Cost and Risk Evaluation for Horizontal Directional Drilling versus Open Cut in an Urban Environment

Municipal infrastructure such as transportation, waste disposal, and utilities are rapidly expanding due to an increase in urbanization. Subsequently, municipalities are faced with having to designate the most effective method of installing new buried infrastructure while being mindful of cost considerations. In order to determine the most feasible underground construction method, various risks and cost factors must be assessed and analyzed. The intent of the study was to compare horizontal directional drilling (HDD) applications with traditional open cut applications. This study is relevant to practitioners and researchers because it identifies and describes risks and factors used in creating a planning tool for small diameter pipelines in an urban environment. The data indicate that utilizing HDD can minimize risks and reduce the overall costs of construction in an urban environment.