What lurks below

Expert insight

The labyrinth of pipelines and utilities buried under modern cities pose a significant risk to projects. In 2018, workersreportedmore than 330,000 underground utilities strikes in the United States and more than 11,000 in Canada. That was an increase of about 13.5% since 2015, numbers show.

平均而言,there is a utility strike somewhere in North America every 10 seconds, but it’s a problem that doesn’t have to exist, and there is a clear solution. In eliminating the threat, organizations can save money — not to mention headaches or even the potential for loss of human life.Data fromThe Civil Quarterly (TCQ),a new publication launched in July 2020 from Dodge Data & Analytics,revealed重型建筑中的承包商面临供应链问题和其他挑战,使他们的工作地点在19日期内保持了。

But digging deeper, this brand-new data also revealed that 63% of the contractors contacted for the study are currently using or considering using utility detection tools. A staggering two-thirds of contractors shared a new prioritization on safety investments overall, to include utility detection.

Accordingto a somewhat dated Purdue University study, which remains the most commonly cited in the industry, companies can save $4.62 for every dollar spent on utility detection. Other estimates show potentially more significant cost savings, possibly reaching $18 for every dollar spent.Regardless, the savings can total billions of dollars every year. Shutting down a project because of a utility strike can easily cost companies $2,000 or more per hour, a significant impact on the bottom line of any company or project.


Options to detect



Many utility strikes result from excavation mistakes. Others are made because crews didn’t report they were digging or because of errors in reporting underground utilities’ existence. There are two primary technologies to help crews detect underground utilities: electromagnetic locators and ground-penetrating radar.
这些技术的工作方式不同,因此不一定是优越的。电磁定位器有效地定位了金属或金属化的实用程序,而地面雷达则可以帮助查找其他埋藏的物品,例如塑料管。在挖掘工作地点时保持警惕,这仍然是至关重要的,因为这两种工具都不能找到所有东西,尤其是发现埋藏得更深的物品。但是,这些工具在同时工作,捕获了绝大多数埋藏的公用事业。


一个成长的领域

The field of super subsurface utility engineering continues to evolve as it matures. It is poised for significant growth as projects become increasingly complex and budgets tighten, making mistakes even more costly.
There are three emerging sections within the utility detection arena: Utility companies, specialized detection companies, and construction companies that take it on themselves. Now there are new — and easier-to-use tools — that are simplifying utility detection across the industry.
Today, 40% of contractors use utility detection tools, while another 23% use or consider the technology, according to TCQ.


Be wary of free

有免费的选择可用于检测地下公用事业。虽然这些很诱人,但重要的是要记住古老的格言:“您得到所付的钱。”

An estimated 65% of the buried utility lines in North America are deemed private, so many buried utilities aren’t fully verified. Considering utility owners aren’t necessarily required to participate in nonprofit programs — such as the Common Ground Alliance’s811 program— that help companies locate underground utilities before they dig, and there is a potential recipe for disaster.

While asset owners theoretically know where their underground utilities are buried, free services often inaccurately mark the locations. It’s one thing for a homeowner to receive wrong markings, it’s another for bad markings on a significant commercial project where millions of dollars — and even dozens of lives — are at stake.


这不仅是标记公用事业;这是关于节省时间

Mapping utilities used to be a time-consuming affair, as crews would have to download data from a detecting device, upload it to another system and then cross-reference the data to make sure where they planned to dig is safe.

对于有空闲时间的团队来说,这没问题,但是今天,这是关于实时获取信息,以使工作人员保持活跃并安全有效地工作。

现代解决方案已经改变了方法,使各种规模的公司更容易理解其项目下的内容,并使所有人保持团队中的每个人。它们也可以由小型团队或单个团队成员部署,使这些解决方案非常适合在COVID-19大流行中的新社会距离要求。由于这些解决方案的易于使用和高级实施,也可以在不雇用其他团队成员或接受广泛培训的情况下部署它们。

但是,检测实用程序只是该过程的第一步。Tools employ smart algorithms to create digital utility maps in minutes, displaying detected results while users are still in the field, allowing project managers to make real-time decisions. Users can export the data for use with post-processing software and machines, or they can overlay with additional data for a more robust picture of an environment.


There is no longer an excuse

Technology is a powerful enabler of a better way to approach problems facing organizations today. From advanced, multi-dimensional drawings of project sites to realistic 3D renderings of new projects months or even years before completion, technology has revolutionized the construction industry, and utility detection is no exception.

There is no reason to strike an underground utility because the crew did not take the time to try and locate it. Today’s available solutions streamline processes and make the jobsite safer and allow project managers and their teams to avoid inadvertent strikes of buried pipelines and utilities.Simply using this technology can save thousands — potentially millions — in fees, repairs and lost time. Why wait any longer?



西蒙·佩德利(Simon Pedley)是北美的Leica Geosystems的检测销售经理。

As published inModern Contractor Solutions.

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检测解决方案

Leica Geosystems Detection Solutions provide the most streamlined and integrated detection process in the field, covering avoidance, verification and mapping workflows combined with positioning systems and machine control.
Leica Geosystems Detection Solutions provide the most streamlined and integrated detection process in the field, covering avoidance, verification and mapping workflows...

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