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Utilities Business Review | Wednesday, May 03, 2023
Utility locating has numerous key advantages, such as Improved safety, increased efficiency, and making project completion faster.
FREMONT, CA: In utility locating, equipment is used to map out what is happening below the ground. Often called utility detection or underground utility mapping, utility locators provide their clients with a verified map of underground infrastructure in need of excavation or repair. As a result, they can open up the earth without damaging underground pipelines and cables. Additionally, it prevents accidents that could lead to injuries.
The Key Benefits of Utility Locating are as follows:
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Assuring safety: Those working on-site may avoid injuries caused by working with live cables if they know where cables are located. Damage to living electrical wiring causes many injuries on construction sites.
The reputation: Using a utility locator to map underground infrastructure before excavation can help a building company develop a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness as they protect nearby businesses from losses.
The Time: Utility lines must be urgently repaired when they become unsafe due to age or environmental damage caused by fires, floods, earthquakes, or line strikes. By using a certified locator, the repair process can be sped up.
Utility locators used in the following industries are described below:
The Construction: Architects can use utility locators to map underground piping and cables before designing a building. Before excavation for foundations, locators may be helpful to building teams.
The survey: To identify subsurface features, such as boundary markers, utility covers, and septic tanks, surveyors may use utility locators.
The oil and gas industry: Natural gas and crude oil are transported via pipelines by oil and gas companies. Those who maintain and check on utilities benefit from utility locators.
Lines for plumbing and sewage: When plumbing lines run beneath buildings or slabs, plumbers may need to use a locator before performing repairs.
What is the process of utility locating?
Underground utility location can be determined using EMI, GPR, and CAT. Each tool locates different underground elements using unique methods. The key differences between the three are as follows:
Electromagnetic interference (EMI): Electromagnetic interference can detect conductive materials and anything containing metal using electromagnetic radio frequencies. By generating, sending, and receiving electromagnetic radio frequencies through the ground, the EMI tool works. Because of this, EMI is ideal for utility lines such as gas, telephone, and electricity. A conductive material such as plastic or cement will not be detected by EMI locating unless it is five meters underground.
CAT(Cable avoidance tool): Cable avoidance tools detect the magnetic fields emitted by underground cables in order to locate them. A Genny (a signal generator tool) can assist the cable avoidance tool by inducing a signal onto cables that allow it to locate them without a signal.
GPR( Ground penetrating radar): For GPR, high-frequency radio pulses are used, which reflect off underground objects. GPR can be used to locate both metallic and non-conductive services non-destructively. Locates voids, utility holes, underground storage tanks, plastic pipes, and non-metallic sewer lines using GPR.
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