2M Locating’s utility locators use electromagnetic location and ground penetrating radar (GPR) to identify and locate utility infrastructure underground, but sometimes these methods are not enough.
The only way to know the exact location, depth and size of some utilities is by potholing and excavating until the utilities are ‘daylighted.’
Potholing, hydro excavation and vacuum excavation are three techniques utility locators use to reveal the location and features of utilities underground.
Potholing involves making a series of test holes through soil, concrete or asphalt to locate underground lines accurately. Potholing crews then use vacuum excavation or hydro excavation to remove the soil between the hole and the utility. The method used depends on the soil’s composition.
For potholes, we normally drill a core about 10” thick in asphalt or concrete. If we can break up the concrete or asphalt in the core and remove it, we can go deeper than 10″. However, this is not an exact science.
Potholing is not just used for locating utilities. It is also used to dig holes for fence posts, utility poles and signage posts.
Contact us to discuss your situation.
Working around utilities involves high risk. Even when excavators have information about where a line is buried, they must always exercise extreme caution because maps, information and drawings may be inaccurate, outdated or incomplete.
Most state and/or local regulations don’t allow mechanical excavating within 18-36 inches of a marked utility line in order to keep workers and others on the jobsite and in the surrounding area safe. Within that safe zone, soil and debris around a utility have to be removed by hand or using a non-destructive method (vacuum or hydro excavation). Removing the dirt manually can endanger workers if they are using metal tools, or if there is a risk of unstable ground material overhead collapsing.
Hydro excavation and vacuum excavation handle these risky situations safely, neatly and efficiently.
Daylighting means exposing an underground utility to daylight so a worker can identify its features.
Daylighting allows utility locators to determine the:
When we think of excavating, the first image that comes to mind is usually the hydraulic excavator that we see on construction sites. Traditionally, a hydraulic excavator would be used up to 3 feet away from the utility, and then the remaining dirt and debris would be removed by hand. This kind of excavation leaves a large footprint.
Now it is common and much safer for utility locators to ‘daylight’ utility lines using “soft excavation” techniques: either hydro excavation or vacuum excavation.
Hydro excavation uses pressurized water to move soil and rock debris out of the way. A long hose suctions away the displaced dirt, debris and water to a holding tank on a truck. These wet spoils are hauled away for disposal, adding to the time and expense required to complete the job.
For locations that experience cold weather, hydro excavation can use hot water (up to 115 degrees F.) to excavate frozen soil.
Vacuum excavation uses pressurized air to break up compressed soil around the utility. The dry spoils are then vacuumed and reused as backfill. In light soils, the vacuum excavator may be able to use high-speed suction to remove soil straight down until the utility line is partially revealed.
Vacuum excavation is preferred but heavily compacted soils may require hydro excavation. The water helps keep the suction hose cleaner by preventing the soil and excavated debris from building up.
These two kinds of excavator are often combined on one truck, called a vacuum excavator or hydrovac truck. It is equipped with a high-pressure water and air excavation system, a water supply tank and a large tank for the spoils vacuumed up from the site along with the drilling fluids. Some excavators are mounted on a trailer.
The hydrovac truck or trailer has a wand or hose that injects water under pressure into the soil. The pressurized water breaks up the soil but isn’t strong enough to damage utility lines. The water liquefies the soil, producing a slurry which the vacuum carries to a tank attached to the truck. The truck can remove the slurry from the worksite, keeping the site tidy.
The safest way to expose an underground utility is to pothole (make a series of test holes) and then use vacuum extraction until the utility can be ‘daylighted’. This process allows utility locators to identify the type of utility and take horizontal and vertical measurements. Where vacuum extraction is not possible, hydro extraction may be used.
There are eight considerations to research when looking for a company to provide potholing and hydro extraction or vacuum extraction services:
A. 2M Locating’s excavating equipment can work to a depth of 20 feet.
2M Locating works in compliance with all federal, state and local laws and requirements.
Wet excavation, called hydro excavation uses pressurized water to move soil and rock debris away from the utility. A long hose suctions away the displaced dirt, debris and water to a holding tank on a truck.
Some heavily compacted or rocky soils require hydro excavation. The water helps keep the suction hose cleaner by preventing the soil and excavated debris from building up. Two concerns with hydro excavation are: it needs a constant supply of water, and the wet spoils need to be hauled away for disposal. This adds to the time and expense required to complete the job.
For locations that experience cold weather, hydro excavation can use hot water (up to 115 degrees F.) to excavate frozen soil.
Dry excavation, called vacuum excavation, uses pressurized air to break up compressed soil around the utility. The dry spoils are then vacuumed and reused as backfill. In light soils, the vacuum excavator may be able to use high-speed suction to remove soil straight down until the utility line is partially revealed.
Vacuum excavation is recommended when you need to preserve the surroundings, such as tree roots, or nearby buildings or infrastructures. It is also the procedure to use when moving soil away from electrical wires or delicate utilities, or in any situation where water might cause a chemical reaction with the material surrounding the utility.
A. Given these assumptions, we can complete 4 to 6 potholes in a day, depending on the ground conditions. Contact us to discuss your situation.
