It is often the case that damage to the sewer system is first evident on the joints between the main sewer line and the laterals. Cracks appear on the joints due to slight movements in the pipes relative to each other, which are caused by temperature fluctuations or heavy traffic. Ground water infiltration can then wash soil into the sewer system and voids are formed around the joints. Repairing this damage is not always straightforward. However, using our top-hat system, repairing lateral connections is no longer a problem.

The top-hat system consists of a control trailer and the top-hat robot.

The Top-Hat Installation Process

The robot is positioned on the lateral using the two on-board cameras.

The sock is inflated into the lateral to prevent stop mortar from entering the lateral itself and blocking it.

The shield is pressed against the main line wall and mortar is injected into the resulting cavities

After about 20 minutes, the mortar has hardened and the robot moves on to the next lateral. CCTV footage is obtained during this process to check that the operation has been successful