Kathleen Beaver - ACS Underground Solutions

What Is Underground Utility Locating?

August 14, 2017 by Kathleen Beaver

What Is Underground Utility Locating?

Underground Utility Locating is the process of identifying and labeling private and public utility mains that are underground. These mains may include lines for telecommunication, electricity distribution, natural gas, cable television, fiber optics, traffic lights, street lights, storm drains, water mains, and wastewater pipes.

What Does A Utility Locator Service Do?

Utility locator services determine where underground utilities (such as telephone, gas and power lines) should be placed and where existing utilities are located. They often work for utility, consulting and construction companies.

Why Do I Need Underground Utility Locating Services?

There are millions of miles of buried utilities beneath the surface of the earth that are vital to everyday living like water, electricity and natural gas. It’s of vital importance to protect yourself and others from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines. Hitting one could cause a lot of damage not to mention causing your construction project to be delayed. Learn more about some of our project work on Underground Utility Locating Services

What Is The Benefit Of Underground Utility Locating?

Underground Utility Locating Services eliminates or reduces the disruption of critical utilities, such as fiber optic systems, medical gas, steam, chilled water, and water, gas, and electrical systems. Without underground utility services, there is a potential for loss of life and damage to a property just by digging a hole. It’s important to have this service done before any construction starts as it provides crucial information for the engineers and architects in their planning. Underground utilities remain intact, avoiding any costly surprises.

Before you start any project that requires deep digging you should call ACS Underground Solutions to ensure your project will be done right with no surprises that could be costly.

ACS Underground Solutions is private family owned consulting company with decades of experience and deep expertise in virtually all types of utility locating such as Leak Detection, Underground Utility Locating with GPR, Underground Storage Tank, Concrete Imaging & Scanning, Video Pipe Inspection and Infrared Thermal Imaging Services. ACS Underground Solutions serve Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

CALL ACS AT 203.544.7190 OR Email ACS Underground Solutions TO LEARN MORE.

Underground Utility Locating | CT, NY, NJ, MA and RI.

MARK OUT & TEST BORE CLEARINGS PROJECT

August 3, 2017 by Kathleen Beaver

PROJECT WORK FOR THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY

ACS Underground Solutions located in Georgetown CT provides Underground Utility Locating Services that include:

• Underground Utility Locating
• Concrete Imaging
• UST Locates
• Leak Detection
• Thermal Imaging
• Video Pipe Inspection

Many of the projects we work on come from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri and Virginia. One project in particular was for the United Nations in New York City

HERE’S WHAT WE DID:

The United Nations commissioned ACS Underground Solutions to provide a utility mark out for a large temporary new building to house the current staff on the north lawn. The project included identifying all existing utilities at the 39-story, 505 foot tall United Nations Secretariat Building to prevent loss or damage to those underground utilities while the new building was under construction.

8 MONTHS OF SPOTLESS WORK
The telecommunications feeding this skyscraper were astounding. We dealt with masses of fiber optics and traditional telephone cables in each manhole. All were crucial. One false move and one country could not communicate with another.

The ACS technicians marked each line and verified the locations so no mishaps could happen. Every telephone run was also verified with GPR (ground penetrating radar) before a test dig took place. ACS cleared 65 test bores inside the basement making sure steam, water, gas, and electrical lines were not damaged during construction or drilling.

THIS MULTI-FACETED, INTENSE PROJECT REQUIRED 8 MONTHS OF WORK. ACS COMPLETED THE WORK WITH A SPOTLESS RECORD–NO UTILITIES WERE BROKE, DAMAGED, OR HIT.

ACS Underground Solutions is private family owned consulting company with decades of experience and deep expertise in virtually all types of utility locating such as Leak Detection, Undergroud Utility Locating with GPR, Underground Storage Tank, Concrete Imaging & Scanning, Video Pipe Inspection and Infrared Thermal Imaging Services. We serve Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island for Underground Utility Locating Services.

CALL US AT 203.544.7190 OR EMAIL US TO LEARN MORE.

