FX60VACUUM EXCAVATOR

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" style="padding-right: 10px; " src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/100_0358_sm_260x195.jpg" alt="VirginiaC3_1" title="VirginiaC3_1" />In little more than five years, C3 Communication & Construction Corporation (C3) has grown from a contractor specializing in underground cable television system construction to a telecommunications contractor with the capability to complete a wide range of turnkey projects.

Located in Hampton, Virginia, C3 today offers full turnkey services for outside plant construction of aerial and underground communications networks, and indoor voice/data cabling services.

In addition, C3 offers utility locating services—finding and marking existing underground utilities before construction begins. This is the important first step in preventing costly and potentially deadly accidents at construction sites.

Typically, utility locates are initiated through the nation’s One-Call system. Local One-Call agencies notify member utility owners who are responsible for marking locations of their pipe or cable on construction sites.

Many utilities contract this task to locating specialists such as C3. There also are many areas not under jurisdiction of One-Call: private property sites, educational institutions, business parks, government complexes, and military installations, for example. C3 has crews comprised of about 65 locating specialists providing locating services to clients such as these on the east coast of Virginia and in northeast North Carolina.

“The recognition of the importance of accurately locating and marking buried utilities is definitely on the rise,” says Tim Vest, C3 president. “Every year, accidental utility hits interrupt services, cause property damage, and people are injured and killed because locates were not requested or markings made were inaccurate. And every year, we see initiatives to improve accuracies of locates and better document them.”

Vest says the biggest challenges for making accurate locates are crowded easements, improper installation and bonding of utility lines, excessive depth of some utility lines, and the challenging working environments that locating personnel face on many construction sites.

stopimg style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="padding-left: 10px; " src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/100_0359_260x195.jpg" alt="VirginiaC3_2" title="VirginiaC3_2" />“As is the case with most locate companies, we utilize a wide range of locating tools depending on the situation at hand,” Vest says. “Primarily, we use electromagnetic utility locators; however the use of GPR (ground penetrating radar), metal detection, sonic locators, GPS, and other technologies are necessary for any locate company to be successful.”

However, the basic locating tool remains electromagnetic equipment, and the technology is the same as introduced several years ago except for product enhancements that have improved accuracy, ease of use, and durability.

An electromagnetic locating system consists of a compact transmitter unit and lightweight, handheld receiver. The receiver locates underground lines by detecting magnetic fields created by electrical current passing through the buried lines. Receivers use different frequencies and modes to help identify different types of utilities.

A receiver alone can detect live power cables. To find telephone cable and metallic pipe, the transmitter is connected to cable or pipe and sends current through the line to create a signal that is detected by the receiver. For PVC pipe with tracer wire, the wire is energized by the transmitter to provide a signal that the receiver can pick up.

The receiver processes the information and displays an estimate of depth and other data on an easy-to-read display.

“We are currently using Ditch Witch^® 910 series locators,” says Vest. “This model was selected due to the rich features that it provides and the great customer service that we receive from our local Ditch Witch representative.”

In active mode, the 910T transmits via direct-line connection, induction clamp or induced broadcast signals. Standard models have up to three frequencies of the customer's choosing, with the option of adding frequencies, which are set at the factory when the transmitter is ordered. Each transmitter includes direct-connect leads, a ground stake, and operates on eight standard D-cell batteries.

The 910R receiver comes standard with up to four frequencies, with additional frequencies available. Simplified controls help facilitate ease of use. It operates on six standard C-cell batteries.

A more sophisticated yet easy-to-use locating system is the Ditch Witch 2150GR ground penetrating radar, which can detect metallic and non-metallic utilities to depths of 19 feet, depending on soil conditions and antenna selection. Its 5.6 mph survey speed and digitally controlled radar provide fast, clear images. Multiple frequencies permit programming to job conditions.

