Free Pipe Jacking Design Calculator
Calculate a pipe jacking design using our database of past project references.
Free, no sign-up
Open source
Input pipe geometry
This tool is intended for a quick estimate and must not replace any design check.
Internal diameter
m
Enter a number between 0.45 & 2.4m.
Tunnel drive length
m
Enter a number between 0 and 500m.
Geology type
Jacking force estimates
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Use the table below to decide on your TBM jacking forces. We've found - project references and used these to estimate your pipe jacking loadings.
The nearest standard pipe size is m and we've used this for the estimates below.
| Face load (kN) | Skin friction (kN/m) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg record | - | - | |
| Min record | - | - | |
| Max record | - | - | |
| Enter your own values |
Enter a faceload between 0 and 3000kN.
Enter a skin friction between 0 and 100kN/m length of pipe.
Note: Stoppages in jacking can result in higher loads to restart jacking of approximately 25% within an hour and 75% within four hours of a stoppage.
Pipe size prediction
The predicted pipe size is based upon the nearest fit selection offered by FPMcann, featured in their tunnels and shafts jacking pipes brochure v2.0.
| Nominal Diameter (A) | -mm |
| Wall thickness (B) | mm |
| Outer diameter (C) | mm |
| Pipe length | m |
| Weight (approx) | -kg |
| Spigot length (D) | -mm |
| Socket length (E) | -mm |
| Packer width (E) | -mm |
| Packer thickness | -mm |
Interjacks and jacking load prediction
Interjacks are required where jacking loads exceed the capacity of the pipes. Deflection angles resulting from levelling differences and a lack of squareness between pipes have a significant effect on capacity. For most projects angular deflection is typically controlled between 0.0 and 0.25 degrees.
| Allowed angular deflection | |
| Estimated face load | kN |
| Estimated skin friction | kN/m |
| Tunnel drive length | m |
| Max allowable jacking load | -kN |
| Total thrust required if no interjacks used | -kN |
| Max drive distance before interjack required | -m |
| Number of interjacks required | - |
Minimum launch shaft size prediction
| Launch shaft size (L×W) | -mm |
| Entrance ring (a) | mm |
| Clearance (b) | mm |
| Jacking unit (c) | mm |
| Thrust wall (d) | -mm |
| Entrance open space (e) | -mm |
| Approx. length for TBM (f) | -mm |
| Jack (g) | -mm |
Minimum retrieval shaft size prediction
| Retrieval shaft size (L×W) | - |
| Arriving ring (a) | mm |
| Packing (b) | mm |
| Hume pipe (c) | mm |
| Margin (d) | -mm |
| Approx. length for TBM (e) | -mm |
| Margin (g) | -mm |
TBM prediction
| TBM type | - |
| TBM length | -mm |
| TBM diamater | mm |
| TBM weight | tonnes |
Method & theory
How the jacking forces are estimated
Jacking and thrust force estimates are drawn from a database of past pipe-jacking project references, matched against pipe diameter, drive length and ground geology, alongside a nearest-fit pipe size and launch/retrieval shaft sizing based on the selected TBM.
What's this calculator used for?
This tool can be used by Tunnel Engineers and Geotechnical Engineers to estimate the jacking and thrust forces required to operate a pipe jacking tunnel boring machine or TBM.
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