UTILITY LOCATING WITH GPR PROJECT

July 26, 2017 by Kathleen Beaver

ACS Underground Solutions located in Georgetown CT provides Underground Utility Locating Services that include:

• Underground Utility Locating
• Concrete Imaging
• UST Locates
• Leak Detection
• Thermal Imaging
• Video Pipe Inspection

Many of the projects we work on come from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri and Virginia. One project in particular was for the Giants/Jets Stadium in East Ruthford, NJ

HERE’S WHAT WE DID:

Skanska USA was awarded the design-build contract of the New Meadowlands Stadium, a technologically advanced open-air sports and entertainment venue. The structure has spectator seating for 82,000, including 217 luxury suite boxes. The new stadium is the home field for the New York Giants and the New York Jets—the first facility built specifically to accommodate two National Football League teams.

ACS Underground Solutions had prior knowledge of this site. We had successfully located and marked out utilities in and around the older stadium on the same site in 2004-2005. Our experience and expertise kept ACS on the top of the contract list for the new stadium. Skanksa USA awarded ACS Underground Solutions the contract—to survey and locate the fiber optic communication, sewer, water, gas, and electrical lines for the new construction.

5,000 PILES
The project required driving more than 5,000 piles into the ground for the new construction. That presented ACS with a huge workload for several technicians working full time for months. The old stadium’s existing utilities were still operating and had to be protected at all costs.

We faced many challenges with the factory preset frequencies used in underground utility locating instruments. Our utility
locating technicians had to come up with several different frequencies to complete the project. We selected very low frequencies to avoid “bleeding off” onto opposing utilities. Because the new stadium was loaded with utilities and many different frequencies, finding any one utility was a challenge. The system recommended by Ian Beaver, president of ACS Underground Solutions, worked perfectly.

Once the utility location system was in place, piles were approved and driven. ACS cleared approximately 6-8 piles a day. We also used GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) on the site to verify any lines at depths of 15 feet. We began by using 500 khz in wet clay but that was such an incredible challenge we switched to 250 khz to improve the site conditions and clearance.

ACS Underground Solutions is private family owned consulting company with decades of experience and deep expertise in virtually all types of utility locating such as Leak Detection, Undergroud Utility Locating with GPR, Underground Storage Tank, Concrete Imaging & Scanning, Video Pipe Inspection and Infrared Thermal Imaging Services. We serve Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island for Underground Utility Locating Services.

CALL US AT 203.544.7190 OR EMAIL US TO LEARN MORE.

Underground Utility Locating Services with GPR

July 20, 2017 by Kathleen Beaver

LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD WEST SIDE YARD TEST BORE PROJECT

ACS Underground Solutions had the task of working at the busiest train tracks in New York City during the relocation of the New York Jets stadium. The project was to clear over 200 test bores in and around the railroad tracks during the massive redevelopment of the site. ACS made sure all electric, water, gas, sewer, and communication utility lines stayed intact
and running during this project.

The most challenging and dangerous task was working with DC power from the tracks. The electrical power generated from the third rail track made locating and marking out some utilities quite difficult. To prepare for the work, ACS technicians underwent third rail safety training. The training covered all the possible hazards of moving trains with high voltage tracks. We learned and implemented all safety precautions to reduce the risk of injury.

VECTOR BAR TO ELIMINATE INTERFERENCE
ACS Underground Solutions continued locating utilities at LIRR West Side Yard until the test bores needed clearing on the tracks. This task created some problems due to the third rail and DC power supply. Our specialized technicians used GPR (ground penetrating radar) when they could. However, the railroad ties were blocking signals for the GPR in most areas. So ACS Underground Solutions had to bring in specialized equipment to eliminate the interference from the DC and the third rail.

We used a vector bar to eliminate all interference. Vector bars locate utilities at a very low frequency with high output from the transmitter. Test holes excavated on site proved the accuracy of the ACS technicians’ utility mark outs. This enabled LIRR West Side Yard to expose utilities, verify the mark outs, and proceed with confidence and without risks.

ACS Underground Solutions is private family owned consulting company with decades of experience and deep expertise in virtually all types of utility locating such as Leak Detection, Undergroud Utility Locating with GPR, Underground Storage Tank, Concrete Imaging & Scanning, Video Pipe Inspection and Infrared Thermal Imaging Services. We serve Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island for Underground Utility Locating Services.