A relatively new but increasingly common locating technique is the use of vacuum excavator equipment’s “soft” excavation capabilities to excavate a small, precise hole to visibly confirm the exact location of buried pipe and cable, a process known as “potholing.” Soft excavation, which utilizes a stream of either high-pressure water or air, greatly reduces the risk of damaging the utilities being uncovered.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" style="padding-right: 10px; " src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/100_0360_260x195.jpg" alt="VirginiaC3_3" title="VirginiaC3_3" />C3 has several Ditch Witch vacuum excavators that the company uses for potholing. But Vest knows there is something more important than having plenty of quality equipment: proper training of locating personnel is essential.

“It is impossible for someone to come in off the street, pick up locating equipment and just go to work,” explains Vest. “In order to be successful in this business, a potential locate technician needs to be taught the local laws and practices of the state they are in, locating theory, electrical current properties, print reading, and troubleshooting techniques.”

Vest says utility operators continue to improve facility records, and the availability of accurate records allows locating technicians to be more effective and efficient at their job.

“I also believe,” Vest continues, “that if more states held the locate industry accountable for what they do—as the state of Virginia does—this would cause many contract locate companies to change their operating procedures.”

In addition to contract locating, C3 offers a complete range of aerial and telecommunications underground construction. C3 underground construction equipment includes Ditch Witch trenchers, vibratory plows, and horizontal directional drilling models. C3 personnel also prewire and post-wire voice/data/video cabling in structures of all sizes.

“Our company prides itself on providing superb customer service,” Vest says. “We have found that doing the right thing, keeping our customers happy by going that extra mile, allows us to hold on to contracts on a long-term basis.”

No matter the location anywhere in the United States, simply calling “811” reaches the nearest One-Call center.

“The 811 One-Call number and associated national campaign has simplified One-Call systems nationwide, especially for contractors working in more than one state,” says Vest. “Now instead of hunting down the phone number for the right One-Call center, all that is necessary is to dial 811 and be directed to the One-Call center serving the area where the call originates.”

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" style="padding-right: 10px; " src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/fx30(1).jpg" alt="FX30 - image 1" title="FX30 - image 1" border="0" />For all the high-tech, manmade gadgetry available for locating and identifying buried utilities, nothing is more reliable than what Mother Nature provides us in abundance: water. Water is the main ingredient in potholing, the act of physically uncovering a buried utility to verify its location. Potholing is widely held as the surest, safest method of determining a utility’s exact position.

And it’s probably safe to say that the more that utilities are verified in this manner, the fewer accidental utility strikes there would be each year. Estimates vary because many strikes are not reported, but accidental strikes are believed to number in the hundreds of thousands annually.

The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the organization dedicated to preventing damage to underground infrastructure, keeps track of the strikes reported by its member organizations. The official CGA figure for 2009 (the latest currently available) is 115,232. This is a 15 percent decrease from 2008, and marks the first time since the 2003 launching of the CGA’s Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) that this figure decreased from one year to the next.

Good news, right? It depends. The CGA’s 2009 DIRT Report cautions that this “decrease may be the result of several factors, including the reality [of] economic conditions and less construction activity.”

Whatever the reason, the figure 115,232 represents a significant reduction. But it is still way, way too large a number, considering the technology we have available for preventing accidents, and considering what even one utility strike can mean: disruption of essential services, expensive and time-consuming repairs, lawsuits, injuries, and even death.

Because of accelerated efforts to prevent damage to buried utilities, potholing is becoming a standard practice on a growing number of utility jobsites. A great deal of credit goes to the CGA’s marketing efforts and its identification and dissemination of construction industry best practices, considered to be the most thorough and effective guidelines for preventing damage to underground facilities. Government agencies are adopting regulations that require potholing, and project owners and contractors are establishing their own policies specifying potholing before excavation or directional drilling begins.

Seeing Is Knowing.

stopimg border="0" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="padding-left: 10px; float: right; " src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX-30-7stopimg4Potholing is not new. For years, the process consisted of workers using shovels, a slow and labor-intensive job that was not without risks. Even the most skilled and experienced laborers made mistakes, often at the end of a long, hot day when fatigue had set in. To speed the process, workers began using backhoes, but in many cases this technique only reduced the time it took to cut through an electric cable or water line.

