A pipe splitting assembly includes an articulating hammer nose assembly having a pipe splitting cutter and a rotatable joint coupled with the pipe splitting cutter. A pneumatic hammer is distal to the articulating hammer nose assembly. The pneumatic hammer is configured to drive the articulating hammer nose assembly proximally away from the pneumatic hammer. The rotatable joint is coupled between the pipe splitting cutter and the pneumatic hammer, and the articulating hammer nose assembly is rotatable into one or more angles relative to the pneumatic hammer through the rotatable joint. A cable coupling is interposed between the pneumatic hammer and the articulated hammer nose assembly. The cable coupling is configured to attach a cable to the pipe splitting assembly. The cable coupling and the rotatable joint are configured to transmit to the pipe splitting cutter a compression force from the cable coupling and dynamic percussive forces from the pneumatic hammer.