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Read our show report - Trenchless Asia 2004 Proves Outstanding Success At Mainland China Debut

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The prospects are bright for Trenchless Technology in China and Shanghai

The application of trenchless technology in China began in late 1970s. A few manufacturers under the former Ministry of Geology and Mining, in collaboration with government departments concerned and through joint research and development, produced some horizontal drilling and spiral drilling machines to meet the urgent engineering needs. Since the middle 1980s, underground plumbing projects without open trench permit have increased day by day and foreign equipment has been introduced for trenchless construction. Now trenchless technology has been applied in many cities and regions such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Wuhan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but to different degrees and extensions. Many places of China have not yet related their engineering works to trenchless technology.

In Shanghai the first gas pipe was paved in 1864. But the total length of all underground pipes at present has reached over 30,000 km. Expansion, replacement, rehabilitation and planned installation have been continued each year. The study of trenchless technology in Shanghai began in 1950s and developed in 1990s. The founding of the Shanghai Society for Trenchless Technology in 2001 gave new impetus to the faster development of the technology. Statistics showed that the trenchless technology was applied to only 0.02 % of the underground utility construction in Shanghai before the founding of the society, and it reached 4.5 % in 2002 and 9 % in 2003. It is expected to reach 24 % in 2010.

The application of trenchless technology is in line with sustainable development in Shanghai due to three primary factors as follows:

First, the Shanghai municipal government and departments concerned attach great importance to and support the application of trenchless technology. Express provisions were made to necessitate trenchless technology in many cases, which ensured the application of this new technology.

Secondly, the success of Shanghai to host the World Expo calls for large-scale construction in urban infrastructure. Installation, replacement and rehabilitation of utility systems for water, electricity, gas and information require huge engineering works. At the same time, 2000 km of underground water pipes and 1000 km of underground gas pipes need to be rehabilitated. The construction of the infoport and the relocation of the cables from pylon to underground also need considerable engineering works. It is impossible to adopt open trench methods on account of the practical situation of the roads. All this provides a rare opportunity for the application of trenchless technology.

Thirdly, the Shanghai Society for Trenchless Technology is made up of enterprises and experts that devote themselves to the cause. Several years of experience has made them mature in many ways. Now the society has more than 200 enterprise members, creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of trenchless technology. With government support, public care, enterprise participation and society service, the prospect of trenchless technology is certainly very bright.

Join us in Shanghai for TRENCHLESS ASIA 2006, 20-22 April.

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