Subsurface Utility Engineering

OUT OF SIGHT IS NEVER OUT OF MIND

Nothing shuts a job site down quicker than an unknown utility. Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) is your insurance policy against costly surprises underground. Time and again, thorough fieldwork from Groundbreakers has proven to be a game-changer for keeping construction and infrastructure timelines on track – saving expenses, effort, and excuses.

The ROI of SUE

SUE is an investment that pays for itself many times over. A Federal Highway Administration study by Purdue University crunched the numbers and found that for every dollar spent on SUE projects, an average of $4.62 in additional costs was avoided. Highway projects saw an even bigger payoff, with $11.39 saved for every dollar invested. So whether you want to quadruple your cost efficiency or eleven-ruple it, SUE is a no-brainer.

By identifying underground obstacles before the first shovel hits the ground, Groundbreakers can lower costs, prevent damages, reduce change orders, and increase safety.

Mitigating the risk with SUE

Groundbreakers offers reliable SUE Field Services to help mitigate risk and avoid unnecessary utility relocations by identifying underground utilities’ exact horizontal and vertical locations. Our team partners with Engineering Firms so they can rely on SUE data to provide a quality deliverable that seamlessly transitions into plan implementation. GroundBreakers will employ each of SUE’s four quality levels to help accurately identify underground utilities and mitigate risk for our engineering partners.

SUE benefits DOTs and the impacted utilities by reducing the risk of project impacts by unforeseen utility conflicts and relocations, project delays due to utility relocations, claims, change orders, utility strikes, costs caused by conflict redesign and utility companies’ costs to repair damaged facilities.

The Full Picture.
From the Ground Up.

Not all subsurface data is created equal. The more you know, the less you risk – and the better you can plan. That’s why Subsurface Utility Engineering is broken down into four distinct Quality Levels, each offering different degrees of accuracy and assurance. Groundbreakers’ cost-efficiency and professionalism are best on display when the project calls for QL-A or QL-B assurance.

Quality Level A (QL-A): The Gold Standard When precision is non-negotiable, QL-A is the answer. We use vacuum excavation and test holes to expose utilities with pinpoint accuracy, confirming depth, size, material, and condition. This is where guesswork ends and certainty begins.
Quality Level B (QL-B): See Without Digging Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic locators, QL-B gives you a reliable underground utility map without breaking ground. We also provide GPS mapping, so you see how utility lines criss-cross in real life on the job site.
Quality Level C (QL-C): The Educated Guess By referencing surface features like manholes and valve covers with existing records, QL-C offers an informed estimate of utility locations. It’s useful for early-stage planning, but leaves room for surprises.
Quality Level D (QL-D): The Starting Point
This is where most projects begin. Existing utility records and verbal information from facility owners create a crude baseline assessment.

With these tools, we minimize costs, maximize safety, and help you avoid nasty surprises like utility strikes, project delays, and last-minute design changes.

QL-A Accuracy On Private locating

QL-B Horizontal Utility

GPS Mapping

"DHDC Engineering has been working on projects with Larry Oliver for more than 10 years. We couldn't ask for a better project manager or problem solver to work with through the years. Some projects have been so complex that Larry’s innovative solutions and guidance really came through. ”

Savvas Sophocleous
DHDC Engineering Consulting Services

“We’re not just a service provider, we’re a service partner. Groundbreakers goes beyond standard investigations to provide the most accurate assessment possible.”

Larry Oliver
Director of Utility Management, GroundBreakers

Plotted to Perfection

Pretty sure can be pretty expensive. We take extra steps to eliminate the guesswork with sophisticated GPS-mapped data and KMZ files to give you a crystal-clear view of underground utilities. Utility lines are rarely straight. These detailed maps provide GPS coordinates and a sense of scale to improve decision-making and prevent costly errors.

Harnessing the Power of PointMan®

Groundbreakers leverages the underground utility mapping software PointMan, to precisely capture GPS data in real-time. PointMan is a cloud and mobile mapping solution that seamlessly connects the field with the office. With PointMan, we can precisely capture, record, display and manage critical infrastructure, including under-ground pipelines and utilities. This GPS data provides field surveyors with accurate information to compare to actual collected data to confirm facilities are not missed, and to verify the accuracy of each line or test hole. By using PointMan to both collect and store the data from utility locates, we can capture the precise location of assets and improve communication across all stakeholders.

Ready to See What's Below?

If you want a deeper dive into our SUE technology or to talk strategy for your next project, reach out. Let’s make sure your project stands on a solid foundation, with all eyes on what lurks beneath.

Subsurface Utility Engineering

OUT OF SIGHT IS NEVER OUT OF MIND

The ROI of SUE

Mitigating the risk with SUE