NEW YORK — WSP, a leading engineering, environment and professional services consultancy in the U.S., is ranked fourth on Trenchless Technology magazine’s annual list of the Top 50 engineering firms in North America for trenchless technology.
The 2023 ranking is up one from the firm’s fifth place showing last year and is based upon revenue generated through the firm’s trenchless projects in the previous year. Only a year before that, WSP was ranked 14th by the publication, which is devoted to smaller-diameter underground tunneling technologies, like horizontal directional drilling, microtunneling, sliplining and horizontal auger boring.
“Trenchless technology is a rapidly growing sector of the construction and civil engineering industries, and this new ranking is further proof that WSP has taken a leading role and is committed to the industry’s growth,” said Everett Litton, national practice lead and senior technical principal for trenchless technology at WSP.
Trenchless technology emerged in the late 1970s and has been gaining in popularity and new methods ever since. Primary market sectors using the technology for projects include drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, oil and gas, electrical, fiber optic and offshore wind.
As a type of subsurface construction work that requires few or no trenches at the surface, it offers several benefits, including: a limited site footprint; minimizing disturbances to existing environments, infrastructure and other utilities; reducing or eliminating the need for excess spoil removal; and requiring less exposed work area, making it safer for workers and communities.
Today, there are hundreds of variants of trenchless technology. The most significant include:
New Installation Techniques
- Microtunneling
- Utility Tunneling (generally for pipelines less than 10 feet in diameter)
- Horizontal Directional Drilling
- Direct Pipe
- Pilot-Tube Microtunneling
- Horizontal Auger Boring
- Pipe Jacking
Rehabilitation Techniques
- Cured-in-Place Pipe
- Spray Applied Linings
- Sliplining
- In-line Replacement Methods
Several factors are considered when selecting the trenchless method used on individual projects: whether it’s a rehabilitation or new installation, ground conditions and behavior, drive length, pipe diameter, application (conduit, gravity sewer or force main), urban or rural locations, permit requirements and cost considerations.
To learn more about trenchless tunneling technology, visit: https://www.wsp.com/en-us/services/trenchless-tunnelling-technology
About WSP in the U.S.
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering, environment and professional services firms. Recognized on Fast Company’s Brands that Matter List for 2022 as a top Community-Minded Business, WSP in the U.S. brings together engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals who are dedicated to collaborate in the best interests of serving local communities. WSP designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With approximately 16,000 employees in 300 offices across the U.S., WSP partners with its clients to help communities prosper. wsp.com
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