Chapter 384: After revision: Chapter 382 Top-Advance Method
Because pipeline construction needs to avoid buildings on the ground, and considering factors such as thermal expansion and contraction, the pipeline cannot be laid out in a straight line; elbows must be installed in between.
Therefore, how to install elbows during construction and how to deal with the construction problems of changes in pipeline direction after installing elbows have become issues that Chen Xin must consider.
The installation of the elbow itself is not too problematic. At worst, one could dig a vertical shaft from the ground to put it down. Although this involves a certain amount of work, it is still manageable. As for the welding, Chen Xin could easily handle it using the mechanical arm of the Power Armor.
But after the pipeline route changes direction, figuring out how to lay down the pipeline has become a bit of a headache for Chen Xin.
In the past, if you wanted to lay a pipeline and not directly above ground, the most commonly used method by constructors was to excavate the entire ground for construction and then backfill with soil after completion.
Of course, Chen Xin could also use this method, but digging through a dozen meters of accumulated snow just to lay down the pipeline is not ideal unless he already had hundreds of workers equipped with Exoskeletons and a large amount of engineering machinery. Otherwise, this extensive workload method is not very suitable.
Moreover, if Chen Xin wanted to use this method for construction, he wouldn’t need to make a small shield machine himself.
Confronted with this problem, Chen Xin did not rack his brains alone, but instead, approached Cao Daren to inquire if there were suitable methods.
After all, Chen Xin was previously just a writer of online novels and, while not completely ignorant about construction projects, he certainly didn’t have as much hands-on experience as Cao Daren.
"Regarding this issue, I suggest you use the jacking method for construction," Cao Daren immediately offered a feasible solution when Chen Xin inquired. He even remarked, "I thought you had already decided to use this method! Use a shield machine for tunneling and then use jacks to push the pipeline in segment by segment. Isn’t that what you had previously envisioned?"
"My envisioned solution was indeed to use a shield machine to dig the tunnel and then put the pipeline in, but it was somewhat different from the jacking method you described," Chen Xin acknowledged as he listened to Cao Daren’s explanations, understanding the concept of the jacking method, yet it did differ from his original construction plan.
Indeed, the jacking method is a pipeline construction strategy developed as technology progresses to solve issues such as complex urban underground pipelines and the inconvenience of excavation.
Its main construction method involves excavation of operation shafts to the desired depth and then using jacks and other tools to push prefabricated pipeline segments into the predetermined pipeline line, achieving pipeline installation.
Of course, this technology is primarily applied to the installation of large pipelines, and depending on the soil excavation method, it is subdivided into mechanical excavation jacking, extrusion jacking, hydraulic mechanical excavation, and manual excavation jacking, among other methods.
Chen Xin’s method of using a shield machine for tunneling can also be considered as mechanical excavation jacking.
"In that case, we need to first make sure the pipelines are thermally insulated before placing them in the operation shaft for jacking," Chen Xin agreed with Cao Daren’s plan after considering it, and he quickly thought of the issues to note during construction.
Cao Daren nodded in affirmation of Chen Xin’s statement, adding, "Exactly, you wouldn’t want to do the insulation after the pipeline is laid down; that would be too troublesome."
Cao Daren agreed to ensure the pipeline is properly insulated before jacking mainly because they are working on a snow-covered surface rather than soil or rock. If it were soil or rock, which are harder surfaces, the thermal insulation materials wrapped around the pipeline would easily wear during the jacking process.
"Can the construction in this area be entrusted to you? After all, I am not a professional engineering technician, and I have other issues to address," Chen Xin asked Cao Daren.
He was speaking truthfully. Although he had some exposure to engineering construction during his previous job, he wasn’t in a position of commanding the construction site and didn’t have such experience.
The other issues he mentioned refer to his collaboration with the nation. Projects that needed upgrading and improvement were already transported via military convoy to Lin City and are currently stored in the military base.
The relevant project prototypes previously accumulated in the urban district are also being prepared to be transported over; thus, Chen Xin indeed needs to deal with these matters to avoid delaying national project progress.
Even though Chen Xin’s contribution was an unexpected boon to the nation, the original project plans were designed without his assistance, that doesn’t mean he can let his responsibilities pile up.
Therefore, Chen Xin intends to clear the backlog during the period of the second heating hub’s construction and pipeline laying.
Besides, for Chen Xin, ever since arriving in Lin City for disaster relief, he has been busy with various matters from the first aid station, then the train station and heating hub, having managed only a brief rest on New Year’s Day, only to be "surprised" by Qin Lan and Mo Qingyan.
This made Chen Xin want to take advantage of this time, while other things were on track, to refresh his mind by addressing some of the accumulated tasks.
————————————————————
Chen Xin proactively began handling the accumulated tasks, which was certainly something the researchers around him eagerly anticipated.
This researcher had stayed in Lin City since arriving, assisting not only in maintaining connections with urban and superior departments, but contributing significantly, at least in the construction of the heating hub.
Initially needing to leverage Lin City Hall’s communication channels to contact higher departments, with the arrival of the Special Forces, a military camp was established along with the installation of communication facilities, creating a communication network that allowed this researcher to use the Special Forces’ communication equipment for more convenient contact with superiors.
This improvement was beneficial to both the researcher and Chen Xin since it greatly enhanced their communication with upper management. Previously, borrowing Lin City Hall’s communication channels was somewhat inconvenient.
The Special Forces did not face such issues since, when they arrived equipped with comprehensive communication setups, part of their intent was to ensure smooth communication between Chen Xin and the higher scientific departments.