Page 6 - JulyAugust2016 Vol34 No2
P. 6
EAST TENNESSEE By Ryan M. Henley, PLS, Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Subsurface Utility Engineering
What Is It and How Does It Benefit Your Project?
Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) tion. The ASCE Quality Levels listed using surface geophysical method prior to
SUE is the practice of obtaining reli- below represent different combinations starting excavation. Real benefits come to
to increase accuracy and reliability of the light when Quality Level A SUE is utilized
able underground information utilizing collected data. combining surface methods with vacuum
technology and combining the practices • Quality Level D consists of information excavation to expose the utility and
of civil engineering, surveying and surface acquire a field survey vertical and hori-
geophysics. The ability to obtain accurate derived solely from record documents zontal location of the asset. Information
mapping information of existing under- and verbal interviews. This is the pre- is typically integrated into CAD design,
ground utilities allows clients, owners, liminary stage of all SUE projects. subsurface mapping or into the GIS map-
contractors and designers the capability to • Quality Level C consists of information ping database. SUE information is also
make informative decisions to avoid costly in a project that includes the collec- depicted in a standalone report certified
conflicts and delays as well as provide a tion of above ground evidence (e.g., by the engineer/surveyor overseeing the
higher level of safety and a reduced level manholes, vaults, valves, meters, etc.) to SUE portion of the project.
of risk. For this reason, SUE has become a attempt to gather the location of what is
routine requirement on highway projects below the surface. Applications
in many states. • Quality Level B consists of information
from appropriate surface geophysical There are numerous applications of
History methods (e.g., utility locators, ground SUE, the most common being subsur-
penetrating radar, etc.) to determine a face mapping and safe excavation. When
The damage to underground infra- rough horizontal position on the sur- working in an area congested with exist-
structure for the construction industry face of what is assumed to be below the ing utilities, the risks are too great to use
used to be a major problem. Determining surface. machine excavation. SUE tools can be
the location of subsurface data remained • Quality Level A consists of information utilized with a little field engineering as
unregulated for many years, yet the tech- gathered by safely exposing the sub- a more reliable option. As an example,
nology continued to improve. One driving surface utility with a vacuum excava- when setting poles for an overhead line,
industry for the technology was archeol- tor, machine or by hand. Often times the alignment and proposed power pole
ogy where ground-penetrating radar has called “daylighting” or “potholing,” this location can be staked allowing SUE
been a common tool on most dig sites. As method allows one to get survey grade technicians to perform all levels of SUE
utility infrastructure has made the transi- horizontal and vertical locations as well ensuring safe excavation. Once the re-
tion from mostly new construction in record the type, size and condition of search and surface work is complete, the
undisturbed areas to maintenance, repair the utility. vacuum excavator will dig a hole to design
and expansions in already congested specifications. When existing utilities are
areas, the advantages of SUE use has in- Equipment encountered, the process of backfilling the
creased. Although still underutilized, the hole and moving up or down the align-
benefits of SUE are rapidly being realized. SUE equipment continues to mature as ment accordingly, produces little to no
demand increases. Demand continues to risk to the existing utilities.
Standards of Practice increase as information about the benefits
and cost savings have proven signifi- Case Studies
In 2003, the American Society of Civil cant for project owners, utility owners,
Engineers (ASCE) published 38-02 titled designers, engineers, and contractors. SUE work is tailored to individual
Standard Guidelines for Collection and Most utility projects utilize a type of SUE projects. Below are a few SUE projects
Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility equipment even if it is just a line locator that show how SUE can benefit utility
Data. ASCE defined SUE and established owners, clients, designers and contractors.
the guidelines for collection and depic-
Ground Penetrating Radar Vacuum Excavator Case Study #1
6 TPW July/August 2016
Subsurface Utility Engineering
What Is It and How Does It Benefit Your Project?
Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) tion. The ASCE Quality Levels listed using surface geophysical method prior to
SUE is the practice of obtaining reli- below represent different combinations starting excavation. Real benefits come to
to increase accuracy and reliability of the light when Quality Level A SUE is utilized
able underground information utilizing collected data. combining surface methods with vacuum
technology and combining the practices • Quality Level D consists of information excavation to expose the utility and
of civil engineering, surveying and surface acquire a field survey vertical and hori-
geophysics. The ability to obtain accurate derived solely from record documents zontal location of the asset. Information
mapping information of existing under- and verbal interviews. This is the pre- is typically integrated into CAD design,
ground utilities allows clients, owners, liminary stage of all SUE projects. subsurface mapping or into the GIS map-
contractors and designers the capability to • Quality Level C consists of information ping database. SUE information is also
make informative decisions to avoid costly in a project that includes the collec- depicted in a standalone report certified
conflicts and delays as well as provide a tion of above ground evidence (e.g., by the engineer/surveyor overseeing the
higher level of safety and a reduced level manholes, vaults, valves, meters, etc.) to SUE portion of the project.
of risk. For this reason, SUE has become a attempt to gather the location of what is
routine requirement on highway projects below the surface. Applications
in many states. • Quality Level B consists of information
from appropriate surface geophysical There are numerous applications of
History methods (e.g., utility locators, ground SUE, the most common being subsur-
penetrating radar, etc.) to determine a face mapping and safe excavation. When
The damage to underground infra- rough horizontal position on the sur- working in an area congested with exist-
structure for the construction industry face of what is assumed to be below the ing utilities, the risks are too great to use
used to be a major problem. Determining surface. machine excavation. SUE tools can be
the location of subsurface data remained • Quality Level A consists of information utilized with a little field engineering as
unregulated for many years, yet the tech- gathered by safely exposing the sub- a more reliable option. As an example,
nology continued to improve. One driving surface utility with a vacuum excava- when setting poles for an overhead line,
industry for the technology was archeol- tor, machine or by hand. Often times the alignment and proposed power pole
ogy where ground-penetrating radar has called “daylighting” or “potholing,” this location can be staked allowing SUE
been a common tool on most dig sites. As method allows one to get survey grade technicians to perform all levels of SUE
utility infrastructure has made the transi- horizontal and vertical locations as well ensuring safe excavation. Once the re-
tion from mostly new construction in record the type, size and condition of search and surface work is complete, the
undisturbed areas to maintenance, repair the utility. vacuum excavator will dig a hole to design
and expansions in already congested specifications. When existing utilities are
areas, the advantages of SUE use has in- Equipment encountered, the process of backfilling the
creased. Although still underutilized, the hole and moving up or down the align-
benefits of SUE are rapidly being realized. SUE equipment continues to mature as ment accordingly, produces little to no
demand increases. Demand continues to risk to the existing utilities.
Standards of Practice increase as information about the benefits
and cost savings have proven signifi- Case Studies
In 2003, the American Society of Civil cant for project owners, utility owners,
Engineers (ASCE) published 38-02 titled designers, engineers, and contractors. SUE work is tailored to individual
Standard Guidelines for Collection and Most utility projects utilize a type of SUE projects. Below are a few SUE projects
Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility equipment even if it is just a line locator that show how SUE can benefit utility
Data. ASCE defined SUE and established owners, clients, designers and contractors.
the guidelines for collection and depic-
Ground Penetrating Radar Vacuum Excavator Case Study #1
6 TPW July/August 2016
