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Auger Boring / Jack & Bore
Auger boring (jack and bore) pushes steel casing through soil from a drive pit to a reception pit while rotating a cutting head. Product pipe or carrier lines are often installed inside the casing. It excels at shorter, straight drives under railroads, highways, and levees where rigid casing is required.
What Is Auger Boring / Jack & Bore?
Auger boring (jack and bore) pushes steel casing through soil from a drive pit to a reception pit while rotating a cutting head. Product pipe or carrier lines are often installed inside the casing. It excels at shorter, straight drives under railroads, highways, and levees where rigid casing is required.
How It Works
A jacking frame pushes the casing forward in segments while an auger removes spoil to the drive pit. Line and grade are held by pit setup and survey control. After casing is in place, carriers are installed and grouted per spec.
Who Needs Auger Boring / Jack & Bore?
- Municipal storm and sanitary crossings under moderate-length obstacles
- GCs needing casing under building pads or retaining walls
- Railroad and highway approaches where casing is specified
Materials & Pipe Sizes
Steel casing from 12 inch through 72 inch and larger; internal carriers in HDPE, DIP, PVC, or multiple ducts.
Project Scale
Typical drives from 40 to 500 feet depending on diameter, jacking force, and soil — longer when engineered with intermediate jacking.
Benefits vs Open-Cut Trenching
Jack and bore avoids stripping pavement full-width for short crossings. HDD may be better on curved alignments; auger bore wins on straight casing installs in competent soils.
- Rigid casing protects carrier pipe
- Predictable line for straight crossings
- Works in soils where fluid drilling is restricted
- Familiar spec for railroad and agency templates
When You Need This Service
- Spec calls for steel casing under crossing
- Straight alignment under levee or rail
- Moderate length where HDD is overkill
- Need to jack from limited drive pit footprint
Texas 811 & Permits
Locates and pit excavation expose adjacent utilities. Shoring, dewatering, and traffic control follow city and state ROW requirements on Texas work.
Cost Factors (No Flat Rate)
Casing diameter, drive length, pit depth, soil type, shoring, dewatering, traffic control, and rail or highway permit fees.
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811 first, always
Texas utility locates and potholing before steel enters the ground — protects you and your neighbors.
Minimal restoration
Small entry pits instead of trenches through driveways, landscaping, and retail parking.
FAQ
Auger Boring / Jack & Bore FAQ
Auger bore vs HDD — which do I need?
Straight casing pushes often favor jack and bore; curved paths or longer spans without casing often favor HDD. We recommend after alignment and agency requirements are clear.
Can you jack bore under railroads in Texas?
Yes when railroad agreements, casing spec, and locate windows align. Lead time for rail coordination is often longer than the bore itself.
What soils are bad for auger boring?
Running sand, boulders, and unstable groundwater without dewatering can challenge jacking. Geotech and test pits reduce surprises.
What is horizontal directional drilling (HDD)?
HDD is a steerable trenchless method that drills a pilot hole underground, then reams and pulls pipe or conduit through the bore path. It avoids open trenches across roads, rivers, driveways, and finished landscaping.
How much does directional boring cost in Texas?
Cost depends on bore length, pipe diameter, soil and rock, access, traffic control, permits, and utility congestion — not a flat per-foot rate. We provide free estimates after scope review; no fabricated prices on our site.
Free Auger Boring / Jack & Bore Quote
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