How does Utility Locating Equipment Work?

Posted by PCTE on October 31st, 2022

It is one of the crucial things to locate the underground utilities before continuing with the construction work. There are plenty of things under the ground like gas and water pipes that might get damaged during the process. If any of these utilities get affected, it will lead to a complicated mess. Moreover, it will delay the construction a lot.

Hence, the first step to start working on the site is to locate what lies under the ground. The experts use utility locating equipment to find the exact locations, and based on this information, the design and the other things get planned. First, let us get a deeper insight into how the equipment works.

How does utility locating equipment work?

You can use different types of equipment to locate the underground utilities. The most commonly used device is the electromagnetic utility locating equipment. It is ideal for every industry and construction site of all sizes. Let us see how it works:

It is handheld equipment with a sensor at one end. The person using it only has to move around the site holding the equipment like a grass mower. The sensors induce electromagnetic waves to the ground, which traverse through. The moment it strikes the cables or pipes under the ground, it bounces back. When the wave comes back to the sensor, it catches it again. The time this electromagnetic signal takes to travel after touching the utility under the ground gets recorded on the screen.

Using these values, the experts determine the exact location of the electrical cables, water pipes, or anything else placed underground. Moreover, advanced utility locating equipment is also available that shows you the actual picture of the things below the ground level. They are more efficient as you get to see the exact position of the utilities.

The best part about the equipment is that you do not need any expertise to use it. Secondly, the results you get are reliable enough to make significant decisions. So, if you work at a construction site, consider investing in this equipment to turn your project into a huge success!

About the Company:

PCTE specializes in the sale and hires of Concrete Non-destructive Testing equipment. We supply a range of materials from around the world to offer you a one-stop-shop with all of the latest equipment. Concrete Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) comprises testing a property of concrete, mainly without damaging the concrete to assess some parameter, which directly or indirectly provides a required characteristic of the concrete or its embedment. PCTE has a long history in the development and assessment of concrete testing equipment.