|
Code of Practice for Subsurface Utility Engineering Suiting Indian Conditions PREFACE
Geophysical tools such as Ground Penetration Radar (GPR), Seismic Refraction, Seismic Reflection, Electrical Imaging etc., can be used for the accurate mapping of the underground infrastructure facilities (Electrical & telecommunication cables, pipelines etc.), soil-rock interface, geological identification of soil, water table mapping, dimension of a sub stratum, elastic properties of the medium, geometry of various layers and other subsurface features. Most of Indian cities have an extremely complex network of utilities, typically characteristic of a developing country. The records on existing utilities underground are either simply non-existent or inaccurate. With everincreasing use of trenchless technology, requiring accurate information on underground utilities, use of appropriate techniques for non-destructive detection of such utilities is extremely important. Poor records, improper notification, and excavation errors contribute to making subsurface utility breaks an often costly but preventable problem. Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) is a discipline dedicated to the determination of the exact location of existing underground facilities. Use of SUE makes sure that utilities are accurately picked up and plotted on site plans. This in tum reduces costs, delays, and public inconvenience. In addition, by eliminating the risk of utility breakage, the project will be safer for both construction personnel and the general public, hence reducing liability concerns. Subsurface Utility Engineering, or SUE is a discipline that utilizes modem techniques to detect underground utilities in a totally non-destructive manner. This process results in a digital map that will identify utilities within the project area. Indian experiment with trenchless technology has been very encouraging, except for the damages to existing utilities, causing inconveniences and heavy costs. Information obtained from other sources such as municipalities, is rarely accurate enough for safe bore-path determination. In addition, depth information is almost never available. Most of the information on past utilities has never been documented in systematic manner. SUE contractors on the other hand gather the primary data, and prepare an accurate and precise location map. This not only provides great insight to the subsurface conditions, but also eliminates the unknown variables and contingencies designers face every day. SUE also plays a critical role in development of smart cities. A smart city cannot be expected to function smartly without paying adequate attention to underground infrastructure. It is of utmost importance to have geospatial database of underground infrastructure, to evolve a system of maintenance & updating of this database regularly and coordinated efforts of various stakeholders for smart utilisation of underground space. Dr. Niranjan Swarup |
Population explosion and resulting demand for appropriate infrastructure facilities are posing serious challenges for the administrators and planners. Trenchless technology has emerged as a major technique for laying utilities without opening trenches. For safe use of trenchless technology prior information on existing utilities however is of utmost importance to avoid damage to existing utilities and safety of personnel. Effective management and planning requires updated utility maps and information. Recent developments in the area of Science and Technology have provided powerful tools such as Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Remote Sensing and Geophysics (including Ground Penetrating Radar). These advanced technologies can very effectively be used to handle the present day complex problems related to optimum utilization of available resources and infrastructure.