Utility

Utility surveys map out underground drains and services and when combined with our topographical surveys provide a comprehensive data set for a site.

 

We are able to locate and plot the majority of buried services using a variety of techniques. Metallic services are detected using equipment that picks up electromagnetic waves conducted by pipes and cables.  A signal generator is also used to pass a fixed frequency signal into services we can directly connect to. 

 

Some services, in particular small diameter plastic pipes often used to connect domestic gas and water supplies are difficult to detect.  To help locate such non-metallic services we use ground penetrating radar (GPR) which operates by sending a radar signal into the soil to detect changes in ground structure. 

 

Prior to visiting site, we can undertake a desktop mapping exercise whereby we contact the relevant utility companies in a given area and compile a record of all known services. These records, along with all services physically located on site can be plotted on our topographical survey.