CALL US AT 203.544.7190 OR EMAIL US TO LEARN MORE.

ACS Underground Solutions aided Law Enforcement Officials in the Search for Human Remains in Remsen, NY

July 11, 2017 by Kathleen Beaver

At ACS Underground Solutions we spend our days looking for water lines, gas lines and electrical conduits, performing concrete imaging, locating post tension cables, rebar and searching out other objects such as underground storage tanks (UST). However, there are additional uses for Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) that are not as widely discussed or as common. GPR is a great tool for forensic investigation in grave/cemetery mapping. We can assist a variety of law enforcement agencies and officials.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is most commonly known for its private utility locating ability or its capacity to find embedded objects in concrete. Our services are especially helpful in homicide investigations in which buried weapons and/or human remains are undetectable at the surface level.

ACS Underground Solutions was contacted by a client to perform a forensic investigation and scan a residential concrete slab garage floor in Remsen, NY. Client had suspicion that missing person was buried under the slab in specific area. We mobilized to the site and after we received permission from the current homeowner we began to perform our GPR investigation. However, after the area was scanned ACS did not find any objects buried in the concrete slab.

State troopers and local town sheriff on site had reason to believe that a body had been possibly buried in the backyard of this residence. So, we scanned the entire yard in a grid pattern. The pattern was spaced evenly to ensure that the scan was accurate and complete. ACS Underground Solutions was able to determine a few specific areas where a recommendation was given to dig to determine what was causing the anomaly to appear in the radar data consistently. While still on site, the officers received permission to gently excavate the areas in question but they were not able to dig deep enough by hand so they had to return another day with a backhoe. Both law enforcement agencies and the Client were very pleased with the results of our scan, and ACS Underground Solutions was glad to have been able to help in the search for this missing person.

As you can see, there are many uses for Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). You may not have a forensic investigation to perform, but you may need to find a post tension cable or locate a pipe. Consider hiring the most experienced Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) company in the Tri-State and New England we serve NY, CT, NJ, MA & RI. ACS Underground Solutions can aid law enforcement agencies in the investigation process by providing information about the location and orientation of potential objects of interest buried beneath soil, concrete or within existing structures.

ACS Underground Solutions is private family owned consulting company with decades of experience and deep expertise in virtually all types of utility locating, leak detection, sewer inspection services, and more. Hundreds of engineering firms, higher education institutions, municipalities, construction companies, architectural practices, and others have hired us for work in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Indianapolis, Missouri, and even outside the United States—in Barbados.

CALL US AT 203.544.7190 OR EMAIL US TO LEARN MORE.

LEAK DETECTION PROJECT Location: St. James, Barbados B.W.I

July 6, 2017 by Kathleen Beaver

This luxury resort commissioned ACS Underground Solutions to provide leak detection on the hotel’s underground dual temperature plastic water lines. A leak in the system was wasting large amounts of water 24/7.

ACS Underground Solutions’ acoustic service crew used GPR (ground penetrating radar) to locate the entire 4” PVC pipe water supply system.

NOISE LOGGERS NARROW THE SEARCH
Our technicians walked the entire property to equip valve boxes and manholes with ACS hand-held noise loggers. Noise loggers sit on valves and pipes and are programmed to record leak noise. Deploying the loggers overnight meant we could localize the leak to one section of the water pipe system.

The next day the ACS Underground Solutions crew discovered the loudest logger was in the spa area. We checked that finding with microphones and verified the noise logger was correct. The ACS crew then performed a correlation leak survey to pinpoint the leak to within inches.

CALL US AT 203.544.7190 OR EMAIL US TO LEARN MORE.

What Is Underground Utility Locating?

MARK OUT & TEST BORE CLEARINGS PROJECT

PROJECT WORK FOR THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY

UTILITY LOCATING WITH GPR PROJECT

Underground Utility Locating Services with GPR

ACS Underground Solutions aided Law Enforcement Officials in the Search for Human Remains in Remsen, NY

LEAK DETECTION PROJECT Location: St. James, Barbados B.W.I

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