MANAGE YOUR EXCAVATION RISK

Proactive excavation risk management is crucial for ensuring the safety of personnel and project success. 

Detection and Mapping of Underground services provides information that will save time, money and keep your projects on schedule. Accurate site data can streamline excavation or maintenance activities during construction or operation.

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Detection of Underground Cables, Pipes and Services

Detection of Cables & Pipes Underground

We can Provide Detection Services Throughout Africa

The detection and identification of underground services have become a critical function prior to any invasive or civil engineering groundwork. As our infrastructure networks grow, so does the density of cables, pipes and other services. Reality is that a large proportion of underground service are not appropriately surveyed and recorded. In many instances, this information was recorded, but has not been retained or is not available.

Detection Services

MANAGE YOUR EXCAVATION RISK

Underground Detection Services employ various methods and equipment to locate and map underground features such as pipes and cables. The process includes clearance of monitoring well and borehole locations, marking identified services on the surface, and providing a brief detection report with photos. CAD-formatted survey drawings are also offered. Cable Avoidance Tools (CAT), Signal Generators, and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) are utilized for these services, which are available for projects throughout Southern Africa, from small construction sites to large linear developments like roads, power, or pipelines.

Detection Services
our equipment

Geodetect Equipment

We possess the necessary equipment for underground detection, employing grid pattern surveys with a cable detector and signal generator. This enables us to map the location and depth of underground cables, though closely situated services may be marked as bands due to potential limitations in distinction.

Our Equipment
Cable Detector (CAT):

Utilizes a grid pattern survey to identify and mark live underground electrical and telecommunication cables.

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Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR):

Employs radar pulses to image subsurface structures, detecting objects, material changes, voids, and cracks.

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RD8000 System:

Fast and effective locator using RF signals from live cables for mapping buried utilities.

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Signal Generator:

Clamped onto metallic services for signal induction, aiding in tracking routes of underground utilities.

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Areas of Operation

We operate throughout Southern, East and Central Africa and are able to mobilise our detection teams to any site or destination.

We have undertaken projects or have experience in:

  • South Africa
  • Mozambique
  • Swaziland
  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • Zambia
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • South Africa
  • Mozambique
  • Swaziland
  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • Zambia
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
Map-PNG

South Africa

Mozambiek

Swaziland

Botswana

Namibia

Zambia

Tanzania

Uganda

Lesotho

Madagascar

Nigeria

Senegal

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Why Use Ground Penetrating Radar ?

Exploring the Use of Ground Penetrating Radar to locate underground services.
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Drone Surveys

Drone surveys have become indispensable for mapping out sites, especially when dealing with underground services. Let’s explore the advantages and ease of using orthomosaics in this context
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Underground Detection Equipment Limitations

  • Ground penetrating radar does has limited penetration through very dense compacted material, saturated soil or soils covered in reinforced concrete
  • Where the dielectric value of the surrounding soil and the service you are looking for are close to each other, a very weak or no reflection will be visible
  • The GPR unit has to be in contact with the soil surface and irregular surfaces cannot be scanned
  • Outside interference from high voltage underground or overhead lines
  • Detected underground services cannot always be service-specifically identified unless they are visible at a termination point, manhole or according to existing information
  • In areas where underground services are densely concentrated in sub-metre areas, services will be indicated as a band of services. Equipment used in the proposed survey can’t distinguish between individual services in such areas if ground conditions do not allow it
  • Services buried on top of each other can often not be distinguished using electrical or radar detection methodologies
  • Depth of detected services can be supplied by the avoidance tool if a good signal connection can be made or by GPR within a 10% accuracy
  • Dense clay formations, high water tables, rubble used as backfill, excessive steel reinforcement in concrete or even load shedding can influence the accuracy of the equipment used and the outcome of the survey
  • Whilst employing appropriate equipment, processes and best endeavors at all times, no guarantee can be made that any particular element of buried infrastructure will be properly detected or parameterized by the proposed survey due to the large number of variables encountered on different sites. For critical applications it is always recommended that a survey be followed by careful hand excavation and air knife probing