Trenchless Design
Efficient, less intrusive alternatives to conventional cut-and-cover construction.
The design of a successful trenchless project is much more than drawing a line on a plan. The process often requires detailed consideration of surface terrain, alignment specific subsurface conditions, pipe design criteria, client needs, contractual preferences, risk allocation, and third-party interests. We draw upon our collective national and international experience to understand those challenges and deliver a successful project.
Brierley Associates is an internationally recognized authority in the selection, design, construction management, and forensic analysis of Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and other trenchless technologies. Our engineering and consulting services include new installations and pipe rehabilitation. Trenchless design reduces disruption and damage to developed urban locales, environmentally sensitive areas, waterways, and surface transportation corridors and airports. Trenchless solutions can dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of sewer, water, and utility projects.
Trenchless Design Capabilities:
- Horizontal directional drilling (HDD)
- Pilot tube guided auger boring
- Direct Pipe MethodTM
- Microtunneling
- Auger boring
- Pipe jacking and ramming
- Pipe bursting
- Pipe rehabilitation
- Value engineering
- Forensic engineering, construction claims and dispute resolution
Trenchless Design Projects
Our Trenchless Design Team
Nick Strater, PG
Trenchless and HDD Sectors Leader
Bedford, NH
Nick Strater, PG's Bio
Nick Strater, PG
Trenchless and HDD Sectors Leader
Bedford, NH
Nick is leader of our Trenchless and HDD Sectors. His specialties include rock and soil tunnels; trenchless designs ranging from horizontal directional drilling to pilot tube auger bore; microtunneling; rock slope evaluation and stability; rock blasting and, forensic geology. Nick serves on American Society of Civil Engineers Trenchless Installation of Pipelines (TIPS) Committee and ASCE committees developing Manuals of Practice for pilot tube, auger boring, and the Direct PipeTM methods. Mr. Strater is a frequent invited lecturer on the topics of trenchless method selection, design and risk management. He has authored more than 25 industry papers and presentations on topics ranging from trenchless technology to rock slope stability assessment and mitigation strategies.
Anna Crockford, PEng
Senior Geological Engineer
Denver, CO
Anna Crockford, PEng's Bio
Anna Crockford, PEng
Senior Geological Engineer
Denver, CO
Anna has a technical background in rock mechanics, underground design, geotechnical design, and dams and levees design. She has worked on a wide range of projects in the mining and heavy civil industries, including conveyance and water storage projects. Her background in Geological Engineering has enabled her to incorporate regional structural geology, geological features and historical land use in the geotechnical characterization of complex rock masses, including domain delineation and structural analyses for individual project sites. Anna’s design experience includes embankment construction and slope protection, seepage analyses, trenchless installations, underground excavation and support, pillar stability analyses, calibration and interpretation of numerical models, engineered slope design, and slope stability and hazard mitigation.
Brian Dorwart, PE, PG
Trenchless Specialist
Bedford, NH
Brian Dorwart, PE, PG's Bio
Brian Dorwart, PE, PG
Trenchless Specialist
Bedford, NH
Brian has nearly 5 decades of experience and has built his career developing efficient trenchless solutions for a variety of applications ranging from new construction to pipe and tunnel rehabilitation. His areas of specialization include interaction of ground to excavation tools and natural environmental processes, and ground modification for construction. He applies this skillset to trenchless technologies including directional drilling and pipe rehabilitation and, construction of small to large tunnels. Using this experience, Brian delivers assessments of existing structures and evidence-based design of situation-appropriate rehabilitation technologies
Tom Pullen, PG
Engineering Geologist
Cottage Grove, MN
Tom Pullen, PG's Bio
Tom Pullen, PG
Engineering Geologist
Cottage Grove, MN
Tom leads Brierley’s Upper Mid-West project efforts. He is another of Brierley’s project leaders who bring real-life perspective to design and troubleshooting, as he was a foreman for a utility contractor specializing in trenchless construction prior to his academic education. Tom’s experience includes underground design; geotechnical site characterization; trenchless design and construction; grouting programs and tunnel rehabilitation; and claims analysis and evaluation for both owners and contractors.
Dave Sackett, CPG, PG
Engineering Geologist
Norfolk, VA; Tampa, FL
Dave Sackett, CPG, PG's Bio
Dave Sackett, CPG, PG
Engineering Geologist
Norfolk, VA; Tampa, FL
Dave knows how to interpret geophysical data and geotechnical reports in both English and Spanish. His expertise is within the application of geoscientific data to engineering projects constructed within soft soils to hard, crystalline rock. Dave previously managed the Norfolk, VA office of an international consultancy and served as North/South America ports business sector leader, with a focus on design/build of large infrastructure projects and managed geotechnical and engineering offices in Venezuela, Trinidad, Panama and Chile.