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UTILITY LOCATION SERVICES

Utility location

The location of all underground utilities crossing the target trenching area is done in the following manner.

Identification of Utilities in the Target Area:

  • Locate all underground utilities that intersect or run alongside the designated area.
  • Mark the positions of these utilities.
  • Indicate the depth and direction of each utility.

Identification of Utilities in the Servitude:

  • Locate other underground utilities within the servitude area.

Detection Methods for Different Types of Utilities:

  • Electrical and Telkom Cables, Steel Pipes, and Conductive Utilities.
  • Utilize an electromagnetic transmitter and receiver to induce a signal onto the utility through methods such as direct connection (e.g., at valves, lamp posts), clamping (e.g., inside Telkom chambers, electrical substations), or induction scanning (when no contact points on services are available).

Storm Water and Sewer Lines:

  • Access points like manholes or kerb inlets will be used to locate these services.
  • A self-contained sonde, propelled down the pipe using a fiber flex rod, will transmit a signal, allowing the operator to determine the exact position and depth from above ground using a receiver.

Non-Metallic Pipes and Non-Conductive Services:

  • Non-metallic utilities, such as AC water mains and fiber optic cables, will be located using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR).
  • If GPR cannot penetrate soil conditions or ground coverings, the Sewerin
  • Combiphon may be used with written consent from the client.
  • GPR will be employed to locate services not detectable by electromagnetic methods.

Marking of Located Positions:

  • Mark the positions of identified utilities on the ground using unique colour-coded spray paint for each utility.
  • Include the following information: Exact position of the utility, Direction of the utility, Depth at the marked position.
  • Ensure that all marked utilities are clearly shown to the contractor on-site.

Mapping of Buried Utilities:

  • A professional land surveyor typically conducts the surveying and mapping of located utilities.

To achieve the complete success you’re looking for, you’ll want to connect with an expert service provider like Orsco (Pty) Ltd.

By scanning the servitude with GPR, changes in ground conductivity are detected. The alignment of several positions of this nature usually indicates the existence of non-metallic services. GPR will only be used to locate services that could not be located by means of electromagnetic methods.

A utility location device should be used to locate utilities before excavation begins. Whether it is on a pavement, private property or on a construction project, it is important to know what lies beneath the surface to avoid damage to services as well as un-planned water, electricity & telecom interruptions, which could cost the contracting company a fortune.

Historically past dynamics: such as drawings and plans getting lost, plans are not updated as installation conditions require re-positioning of utilities or services, and utilities and services are installed without tracer wires or trace mechanisms. All of this can make it difficult to know what lies ahead of the excavation without a utility location survey.

 

ELECTROMAGNETIC LOCATION

Most utility locating is done with the use of electromagnetic locating equipment. This equipment consists of two parts, a transmitter and a receiver. In short, we use the transmitter to place a “signal” onto the line then go hunt down that signal with the receiver. As long as the line is metallic and continuous we can locate it with electromagnetic equipment.


VACUUM EXCAVATION

What sets ORSCO (Pty) Ltd apart is vacuum excavation used to identify and verify unknown utilities – if vacuum exaction is done ORSCO (Pty) Ltd will guarantee that what is identified and marked on the drawings is exactly what is underground.

Utility Location

Utility Location Mapping

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electromagnetic Pipe/Cable locators are employed to pinpoint the precise locations of buried utilities. Following the identification and mapping of all underground utilities, a GIS survey is conducted to integrate them into a local reference grid. Upon completion of all field work, a 3D DWG plan is generated to assist engineers and construction companies in planning and executing their projects safely. Final reports may include DWG, Excel, and Google Earth KMZ files to facilitate integration with the client's specific software requirements. ORSCO's distinctive capabilities enable the extraction of deeper insights from the data, uncovering patterns, relationships, and scenarios that empower customers to make informed decisions.