Four days. 2,100 acres. A web of under and aboveground utility lines.
It was just another successful job for GPRS Project Manager Gerardo Dominguez, who conducted utility locating services to ensure the safe and efficient construction of a Texas solar farm.
Dominguez hiked roughly 10-to-12 miles a day, locating and mapping the existing infrastructure in the project area to help mitigate subsurface damage during the installation of solar arrays.
“They had already cleaned out the land,” Dominguez said. “And while they were cleaning out the land and taking out all the trees and shrubs and stuff, they were hitting a lot of these unknown pipes, pipes that were aboveground, abandoned pipes...”
To accurately locate and map the utilities, Dominguez employed a electromagnetic (EM) locating in conjunction with ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanning.
EM locators detect electromagnetic signals radiating from metallic pipes and cables. These signals can be created by transmitting current to the pipe, or from the current flow in a live electrical cable. Signals can also result from a conductive pipe acting as an antenna and re-radiating signals from stray electrical fields (detected by the EM locator functioning in Power Mode) and communications transmissions (EM locator in Radio Mode). Signals are created by the current flowing from the EM locator’s transmitter, and travel along the conductor (line/cable/pipe) and back to the transmitter. Typically, completing the current requires the use of a ground. A ground stake is used to complete the circuit through the subsurface.
GPR scanners emit radio waves into a surface, then detect the interactions between these waves and any buried objects (both metallic and non-metallic). These interactions are displayed in a readout a series of hyperbolas that vary in size and shape depending on the type of material located. Professional utility locating and concrete scanning technicians like GPRS’ SIM-certified Project Managers can interpret this data to determine the location and approximate depth of these buried objects.
In Texas, Dominguez first swept the area with his EM locator before verifying the data with his GPR scanner. He found a well that had not been marked on any of the contractor’s existing maps. And, because the project called for new utilities to be installed under a roadway, Dominguez located and mapped fiber and water lines in the area that also had not been previously identified.
“It was pretty straightforward,” he said. “It was just getting out there and walking a whole lot.”
All the data Dominguez collected was uploaded into SiteMap® (patent pending), GPRS’ cloud-based project & facility management application that provides accurate existing conditions documentation to protect assets and people.
Securely accessible 24/7 from any computer, tablet, or smartphone, SiteMap® is a single source of truth for the 99.8%+ accurate utility locating, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and 3D laser scanning data that GPRS Project Managers collect on site. And every GPRS utility locating customer receives a free SiteMap® Personal Subscription with every utility locate, allowing for instant use of the field-verified data to mitigate the risks of subsurface damage, miscommunications, change orders, and reworks.
Dominguez completed scanning the project area ahead of schedule, leaving the contractor with a comprehensive understanding of the site’s existing infrastructure and – thanks to SiteMap® – with a way to seamlessly store, use, and share this data.
“Gerardo consistently delivers exceptional results,” said GPRS Business Development Manager, Boon Bowling. “His diligence and efficiency allowed this project to wrap ahead of schedule.”
Renewable energy projects are underway across the U.S. as the country looks for ways to improve its power infrastructure.
Installing solar arrays requires breaking ground in hundreds – possibly thousands – of different locations across a site. Striking buried utilities during any one of those excavations could derail the whole project’s schedule and budget and endanger the lives of the workers doing the installation.
GPRS supports renewable energy projects through our suite of infrastructure visualization services. Our SIM-certified Project Managers use industry-leading utility locating and precision concrete scanning technologies to provide you with an immediate and accurate report of the subsurface utilities on your job site. We provide 3D laser scanning services to capture and create a permanent record of our concrete scanning and utility locating markings, as well as your site’s aboveground features, to create accurate existing conditions documentation for not just your current project, but future operations & maintenance (O&M). And all this field-verified data is always at your fingertips with SiteMap®.
From skyscrapers to sewer lines, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.
What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can GPRS distinguish between each underground utility located?
In most situations, we can identify the utility in question without any problems, although it is not always possible to determine what type of utility is present. When this happens, we attempt to trace the utility to a valve, meter, control box, or other signifying markers to determine the type of utility buried.
What are the benefits of underground utility mapping?
Having an updated and accurate map of your subsurface infrastructure reduces accidents, budget overruns, change orders, and project downtime caused by dangerous and costly subsurface damage.
