UTIC SERVICES SDN BHD UNDERGROUND UTILITIES DETECTION AND MAPPING WORKS

COMPANY NO: 459079-W

METHOD STATEMENT
 UTIC SERVICES SDN BHD UNDERGROUND UTILITIES DETECTION AND MAPPING WORKS
COMPANY NO: 459079-W
METHOD STATEMENT

METHOD STATEMENT

Prior to commencement of detection work, a preliminary site visit will be made to familiarize
with the site and to confirm the limit of site area. This visit is to decide if the work will be
carried out in the daytime or at night, to plan for the traffic management and an assessment
of staff safety requirements whilst working on busy roads or in hazardous environments, and
to prepare the general utility service layout.

The detection company representative, through the guidance of the Project Manager and
approval by the Superintending Officer (SO) should collate all existing utility location from the
various utility companies. This information will be used as a guide to location and provide the
attributes / detail information of the existing utilities.

Utility detection and mapping site operation could be staged as follow:

1. Detection by cable/pipe locator (Radiodetection Equipments).

Radiodetection equipment works based on electromagnetic principle, use to locate all cables
and pipes, excluding A.C. or PVC water pipe. Specific electromagnetic/radio signal is induced
on to the utility line using a transmitter. Induction of signal from the transmitter could be
done directly by clamping the pipe/cable or connecting to valve, body of pipe at exposure,
junction box or anything connected to the utility line. Induction could also be done indirectly
where the transmitter is place parallel and nearest to the line. The signal that runs along the
utility line is then located/traced using a locator/receiver which pinpoints the position and
depth of the utility line. The scanning depth will be at least up to 3.5 meters depth. Each line
of services will be located/traced separately, meaning detection is carried out on each line of
services one by one. The detection of the underground services could be done in sequence as
stated below. As the technician (locator person) traces the services, he marks the positions
and depths of the services using spray paints, at interval of 5 meter or less.

2. Location of Non-Metallic Pressured Pipes

Non-metallic water pipe such as A.C, HDPE, PVC water pipes could not be detected directly by
the cable/pipe locator. The position of these pipes could be extrapolated from the location of
the connection pipes, pipe markers, position of valves and exposures at drainage crossings.
Therefore all connection pipes tapping to the pipe will be detected using cable/pipe locator to
the tapping point where the signal will end. On the drawing, position of the non-metallic
water pipe will be indicated as dashed lines.

Note: EM Locator is able to scan, locate and trace each line of utilities which allow
identification of the utility type and confirm the connectivity of each individual utility line. Use
of GPR equipment is limited depending on the condition of ground surface and the soil
condition. In practical, GPR equipment is unable to detect cables & small pipes due to its small
sizes. There is difficulty discriminating between plastic pipe and dense soil and GPR has not
overcome the problem. GPR produce radargram (image of the ground) which require specialist
interpretation. Complexity, high cost and dependence on favorable surface conditions and soil
condition put this method as support equipment to complement the detection by EM Locator.
 UTIC SERVICES SDN BHD UNDERGROUND UTILITIES DETECTION AND MAPPING WORKS
COMPANY NO: 459079-W
METHOD STATEMENT

3. Utility Survey.

Survey of utility information should be ongoing with location works whilst the paint marks are
new and site personnel have a good mental record of the utility layout. The survey work is
undertake to picked up and record all detected services and their information such as type of
services, depths measurements, material and diameter of pipes, voltage of cables, numbers
of ducts of telecommunication line and etc. The survey work is carried out using Total Station
or EDM instruments (electronic distance measurement) with a data logger (Husky FS2 with 3D
Software). Survey shall also be carried out using GPS system and RTK.

Survey should commence from correct coordinate data (Control Points) whenever available to
aid quick and efficient post processing, if arbitrary control is used the processing staff must be
informed and correct control information tied into the survey as soon as possible. It is best to
use the survey control points and their coordinates provided by the licensed surveyor
appointed by the client. All utility lines and salient surface features in accordance with the
required specification must be surveyed. This information is then to be passed over to the
processing department and recorded in accordance with procedure.
 UTIC SERVICES SDN BHD UNDERGROUND UTILITIES DETECTION AND MAPPING WORKS
COMPANY NO: 459079-W
METHOD STATEMENT

SEQUENCE OF WORK FOR UTILITY DETECTION AND MAPPING WORKS

This section of the standard working practices is aimed at detailing the practical methodology
to utility location using the electromagnetic based cable / pipe locator (Radiodetection
Equipments). These procedures are based upon experience gained whilst carrying out
location and mapping services in Malaysia:

(A) Detection Of Power Cables.

Power cables are initially scanned using the passive mode on the locator, which locate 50Hz
or 60Hz that naturally found on lives power cable and on nearby buried services. Once the
line is found, offset induction should be used to induce the line with 8 kHz or 33 kHz signal.
Then the signal receiver (locator) is used to trace the cable position.

When inducing signal, a transmitter is usually sufficient using a 8khz signal, if this fails to
provide an adequate trace 33khz or the induction loop can be tried. Induction could be done
directly by connection onto the G.I. duct or the joint boxes of 33kV Cable or clamping the
cables where it exposed at cable bridge or across drain /river or within the substation.

