Pipe jacking machines use shield technology to excavate soil or rock with a rotating cutter head, removing the excavated material via a mud conveying system while hydraulic jacks push precast pipes into the tunnel and grout stabilizes the walls.
These machines are applied in diverse municipal and civil projects, including building underground water supply/drainage systems, installing gas pipelines, optical cables, and constructing subway tunnels, minimizing surface disruption.
Regarding types, the slurry balance machine suits various soil and high - groundwater conditions; the Earth Pressure Balance Machine is for soft to medium - hard soils; and the rock machine, equipped with powerful tools, is for rock formations and even mixed soil - rock conditions. They are key to modern underground construction.