Slide Rail Shoring Systems
United Rentals rents slide rail shoring systems in the E&S style to provide a highly efficient and safe shoring solution for a wide range of excavation projects. Unlike closed-track systems, it features a patented open-track rail design with swing-in panels, allowing ground-level installation that keeps crews out of the trench and clear of lifted loads during setup. With faster installation, less soil disturbance and lower overall project costs, our E&S slide rail system helps contractors save time, avoid costly site restoration and keep projects on schedule.
Why Choose a Slide Rail Excavation System?
For projects with particularly poor soil conditions, a progressive installation technique could be the safest and most efficient option for your crew. Our E&S slide rail shoring design uses a “dig and push” method, allowing you to excavate from the surface and dig as the project proceeds. This minimizes soil movement, reduces risk to surrounding utilities and structures, and creates a safer, more open work zone for your crew and equipment.
The E&S slide rail design at a glance:
- Patented swing-in panel design keeps crews safe with ground-level installation
- Double-track system supports excavations up to 30-feet deep
- Faster installation and removal compared to closed-track systems
- Creates more usable working space for crews and equipment
- Cuts overall project costs through reduced labor and restoration expenses
Slide Rail Configurations
Pit Slide Rail
For deep, localized excavations, the pit slide rail system allows for progressive digging while maintaining structural integrity and crew safety.
Applications
- Manholes
- Pump stations
- Tanks
- Shaft excavations
- Culverts
- Bridge footers
- Cast-in-place structures
Linear Slide Rail
For linear trench excavations that need to be deeper than a trench box, the linear slide rail configuration can be installed quickly in a modular fashion.
Applications
- Sewer mains
- Water lines
- Gas lines
- Box culvert runs
- Storm drain systems
- Rail projects
- Highway projects
Tie-Back Slide Rail
When you need an unobstructed excavation, the tie-back configuration eliminates the internal bracing spreaders and replaces them with greater external bracing for open applications.
Applications
- Tank installations
- Large structures
- Bridge abutments
- Large vaults
- Caissons
Sheeting Guide Slide Rail
Slide rail sheeting guides offer a flexible approach to shoring that maintains soil stability while allowing for efficient excavation in tight or utility-congested areas. Ideal for pit and linear configurations, they provide a safe and efficient alternative to traditional sheet piling.
Applications
- Pipe pass-throughs
- All crossing utilities
- Irregular excavations
- Utility corridors
Engineering And Setup Considerations
Before our team can determine the best slide rail shoring design for your project, we’ll need key site information. Please provide a bore log or other soil evaluation along with your project details to help us assess conditions and recommend the most effective system for your excavation.
Site Evaluation
Follow OSHA standards to conduct a preliminary site evaluation and assess soil classification and surface conditions. This will help us determine if a slide rail system is best for your jobsite.
Bore Logs
Completed bore logs are helpful for our team to accurately assess the bearing capacity of the soil, lateral earth pressures and groundwater conditions. We’ll recommend the safest engineered system for the specific site.
Installation and Removal
Our dedicated installation advisor will consult on how to install the RPE-certified design for the slide rail system configuration at your location. The advisor will ensure that you have the correct earthmoving equipment onsite to get the job done.
Industries We Serve
Energy & Utility
Oil & Gas Refining
Civil & Infrastructure
Our Engineered Systems Team
At United Rentals, we back our engineered systems with the industry’s largest team of dedicated installation advisors and RPEs. Our branch teams maintain, assemble, and prepare every shoring system to meet project specifications, while our onsite advisors work directly with contractors to ensure safe and efficient installation in the field. Each advisor is equipped with hands-on knowledge of our full line of engineered solutions, ensuring that projects stay on schedule, crews remain safe and installations are completed to the highest standards.
Behind every project is our engineering department, staffed with RPEs licensed across the U.S. and Canada and ready to design customized, PE-stamped excavation plans for any site condition. What truly sets United Rentals apart is not only the size of our team, but the depth of experience, skill, and commitment our people bring to every project.
Resources
If you’d like to learn more about our equipment and experience, our Resources page includes additional client success stories, educational blog posts, guides, technical spec sheets and more.
Other Engineered Systems Services and Solutions
United Rentals also provides large-scale excavation solutions like hydraulic bracing equipment, beam and plate systems, and sheet piling to best support your needs.
Hydraulic Bracing Equipment
Our hydraulic bracing equipment provides an efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional bracing methods. Learn more about our mega brace and hydraulic strut systems.
Beam and Plate Systems
We offer engineered beam and plate systems that include vertical beams and steel plates to provide a sturdy, temporary wall around deep excavation projects.
Sheeting Guide Frames
We carry sheeting guide frame systems (also called G3 systems) that provide a safe, efficient and versatile solution for excavations requiring trench protection with driven sheet piling.
Slide Rail Shoring FAQs
Slide rail shoring systems offer a helpful excavation solution for projects varying in complexity and size. Our team will help you decide whether a slide rail solution is right for your jobsite’s location, size and scope.
Learn more about slide rail shoring installation in our FAQ section below.
Slide rail systems are helpful for jobsites with cohesive soils like clays and silts, or moist granular soils that can briefly hold a vertical face during installation. In contrast, high groundwater conditions or soils with large obstructions present challenges for slide rail implementation. In high groundwater conditions we recommend a proper dewatering pump to reduce the hydraulic load on the shoring system. United Rentals can provide dewatering systems through our Fluid Solutions business.
Not always. Slide rail shoring systems may require engineering review depending on site conditions and excavation depth. For typical applications, manufacturer tabulated data is often sufficient to confirm safe use and compliance. However, when excavations exceed tab data, involve very poor or variable soils, groundwater, or nearby structures, an engineering review is recommended to verify that the system can safely withstand soil pressures and meet all regulatory requirements.
Yes, slide rail systems can be expanded and adapted for complex or irregular excavations. We recommend the sheeting guide configuration for unique jobsites.