It is usually not possible to gain direct access to power cables unless a sub station is present
on site, where it is possible to make a direct connection it should be done in preference to
any other technique.
To locate low voltage cables or street lighting cables the signal could be induce by direct
connection at/to the supply cabinet or lamppost or by clamping on the cable or the post.

Where a power cable crosses or passes close to another service its integral or induced
electromagnetic charge may pass into the adjacent service resulting in two possible choices of
alignment. The correct line can decided upon by testing the current in the two lines, the one
with the highest current reading (Ma) is the line that was originally induced, additionally the
depth facility will help define the correct line.

(B) Detection Of Gas Pipes.

Gas lines are usually quite deep (2-5m) and therefore require a high frequency current for
location (33khz), the induction loop is good at tracing deep gas lines. The RD8000PDL/PXL
electromagnetic locator is very good at finding deep or shallow gas line of any diameter.
Signal could be directly induced from the transmitter to the gas pipe by direct connection at
the exposed pipe or valve or at the catholic protection box (directly connected to the pipe line
by a wire and form part of the lines protection system).
If valve or exposed pipe or the catholic protection box is not available around the area,
induction also could be done indirectly at offset from the line using the induction loop.
 UTIC SERVICES SDN BHD UNDERGROUND UTILITIES DETECTION AND MAPPING WORKS
COMPANY NO: 459079-W
METHOD STATEMENT

(C) Detection Of Telecommunication Lines.

Induction of electromagnetic signal to the telecommunication lines by direct connection

involves opening the associated manholes and clamping the cables. Signal of either 8 kHz or
33 kHz is set at the transmitter. There is no interference on telecommunication services when
the signal is induced during detection work.
Induction also could be done indirectly where the transmitter is place parallel on top of the
line on the ground or where it exposed at cable bridge or river crossing, or inside the manhole
chamber. If induction is done at offset from the line, induction loop box or the black box will
be added to he transmitter to strengthen and concentrate the signal.
If there is no cable install through the ducts (empty/reserve ducts), locating the ducts line
could be done using flexitrace. The flexitrace is inserted through the empty/reserve duct then
induced with the signal by connection to the transmitter. The same method is used to locate
fibre optic lines since it is not possible to induce a signal into a fiber optic line.

(D) Detection Of Water Pipes.

All water pipes allow signal induction by direct connection, made via valves or at pipe
exposure. Clamping is also necessary to induce signal to small diameter water pipes or house
connection supply pipes. If valve or exposed pipe is not available around the area, signal could
be induced indirectly at offset from the line using the induction loop.
The signal is then located and traced by using the locator/receiver which will detect the
position and depth of the water pipe.

Non-metallic water pipe such as A.C, HDPE, PVC water pipes could not be detected directly by
the cable/pipe locator. The position of these pipes could be extrapolated from the location of
the connection pipes, pipe markers, position of valves and exposures at drainage crossings.
Therefore all connection pipes tapping to the pipe will be detected using cable/pipe locator to
the tapping point where the signal will end. On the drawing, position of the non-metallic
water pipe will be indicated as dashed lines.

(E) Detection of Sewer Pipe and Drainage Culvert.

Metallic forcemain sewer pipeline shall be detected using similar method applied to metallic
water pipes (see Section D)
Gravity sewer pipe and drain culverts can usually be located visually at chamber or sump or
manhole without the need for further work. If it is not possible to pinpoint their direction
manually then a sonde or flexi trace can be used.
Locating sewer pipe using sonde require access to the manhole/chamber where the sonde
(a special small sized transmitter) attached at the end of a flexirod which then pushed in
through the pipeline. The sonde give out 33kHz or 8kHz signal that could be located by the
receiver for the position and the depth of the sewer pipeline.
A flexitrace could be used to locate small diameter sewer pipe or culverts. It is inserted
trough the pipe and the signal could be induced with the transmitter by direct connection.
The locator is then use to locate the signal which run along the flexitrace.
 UTIC SERVICES SDN BHD UNDERGROUND UTILITIES DETECTION AND MAPPING WORKS
COMPANY NO: 459079-W
METHOD STATEMENT

(F) Determination of Utilities Sizes.

Detection works determine position, route, connectivity and depths of utility lines but not
their size. From site investigation, sizes of utilities could be absorbed from marker or
measurement of exposed pipes etc.

Voltage on power cable line such as 33Kv or 11kV could be identified based on connectivity to
their link-boxes or / and their substations. Other features related to the cable also provide
information on their size such as cable marker, type/specs support available at exposure or
bridge. Size of pipes or culvert can be measured on site wherever its visible. E.g. water pipe
size (external diameter) can be calculated based on measurement of circumference taken at
exposed pipe section or in its chamber.

Attribute detail information such as size, number, type of material could be cross checked and
confirmed with the existing utility drawings in the form of construction drawing or as-build
drawing etc.

DATA PROCESSING

All the data files recorded in the data logger is then to be downloaded and passed over to the
processing department and recorded in accordance with procedure.
The processing of all data must be assisted by the project Supervisor or Team Leader, all plans
must be checked by the designated person before submission and further location or survey
works undertaken where queries arise.

If site supervision is required the processing department will issue the Supervisor or Team
Leader with a set of A3/A1 plans of the project to assist their work, which they can update if
discrepancies in the information are discovered.

UTIC only uses genuine software.

UTIC use genuine processing software versions AutoCAD 2006/LT and AutoCAD 2011/LT.