Subsurface Utility Engineering

An important element when designing projects is to identify and locate the existing underground utilities. Utility designating entails locating and marking of underground utilities based on thorough research of utility company records. Utility records are reviewed and compiled to prepare in-house plans for systematic designating of underground utilities within project limits. Once the utility designating is reviewed by the engineering staff, utility locating is provided using air-vacuum excavation to expose the entire utility. 

JMT has full in-house subsurface utility locating and designating resources to enable our clients to locate utilities at the onset of any project. Locating utilities early in the design process eliminates costly conflicts in design and removes construction delays. 

These actions can result in tremendous cost savings.  Our designating phase involves using geophysical prospecting techniques, including electromagnetic, magnetic, and resistivity methods to horizontally locate utilities.  The designating is then surveyed and plotted, and in areas where conflicts exist, utility locating is performed using one of our air-vacuum excavation trucks. Once the utility is exposed, the top of utility elevation is surveyed, and the following information is obtained: horizontal and vertical (top and bottom) location; elevation of existing grade over utility; outside diameter; type; paving thickness (or other surface covering thickness); and overall condition. A color-coded tape is placed in the hole with a permanent surface marker over the centerline of the utility. The test hole is backfilled with the excavated material, and the surface is restored and patched to client specifications. Backfill material is tamped in lifts with a pneumatic tamper assuring maximum compaction. 

JMT supports numerous public and private clients in the location of underground utilities. Our utility designating and locating group is cross trained with our surveying group, which allows for the surveying of the utilities to be completed in most cases by the utility crew. There is no waiting for the data, and we can deliver design files in AutoCAD and Microstation format.