Steel Jacking Pipes for Trenchless Pipe Jacking

Steel Jacking Pipes for Trenchless Pipe Jacking, Fabricated to Your Drawing

Pipe jacking lets contractors install pipelines, ducts and culverts underground without opening a trench. Roads, railways, rivers and built-up areas stay undisturbed while the pipe string is pushed through the ground. The method depends on one thing above all: pipes that are dimensionally accurate, strong enough to carry the jacking forces, and joined cleanly from one section to the next. At Nika Steelworks, we fabricate steel jacking pipes (Stahlvortriebsrohre) complete with the key-locks and connection parts that hold the string together, made from scratch by our own team.

What Are Steel Jacking Pipes?

In pipe jacking, hydraulic jacks in a launch shaft push a leading machine and the pipes behind it through the ground, one section at a time. Every pipe in the string must transmit the full thrust to the next, so the joint faces, wall thickness and straightness all matter. Steel is a common choice for this work because it is strong, handles high jacking loads, and can be welded and machined to the exact joint geometry a project needs.

Typical steel jacking pipes are used in trenchless installation, microtunnelling and underground boring work. A pipe is often made as a welded steel shell with machined end rings and slots, plus internal bars or fittings, depending on the machine and the connection system it works with.

Where Steel Jacking Pipes Are Used

• Crossings beneath roads, railways and waterways
• Installation of sewer, drainage and water pipelines
• Cable and utility ducts in urban areas
• Casing pipes for horizontal boring and tunnelling equipment
• Replacement and repair work where open excavation is not possible

Because each project has its own diameters, wall thicknesses and connection details, most jacking pipes are built to a customer drawing instead of being bought off the shelf. That is where a fabricator with its own machining makes a difference.

How We Manufacture Steel Jacking Pipes

Every pipe is produced by our team from raw steel to finished assembly, which keeps control of quality and lead times in one place.

1. Cutting and preparation. Steel is cut to the required sizes and edges are prepared for welding.
2. Rolling and forming. Plate is formed into the pipe body, or tube is prepared to length.
3. Welding. Longitudinal and circumferential seams, end rings and internal bars are welded to the drawing.
4. CNC machining. Joint rings, slots and bores are machined to the tolerances the connection system needs, so sections fit together accurately when jacked.
5. Assembly. Locking pins, key-locks and other fitted parts are installed and checked.
6. Painting and preparation for dispatch. Parts are painted where required, labelled per drawing and packed on pallets or racks.

A good example is a Ø324 mm pipe in 1000 mm lengths. Short, repeatable sections like this are easier to handle in a launch shaft, and they let a contractor build the pipe string to the exact length a crossing needs. We also work to other diameters and lengths on request.

Key-Locks and Connection Wedge Sets

A pipe string is only as good as its connections. Alongside the pipes themselves, we manufacture key-locks and connection wedge sets that join the pipe sections together. These small parts have to be made just as accurately as the pipes, because they carry load at every joint. Supplying pipes and connection parts together means the parts are produced to matching tolerances and delivered as a complete set, labelled per your drawing.

Quality Control and Inspection

Underground work leaves no room for weak welds or poorly fitting joints. Each pipe is checked visually, and welds are tested by dye penetrant testing (PT), which reveals surface cracks and defects that the eye can miss. Machined joint surfaces are checked for dimensional accuracy against the drawing. If your project requires specific inspection documents, tell us when you request a quote and we will confirm what we can provide.

From One-Off Parts to Repeat Batches

Some customers need a single replacement pipe; others need dozens of identical units for a project. We handle both. For batch orders, we work from a drawing or an approved sample so every pipe matches the last, and we can deliver in staged shipments to suit your site schedule.

More Heavy Fabrication from Nika Steelworks

Steel jacking pipes are one part of what we build. The same welding, machining and inspection capability supports a wide range of industrial projects:

The same welding, machining and inspection capability is behind our heavy welded fabrication, large-part machining, steel auger screws and custom steel containers.

You can browse everything on our projects page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make steel jacking pipes to our drawing?

Yes. We work from customer drawings or samples. Send us a PDF, DWG or STEP file, or a physical part, and we will quote the job.

Do you supply the key-locks and connection parts too?

Yes. We produce key-locks and connection wedge sets together with the pipes, so the full set is delivered at once.

What sizes can you produce?

Our example is Ø324 mm in 1000 mm lengths, and we also build other diameters and lengths. Send us your requirements and we will confirm what is possible.

How are the pipes inspected?

Every pipe is inspected visually and welds are checked by dye penetrant testing (PT). Dimensional checks are made on machined joints.

Do you make single pieces or only series?

Both. We make one-off replacements and repeat batches.

Request a Quote for Steel Jacking Pipes

If you are planning a pipe jacking or trenchless project and need steel jacking pipes, key-locks or connection sets, send us your drawing or sample, the material, the quantity and the delivery location. We will come back with a clear quote. Contact Nika Steelworks to get started.