TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY
A virtual assistant is available to help you
The Trenchless Technology tab on the ISTT website now includes access to ISTT Whisperer a virtual assistant who will answer your questions about the technologies, in 10 languages!
Introducing ISTT Whisperer – your virtual assistant for trenchless technologies
The new website includes ISTT Whisperer, who appears bottom right when you open the trenchless technologies page.
However, I am often challenged by network owners with comments such as: “its useful to know that there are these alternatives, but we only have a small supply chain base and so we are dependent on what is being offered to us”. The answer to that is: by being an ‘informed customer’ who understands and considers all the potential solutions that could address a particular need, you can then request/direct your supply chain to provide your chosen solution. The supply chain will most likely respond if you have also developed a programme of work for your desired solution that they can tender for and then invest in.
Learning from peers the world over through ISTT
When you click on ‘Ask Me’, ISTT Whisperer introduces itself as your ‘virtual assistant specialising in trenchless technologies’ and will verbally answer your questions in 10 languages: Chinese, English, Finnish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish. This is a very important development for the ISTT in catering centrally for the needs of its national member societies across the world by breaking down language barriers. Whilst IKT Whisperer links to the scripts in each of the technology descriptions, its AI prompts it to ask questions to clarify what information you want and refine its searches.
Why is it necessary for a network owner to know about all the trenchless technologies?
In both my professional role as a Senior Research Fellow at IKT – Institute for Underground Infrastructure (a German not-for-profit engineering research institute focused on extending the life of sewers and managing urban drainage), and my UKSTT role, I frequently discuss trenchless options with network owners. They have many needs – sealing manholes against infiltration, inspection of pressure pipes, localised repairs, etc., – and multiple solutions and products are available.
If options are not to be missed, then market reviews and selection matrices used by network owners should review the full range of ‘technologies’ that are available and identify the range of products that fall within each technology. For example, sealing a manhole against infiltration can be achieved using plugging mortars, mortar coating technologies, plastic coating technologies and liner technologies, with multiple products available for each.
I am also aware that there is a great appetite among network owners for not re-inventing the wheel, by sharing experience with peers and in seeking solutions worldwide. ISTT provides a platform for facilitating this as all the trenchless technologies listed on the site are there because they have been identified, proposed and agreed upon by the 28 national societies. These include countries in Asia, Australasia, Africa, the North and South Americas, Europe and the Middle East. The geography, politics, legislation and regulation vary, which have to be taken into account, but fundamentally the issues are the same – all infrastructure ages and degrades.
A particularly useful development on the ISTT website has been to link each of the technology listings on the website to relevant papers in the ISTT’s extensive archive. This has been generated through decades of peer reviewed conference papers from across the world. From this database and through the 28 Affiliated Societies you can identify researchers, practitioners and users to network with. Additionally, there are the links to ISTT’s and Affiliated Societies’ corporate members that can provide each technology.
If you are seeking opportunities for face to face meetings then the ISTT’s annual International No Dig Conference and Exhibition (see box for 2025 & 2026 venues) and the national conferences of the Affiliated Societies provide good opportunities.
Opportunities to meet the worldwide trenchless community
ISTT International No Dig 2025 at ‘No-Dig North’ a North American Society for Trenchless Technology’s (NASTT) show | October 27-29, 2025 | Vancouver, Canada
ISTT International No Dig 2026 at ‘No Dig Down Under’ an Australasian Society for Trenchless Technology (ASTT) show | October 28-29 | Auckland, New Zealand
ISTT in action – affiliated societies gather for an ISTT International Council meetin. Credit: Iain Naismith
6 | July 2025 |
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