated once in place, settling on and bonding to the inside surface of the pipe and hardening to create a brand new layer.

This is innovative because it:

1.     Alleviates the need to excavate the pipe for repair replacement
2.     Recycles the existing pipe and its structural materials, rather than requiring a new one to be made

One of the areas that has constantly and consistently required innovation since the early rollout of CIPP solutions has been the format of these liners and how they respond to different pipe materials, designs, and locations.

Continued Innovation in the CIPP Industry

A quick browse of the Insituform website will tell you that, while the original CIPP felt liner is our hero product and the one that we and our founder Eric Wood are known for, innovation has led to the design of a selection of sub-products that suit different environmental requirements.

These include InsituMain Pressure which is ideal for pipes that deal with mains water supplies and high pressure water pipelines, iPlus Composite which is extra strong, and iFlex Lateral liners which are carefully formulated for vertical pipes.

All of these different products are manufactured to offer the same lasting benefits to damaged pipes in different states of disrepair and across different locations.

Another example of innovation in the CIPP liner industry refers to the continued commitment to sustainability and to the environmental benefits of these liners as an alternative to pipe replacement.

We don’t need to tell you that repairing a damaged pipe is more sustainable than replacing it. Not only does it save on the production of new pipes, but it also alleviates the need for excavation work and damage to surrounding habitats, by leaving the pipe in place and repairing it from above ground. But did you also know that CIPP liners are manufactured from up to 75% recycled material, with up to 90% of the waste produced from the manufacturing process also being recycled?

This approach to recycling and to the environmental impact of CIPP liners speaks to the importance of innovation in ensuring that every aspect of a pipe repair project is as sustainable and as green as possible.

How to Benefit from CIPP Liners

If you work for a local council or are an engineer for a local business or council group, then you may be wondering how to make CIPP liners a viable solution for your own pipe repair work.

This is the final cornerstone of Insituform’s own contribution towards the industry’s innovation, offering both access to the products themselves and unrivalled training programs and packages for teams to benefit from. By upskilling teams of engineers all over the world, trenchless technology becomes more accessible and more viable as a global solution.

Not to mention, it ensures that your team learns from the best, original creators behind trenchless pipe repair.