Disclosed is a method for installing a groundwater monitoring well inside a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) trench including excavating a PRB trench, installing a trench side-wall support, positioning a monitoring well borehole, installing an outer installation casing for pre-burying the monitoring well, installing a monitoring well positioning bracket, installing a monitoring well casing, installing monitoring well filter packs and seal materials, filling the trench with PRB media and capping with a covering soil layer, removing the outer installation casing, removing the trench side-wall support, completing the monitoring well with a wellhead, and conducting well development. This method avoids the complex procedure of re-drilling a borehole within the PRB media following the completion of PRB construction and media filling, assures that monitoring well installation protocols are followed and high quality and stable operation is achieved, and serves for groundwater monitoring to support the implementation and efficacy evaluation of the PRB technology.

A rotary drill bit for use with a horizontal directional drill string. A coupler at a proximal axial end is configured to attach the rotary drill bit to a drill head at a distal end of the drill string. A cutting portion at a distal axial end is provided with a plurality of vanes with respective cutters that operate to cut a hole in earth when the rotary drill bit is rotated about a central axis. The plurality of vanes project radially outwardly from a surface of the cutting portion such that the surface forms respective troughs circumferentially interspersed with the plurality of vanes. A plurality of engagement features is positioned axially within the cutting portion and radially inward of an outer cutting diameter to facilitate attachment of a product pullback device between the plurality of vanes without removing the rotary drill bit, or any portion thereof, from the drill head.

A pipe puller system and methods of pipe extraction are shown. In one example a pipe to be replaced is pulled by attaching a pulling force to multiple locations along a length of the pipe. In one example pulling forces can be varied between different attachment locations to better control or eliminate tearing of the pipe. In one example, a pipe loosening device may be used prior to pulling the pipe from the ground.

A cable retention and release mechanism includes a cable gripping device including a cable passage. A cable extends through the cable passage. A cable gripping device collar is movably coupled around the cable gripping device. An outer cable gripping device surface is seated against a cable gripping device receiving inner surface preventing movement of the cable gripping device relative to the cable gripping device collar. The cable gripping device receiving inner surface clamps the cable gripping device on the cable and prevents sliding movement of the cable. A jack is movably coupled with the cable gripping device collar. In a first engaged position the jack is engaged against the cable gripping device proximal end. In a second engaged position the jack unseats the outer cable gripping device surface from the cable gripping device receiving inner surface and releases the clamping of the cable.

A pipe puller system and methods of pipe extraction are shown. In one example a pipe to be replaced is pulled by attaching a pulling force to multiple locations along a length of the pipe. In one example pulling forces can be varied between different attachment locations to better control or eliminate tearing of the pipe. In one example, a pipe loosening device may be used prior to pulling the pipe from the ground.

A method for installing a ground heat exchange pipe uses a drive mechanism driven downwardly by a drive head including an elongate drive mandrel for driving a portion of heat exchange pipe into the ground. The pipe is attached to an inserting tool connected to the drive mandrel so that the tool carries the portion of heat exchange pipe into the ground. The mandrel engages the inserting tool which includes a base and tie attached to a portion of the pipe and drives the inserting tool into unbroken ground to a finite depth and then the drive head extracts the mandrel for reuse on the next installation leaving the inserting tool behind with the heat exchange pipe. The inserting tool includes side components engaging the heat exchange pipe and protecting it from damage as the heat exchange pipe is driven into the ground. A fluid supply duct can be provided in the mandrel.

A cable retention and release mechanism includes a cable gripping device including a cable passage. A cable extends through the cable passage. A cable gripping device collar is movably coupled around the cable gripping device. An outer cable gripping device surface is seated against a cable gripping device receiving inner surface preventing movement of the cable gripping device relative to the cable gripping device collar. The cable gripping device receiving inner surface clamps the cable gripping device on the cable and prevents sliding movement of the cable. A jack is movably coupled with the cable gripping device collar. In a first engaged position the jack is engaged against the cable gripping device proximal end. In a second engaged position the jack unseats the outer cable gripping device surface from the cable gripping device receiving inner surface and releases the clamping of the cable.

A pipe puller system and methods of pipe extraction are shown. In one example a pipe to be replaced is pulled by attaching a pulling force to multiple locations along a length of the pipe. In one example pulling forces can be varied between different attachment locations to better control or eliminate tearing of the pipe. In one example, a pipe loosening device may be used prior to pulling the pipe from the ground.

A pipe bursting system and method, and components thereof, are described wherein a bursting head assembly pulled by a cable employs a relatively small pneumatic impactor (hammer) and a relatively large cable tension to impose a cyclical stress on the pipe being burst to cause fatigue failure of the pipe, resulting in lower size and power requirements, and higher efficiency for a given set of job requirements.

A cable retention and release mechanism includes a cable gripping device including a cable passage. A cable extends through the cable passage. A cable gripping device collar is movably coupled around the cable gripping device. An outer cable gripping device surface is seated against a cable gripping device receiving inner surface preventing movement of the cable gripping device relative to the cable gripping device collar. The cable gripping device receiving inner surface clamps the cable gripping device on the cable and prevents sliding movement of the cable. A jack is movably coupled with the cable gripping device collar. In a first engaged position the jack is engaged against the cable gripping device proximal end. In a second engaged position the jack unseats the outer cable gripping device surface from the cable gripping device receiving inner surface and releases the clamping of the cable.