The Levels of Utility Detection

October 19, 2022 12:00 am Published by Leave your thoughts

As populations across the country continue to grow and the housing and infrastructure needs change, there will continue to be a need for new development. When you are completing new construction, identifying buried utility lines is very important. If you are not able to do this properly, it could lead to damage, lost power, and even personal injuries. As you go through any development process, proper utility location is essential. 

What Is Utility Locating?

The process of utility location is focused on finding utility lines buried underground. This can be done through a variety of different means, which are typically referred to as utility location levels. These can be effective means for finding anything that could be buried beneath the surface. 

Desktop Search

The first type of utility location that will be completed is a simple desktop search. When you are looking for buried utility lines, there should be documentation provided that can tell you the precise location. However, there are issues with this approach, as there is always a risk that the reports are inaccurate. Further, some communities and counties may not always be required to maintain these records.

Electromagnetic Location

Another option to find buried utility lines is to use an electromagnetic location. This is a simple and useful approach to find lines that are not otherwise easily identifiable. When you use this approach, a technician will use a cable location that can be pulled across a property. It will be able to pick up any cables or other devices buried underground.

Completion of Survey

Using other tools, you can also detect utility lines located underground. The use of digital antennas is able to pick up the presence of these buried cables that are found underground. It can then be connected to advanced mapping software that can help you precisely identify the location of these buried cables.

While this step in the process can typically be completed above ground, you may be able to complete the work underground in some situations. If the area of interest is located near a sewer or manhole cover, you can often get a closer and more precise look.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) systems are often used as a way to identify objects that are buried beneath the surface. These are often used to identify underground fuel storage tanks and smaller utility lines. It can then be connected directly to your own mapping system, allowing you to get an immediate look when searching for anything buried underground.

If you are going to complete any type of construction project, it remains crucial that you can properly identify any underground utility lines and cables. With proper utility location services, you can precisely see where these lines are buried to ensure that you are safe when digging and avoid utility interruptions and other safety hazards. 

 

Categorised in:

This post was written by admin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *