Challenge
Underground Technologies Incorporated (UTI) building the 3,000 km FOC network for Globe Communications throughout the Philippines from 2012 – 2015.
The biggest challenge was to work across many of the Philippines’ 7,600 Islands under tropical weather conditions with exceptionally high rainfall for half of the year.
Conventional installation using trenching machines needed to be kept to a minimum as frequent heavy downpours during the 6 months Typhoon season would bring construction to a grinding halt, delaying projects enormerously.
The contractor was very concerned about being slapped with substantial liquidated damages penalties when the typhoon season, with its massive long-lasting downpours, grips the country’s construction industry.
Challenge Resolution
The aim was to reduce the delays caused by water filled and collapsed trenches, maximise the daily construction production, raising it from a daily average of 600m to 4.5 kilometres.
As the SPIDERPLOW™ does not open a trench but rather cuts, lays and backfills at the same time there was no possibility of open trenches filling up with water, resulting in collapse of trenches or floating conduits. Construction was not delayed and production continued as the SPIDERPLOW™ is able to operate submerged in 1.5 m deep rivers.
Results
The typhoon season did not cause any delays and the project was finished within the allowed time frame and budget.
Rapid mobilisation and setup times helped reduce cost and downtime during road and sea transport between the islands.
UTI Owner and Director Dani Mea commented the success with the words: “I have got 16 trenchers and employed them all on the job but they could not get near the production rate that we had with the SPIDERPLOW™.”
Dani Mea and SpiderPlow™ Director Guenther Sperber were invited by Globe Telecommunication to receive the “Contractor of the Year” awards in four consecutive years!