Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is the process of boring that does not go in a straight line vertically down. Directional drilling is often used to navigate around obstacles such as geological formations or existing infrastructure or utilities.
The task of directional drilling is a lot easier with the precision of hydro excavators. In supporting directional drilling equipment, the hydrovac can be used to excavate and remove material in the work path. The flexibility of using high-pressure water or air for excavation allows for the required precision that directional drilling demands when trying to navigate a specific curve around an obstacle.
Hydro excavation is a safe alternative to traditional shovel or backhoe digging methods of soil and material removal for utility locating for construction, infrastructure and horizontal directional drilling applications. Hydro excavation is also an environmentally friendly excavation method that protects existing utilities, pipelines, and cables from being damaged by traditional mechanical or destructive or directional drilling methods.