BRACING HALF OF A TRENCH

Eighteen pipelines were to be placed side-by-side in a 38-ft-wide trench crossing under a four lane divided highway. As conventional methods were only partially satisfactory, the contractor, Brown and Root Braun, Houston, called on The Plank Company, Houston, to develop a way to make the tough crossing. The Plank Company, one of the nation's first companies involved in the manufacture and distribution of trench support systems, met the challenge by using six standard Shieldco (Trademark) trench shields in a highly unusual way. Details are provided in this article.