Laying underground cables | Machines for environmentally friendly cable laying

Trenchless cable laying is a real challenge. Our cable plough systems are environmentally friendly, efficient and ideal for laying underground cables. Our machines can lay up to 10,000 metres per day.

This is what a project process looks like:

1. Every project is preceded by a comprehensive, personal and detailed consultation so that we know which underground cables have to be laid where and when. We show our customers all the technical details, cost breakdowns and project procedures.
2. After the consultation, we offer a documented inspection of the construction site if required. This provides a precise overview of the possibilities and the upcoming ploughing work.
3. After our customers have decided on our underground cable laying machines, the equipment is prepared and dispatched to the site.
4. Our team is available for about 5 days to familiarize the new machine operators and project managers with our machines. We place a lot of emphasis on providing correct technical training to everyone involved.

For whom are our cable ploughs useful?

Our machines are operate in many areas. Our customers and partners include:

• Construction companies use our underground cable laying systems for laying cables in civil engineering.
• Network providers rely on our machines, e.g. for broadband expansion.
• Various service providers work with our machines. Here, the application scenarios range from infrastructure construction to water supply and sewage disposal to the construction of pipelines. Even steel pipes can be pulled in with the torpedo method.

Applications of our machines in the field of underground cable laying

With FOECK's special machines, laying underground cables in water as well as in rocky or clayey soils is no problem. Similarly, the plough can easily get through sand, swamp or even boulders. FOECK's laying ploughs also adapt easily to hilly landscapes. Our system is also often used in nature reserves.

The ploughing method is used to connect small villages to the power grid as well as for large installations with high-voltage lines. It does not matter whether the power lines are DC or AC.

The underground cables can either be laid directly, or they can be laid in leeward pipes, in which the underground cables are pulled in afterwards..

Excerpt of completed projects

• Laying of a high-voltage line in Magdeburg
• Laying of underground cables for solar fields in Hungary
• Underground cable laying of the lines of a wind farm in Chile
• Laying of 380 KV power lines in the Netherlands

Here you can find our picture gallery for the laying of power lines.

When does the use of FOECK machines start to pay off?

The use of our systems is worthwhile from both an economic and an ecological point of view. Due to the high tractive force of up to 180 tonnes, FOECK machines work 10 to 20 times faster than other laying methods when laying underground cables.

Is the soil destroyed during underground cable laying?

When using our laying system, the route only has to be passed through once. This means that the soil only comes into contact once with the towing vehicle or the cable plough.

With conventional methods, several vehicles are usually involved and the route is therefore driven over more frequently. Excavation and backfilling of the soil, and thus soil compaction, are also not necessary when laying cables with our special machines. Another advantage for the environment is the significantly lower CO2 emissions during installation.

How fast is the laying of underground cables?

Underground cables are laid at a daily rate of up to 10 kilometres. In individual cases, the speed of laying and thus the daily output depends on the type of line and cable. According to a rule of thumb, the laying speed can in principle be compared to walking speed. The underground cable diameter plays a major role. A thicker cable with a larger diameter requires more set-up time and the laying speed is reduced somewhat due to the increased effort required.

The preparation of the construction site and the condition of the soil are also important factors. For this reason, site preparation is also the subject of our training and consulting.

At what depth must underground cable be laid?

The depth at which underground cables must be laid depends on the properties of the cables. In the case of power cables, a higher voltage requires a deeper laying. While cables below one kilovolt can be laid at a depth of 60 centimetres, higher voltages require more depth of laying. In the vicinity of a road, cables are typically laid deeper to eliminate risks. Since FOECK machines allow laying at a depth of up to 2.5 metres, corresponding risks can be eliminated here.