Aerial surveying, cable location and other construction services by experts

Determining the location of underground utilities like cables and water pipes is important for any construction project. An expected blackout can occur due to a cable fault, and associated downtime can cause significant loss to businesses. Similarly, a burst waterline will not only affect the site but also neighbourhood. Similarly, an unintentional strike on a gas line can have devastating effects on a construction site. Regulations in Australia also require many construction sites to utilize cable location services as part of their duty of care, failing which project managers may be held liable for service disruptions and any disasters.  

Different methods and tools are used by specialist cable location services, such as the ones provided by Aussie Hydro-Vac Services. These include: 

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR): The device sends electromagnetic radio waves into the ground, without digging it. It is used in a variety of cable location services and underground utility investigations. The device can be quickly set up without an active connection to the service. GPR overcomes the limitations of electromagnetic locating methods and is often used to locate or detect underground metallic and non-metallic pipes and cables by Aussie Hydro-Vac Sevices’ cable location services. The electromagnetic waves sent by GPR can penetrate through ground soil, walls, and also concrete slabs.  

Electromagnetic (EM) Induction: Metallic and other conductive utilities, such as phone lines and internet fibre cables can be identified by cable location services using the electromagnetic induction method. However, this method cannot be used to locate nonconducting utilities, such as plastic pipes, cement pipes, and cables that have been damaged or repaired with non-metallic joints in highly congested areas.  

Direct Detection Method: In this commonly used method by cable location services, the service locator connects the transmitter directly to the utility line, which is then traced with the help of a connection lead. This method gives the technician the most options for locating a buried utility line. For many cable location services, it is the most common method used for locating underground metallic services.  

Vacuum or Hydro Excavation: This non-destructive excavating method is used by Aussi Hydro-Vac Services for removing or moving soil with pressurised water. Instead of mechanical tools, pressurised water is used to make a slurry, which is then transferred to a debris tank with the help of an air conveyance or vacuum. It is more accurate and less disruptive, giving site managers more control when excavating difficult or difficult-to-reach areas. Furthermore, the method reduces the risk of existing underground services being damaged as there is no physical contact with services.  

Aerial surveying services  

Aerial surveying is also used in many construction projects in Australia to collect data and information about a large area or terrain. This service by Aussie Hydro-Vac Services typically makes use of drones which are equipped with specialised sensors and cameras. The service can be used for various purposes, such as land and property surveying, environmental planning, and infrastructure planning. A drone is flown by an aerial surveying team over the area to be surveyed, that captures high-resolution images. For this LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) equipment may be used. It is also a more cost-effective alternative to traditional ground-based surveying methods, especially in difficult-to-access locations. 

Using high-resolution aerial photos, drone aerial surveying allows project managers to get a bird’s eye view of the surroundings, and a detailed picture of everything, from topographical features to animal life. The technology also allows easy identification of potential hazards and environmental issues more quickly and easily. Compared to traditional methods, aerial surveying provides a much more detailed picture of the landscape. Also, drones used by Aussie Hydro-Vac Services’ aerial surveying team can capture aerial surveying data in real time, eliminating the need for post-processing manual analysis.  

Aussie HydroVac Services aerial surveying capabilities include the below: 

·         Aerial Orthomosaic and perspective imagery 

·         Survey Quality Digital Surface Models and 3D Modelling 

·         Rapid Terrain Mapping Solutions 

·         Accurate Digital Elevation Models 

·         Topographic Mapping 

·         Environmental and High Wall Monitoring 

·         Video and Imagery inspection of infrastructure and services. 

·         Thermal imaging with Certified Thermographer 

Geotechnical investigation and other services  

Aussie Hydro-Vac Services makes use of a variety of drones that can fly in harsh environments with thin air. Autonomous drone takes off autonomously on a planned course, capture images, and then land where they started without any operator intervention. The drones used in aerial surveying have extremely high accuracy, with aerial mapping reaching centimetre-level accuracy. Aerial mapping also provides a wealth of 3D geographic information on a large-scale terrain. The surveyors can create a 3D computer model of the object under study, and take a series of measurements. Aussie Hydro-Vac Services also offers other construction services in various parts of Australia. These include geotechnical investigation, pavement investigation, liquid waste disposal, drain & culvert cleaning, road sweeping, and more.