Open Cut: Complete Sewer Upgrading

Open Cut: Complete sewer upgrading using the traditional “dig-and-replace” method is perhaps the most common method of upgrading existing sewer systems. It is a relatively simple operation and has very few limitations, but it is quite expensive and highly disruptive in downtown areas. Open cut sewer replacement is commonly performed in areas where the existing sewers are collapsed. This process can be used in pipes of all sizes, and the installation length is unlimited. Flow bypass pumping is required for this operation. Dewatering is required where the groundwater table is above the pipe invert. Backhoe, the ideal equipment for such situation, is used to take care of sewer issues.

A backhoe, also called a rear actor or back actor, is a piece of excavating equipment or digger consisting of a digging bucket on the end of a two-part articulated arm. They are typically mounted on the back of a tractor or front loader. The section of the arm closest to the vehicle is known as the boom, and the section which carries the bucket is known as the dipper or dipper-stick (the terms "boom" and "dipper" having been used previously on steam shovels). The boom is generally attached to the vehicle through a pivot known as the king-post, which allows the arm to slew left and right, usually through a total of around 200 degrees. However, in "360° excavators" it is attached to a turntable, allowing continuous revolution. Modern backhoes are powered by hydraulics.

In my point of view, the traditional method is the most favorable mode of operation in the countryside. As for in downtown areas, traditional method could be a matter of headache at times, it might block the passage way next to your building.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backhoe