Vacuum excavators revolutionized the potholing process. When they were introduced, vacs were primarily used for removing fluids and spoils from horizontal directional drilling sites, and various municipal tasks such as water-leak repair and cleaning out storm drains, valve boxes, and utility vaults. Then vac systems’ “soft” excavation (or hydro excavation) capabilities began to catch on. Digging postholes for new fence installation was a snap with a high-pressure stream of water. And if postholes, why not potholes?

Most vacuum excavators are equipped with high-pressure air or water, which is directed by a wand with a special tip to displace soil. With high-pressure water, a vac system can quickly create small, precisely controlled potholes to uncover buried utilities. Using proper techniques, the risk of damage inherent with a backhoe, excavator, or other mechanical tool can be reduced. Depending on soil conditions, a vacuum excavator can complete a 12-inch-square, five-foot-deep pothole in fewer than 30 minutes. Spoil from the potholing process then can be simultaneously vacuumed to a holding tank for reuse or disposal.

Vacuum excavators are capable of “digging” much deeper than six feet, but utility potholes seldom need to be more than that. And the small excavation is easier, faster, and less expensive to repair.

Reducing Risk Also Reduces Expense.

That’s right: done properly, potholing is not only safer, but the actual process of potholing with a vacuum excavator is also less expensive. Santa Clarita Valley, California, is among the growing number of municipalities that have discovered the economic benefits of potholing.

Like most American communities, Santa Clarita has a utility infrastructure that is showing its age, and the city has no choice but to replace it, section by section, as funds allow. In 2008, the City of Santa Clarita made the decision to invest nearly $50,000 in a state-of-the-art vacuum excavation system to perform, among other things, the task of potholing to safely determine where and where not to excavate.

After looking at the costs of potholing with a vacuum excavator versus the traditional, labor-intensive method, the decision was easy. Crunching the numbers, city officials estimated that the typical cost of digging 10 potholes with a backhoe was $7185, itemized this way:

• $2400 for paving roughly 200 square feet
• $3885 for 30 hours of labor
• $900 for 30 hours of equipment use

stopimg border="0" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" style="padding-right: 10px; float: left; " src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX30-4stopimg4The same job with a new vacuum excavation machine, however, was estimated at only $1875, or roughly a quarter of the cost of potholing the old-fashioned way. Only 40 square feet of paving would be required, and only 10 hours of labor and 10 hours of equipment use costs.

Needless to say, the vacuum excavator was a smart investment for the City of Santa Clarita, and would be for any community or company interested in locating utilities with minimal risk and expense. This would seem to include everyone in the underground construction industry, and there is a vacuum excavator for every budget—from the portable vac that can fit in the back of a standard-size pickup truck, to the trailer-mounted systems, to the large, diesel-powered, skid-mounted vacs with 1200-gallon water tanks, hydraulic booms, and many other options and accessories.

For those not ready to buy, an affordable strategy is rental, and many equipment rental companies carry vac systems. Whether you buy or rent, be forewarned: after trying the potholing method to expose utilities, after experiencing its speed, efficiency, economic and safety benefits, you might not want to go back to the old way of doing things.

Sources for this article:  

• Common Ground Alliance 2009 DIRT Report  
• Commongroundalliance.com  
• Compact Equipment article, April 2009: “Hydro Excavation Systems Provide Precise, Safe Utility Location,” by Barb Cooper.
• Santa Clarita Valley Signal article, November 2008: “Water Retailer Finds A ‘Hole New Way To Work,” by Jim Holt.
• Ditchwitch.com pressroom articles: “Vacuum Excavators,” “The ABCs of Utility Damage Prevention,” and “Best Practices For Damage Prevention.”  

stopimg title="keepCool_img1" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: left" alt="keepCool_img1" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/1_KeepCool_260x195(1).jpg" border="0" />Catastrophic tornadoes and floods have grabbed recent headlines, but each year one weather phenomenon kills more people than tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and lightning combined: heat.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an average of more than 1,500 people in the U.S. die each year from excessive heat—yet it is the most preventable of weather-related deaths.

