Every major industry produces specialized segments, each with its own vocabulary of technical terms. In the construction business, some terms communicate beyond their professional audience, while others are more mysterious. In underground pipe installation and replacement, the relatively recent word “trenchless” seems clear and unequivocal, even to the uninitiated. Yet choosing which method to use can lead to confusion, even among contractors.For example, when pipe bursting to replace existing utility lines (and to a lesser extent to install new ones), professionals talk about using either static force or impact force. Both methods use a mole, or bursting head, attached to
