Commonly seen vocabulary used in our field reports
Area Scanned Scope Of Work Area Of Interest
Indicates the area where the technician will be scanning for utilities as directed by the client
Assumed Location
Dotted line on our field report that represents an estimated route of a utility based on factors in the field
Backfill
The process of the restoration of the test hole
Includes putting the excavated soil back into the test hole as long as it is still viable to use and/or restoring the asphalt using a cold patch or concrete
Bleed Bleed Off Bleed Over
Electromagnetic signals following a path that is different from the connection point
Electromagnetic signals follow a path of least resistance, which may be a nearby utility or another path that would lead it to ground
Boom
Hydraulic arm that allows the vac hose to be moved into place
8 feet from the passenger side of the truck and can extend up to 10 feet
Common(ly) Bond Common(ly) Ground
Multiple utilities sharing the same grounding point
When an electromagnetic signal is applied to one of these utilities, that signal will likely travel across all other utilities that share the same grounding point
Can make designating a single line difficult for the technician
Conflict
Area where a utility is in the proximity of a target for excavation and can potentially be damaged
Congestion
Multiple utilities buried in close proximity
These utilities being buried so closely together may present problems differentiating between them
Direct Connection Conductive Scans
Method of locating that involves applying an electromagnetic signal directly onto a utility with conductive properties, by connecting to it
Duct Rod
Fiberglass line with a copper conductor in the middle used to send down a nonmetallic conduit, drain, etc.
Will allow a technician to designate its location within a pipe when connected to electromagnetic locating equipment
Easement
Provide public utility companies the right to access private property in order to repair, install, and maintain utility lines
End of Information(EOI)
Last locatable point of a utility due to termination, material change, or electromagnetic signal being unable to be traced further
Geographic Information System(GIS) Mapping
System designed to capture, store, analyze, and manage data in relation to its position on Earth
Ground Penetrating Radar(GPR)
Instrument designed to detect electromagnetic contrasts in the soil with a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna which allow it to send and detect electromagnetic waves at given frequencies
Reflections are produced whenever the electromagnetic wave enters a material with different electrical conduction properties than the material it left
Hydro Excavation
An excavation technique that utilizes water from 1,000 to 2,500 PSI
Used for tougher soil conditions, for example compacted clay or extremely compacted dirt
Increases the productivity of the vac truck
Interference
Any condition that would prevent electromagnetic signal from being detected on a target utility
Induce Induction Inductive Scans
Method of locating where energy from the transmitter’s antenna is transferred to the utility without metal to metal connection
One of the best methods to make the current flow into the circuit when you are not able to make a direct connection to the utility
Leak Detection
Use of equipment to determine if and/or where a leak has occurred in a water line
Limitation
Condition that prevents a technician from completely designating a utility
Examples include soil conditions, limited/no building access, etc.
Moisture Content
Amount of moisture contained in the soil
Excessive moisture content in soil will limit GPR’s ability to penetrate it
No Access
When a technician is not granted access to a building to investigate utilities entering and/or leaving the building
When a technician is not able to open a manhole cover, cleanout cover, etc.
Passive Scans
Method of utility locating that involves detecting utilities using natural signatures they emit while buried underground
Remote Digging
A job would be considered remote digging if it is beyond the normal reach of the vac truck
The boom can extend up to 10 feet; beyond that is considered remotely digging
Sonde
Self-contained transmitters that can aid in the location of nonmetallic pipes and blockages within a pipe
Transmit a single frequency which can be detected with electromagnetic locating equipment, leading a technician to its exact location underground
Surface Feature
Objects and/or equipment at a site that will alert a technician to the presence of an associated utility
May include transformers, fire hydrants, manhole covers, cleanouts, etc
Test Hole
A 12 inch round hole.
Test Pit
Any excavation beyond the normal size of a test hole.
Typically a squared hole beyond 12 inches
Tracer Wire
Wire with conductive properties used to assist in locating pipes and other lines after they’ve been buried in the ground
Once a pipe is laid down, tracer wire is placed along its length and buried next to the pipe
What is actually searched for if the pipe itself needs to be located
Trench
An elongated test hole
Used to follow a utility found in a test hole
Also used to excavate across a proposed area to see what utilities could be crossing the scope of work.
Underground Storage Tanks(USTs)
Buried tanks that hold fuels, chemicals, or wastes
Uneven Terrain
Terrain that isn’t optimal for GPR scans
Uneven surfaces may cause interruptions with GPR’s ability to penetrate the surface, flat surfaces are ideal for GPR
Gravel, cobblestone paths, or areas with excessive debris that can cause the GPR to lift over 2”-3” from the ground, may cause the GPR to produce an image that isn’t clear
Unknown
Active or abandoned utilities detected, but are undistinguishable due to the inability to be traced back to an associated surface feature
Generally picked up during split box, and passive, blind, and GPR scans
Unlocatable Untraceable Material
Utility made of a material that lacks conductive properties
May include plastics, fiberglass, cement, concrete, etc
Vacuum Excavation
Less invasive method of excavation
Categorized as air or hydro depending on how the soil is broken down
A blast of air or water is first directed into the dig site to loosen soil and break up any large materials. The air vacuum hose is then used to remove the debris from the hole and transfer it to a specially designed tank
Stored soil can be transported elsewhere or, if dry, re-used as backfill. Hydro excavation prevents the re-use of wet material for backfilling.
Video Pipe Inspection(VPI)
Use of fiber optic video cameras to inspect pipes(sanitary, storm sewer, etc.) for integrity, blockages, and laterals