If you work in construction, summer is one of your busiest times of the year because it’s typically the driest season and offers the most hours of daylight. But the sun providing all that productive daylight can be the biggest jobsite hazard you face all year. No matter how tough you are or how used to the heat you think you are, excessive heat can bring down anyone who doesn’t take the necessary precautions.

The following information applies to anyone who is employed in an outdoor profession—construction workers in particular—but also applies to those who work in hot factories and anyone who spends time outdoors exercising, gardening, or laboring in any capacity during the summer months. (This is general information. More specific information can be found in the sources cited below.)

Know Your Chemistry

Our bodies dissipate heat by varying the rate and depth of blood circulation, and by expelling water through the skin and sweat glands. When we reach the danger zone, when our blood is heated above 98.6 degrees, we begin to pant—we’re literally “working like a dog.”

Sweating alone does little to cool the body, unless the sweat is removed by evaporation. But high relative humidity inhibits evaporation. When you’re checking the forecast for tomorrow, pay close attention to the heat index: the combination of relative humidity and air temperature. For example, if the air temperature is 96° F and the relative humidity is 65 percent, the heat index is 121° F. This is the heat your body really feels.

Heat disorders involve a reduction or collapse of our bodies’ ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating, or a chemical (salt) imbalance caused by too much sweating. When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, or when the body cannot compensate for fluids and salt lost through perspiration, the temperature of the body's inner core begins to rise, bringing on various degrees of heat-related illnesses.

stopimg title="keepCool_img2" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: right" alt="keepCool_img2" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/2_KeepCool_260x195.jpg" border="0" />Ranking Heat Disorders

The severity of heat disorders is relative to a person’s age, weight, fitness, medical condition, and degree of acclimatization to the heat. For example, heat cramps in a 17-year-old may translate as heat exhaustion in someone who is 40, and heat stroke in a person over 60. Common heat disorders include:

• Sunburn. Along with being painful and irritating, sunburn can significantly retard the skin’s ability to shed excess heat. The best solution for sunburn is prevention, by applying sunscreen throughout the day.
• Heat cramps. Symptoms are painful spasms, usually in the muscles of the legs and abdomen, often preceded by profuse sweating.
• Heat rash. Also known as prickly heat, heat rash can occur in hot, humid environments where sweat is not easily removed from the surface of the skin by evaporation. Serious heat rash can be so uncomfortable that it inhibits sleep and impedes a worker’s performance.
• Heat exhaustion. Symptoms include heavy sweating, weakness, headache, fainting, vomiting, and skin that is cold, pale and clammy. It is possible to have a normal temperature with heat exhaustion.
• Heat stroke or sunstroke. This is the most serious health problem for workers in hot environments. Heat stroke occurs when sweating stops and the body can no longer rid itself of excess heat. Symptoms include an excessively high body temperature (106° F or higher); mental confusion or delirium; convulsions; hot, dry skin; strong and rapid pulse; and possible unconsciousness. Make no mistake: heat stroke can be fatal, and victims need immediate medical attention.

Prevention: The Best Solution

The number one method of avoiding heat disorders: avoiding heat. But for construction workers in the summer, this is simply not possible. So, here are some tips for staying cool and staying alive, beginning with the most obvious:

• Drink plenty of fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink water even if you don't feel thirsty. Proper hydration actually begins the day before a long, strenuous day in the sun. Before increasing your fluid consumption, consult a physician if you (1) have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease; (2) are on a fluid-restrictive diet; or (3) have a problem with fluid retention.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages. Alcohol dehydrates your body. Enough said.
• Limit caffeine intake.
• Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician.
• Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods that are heavy in protein increase metabolic heat production and also increase water loss.
• Dress as lightly as possible. You need protective clothing, of course, but consider light-colored fabrics, such as cotton, that breathe.
• When possible, take longer breaks than normal in a cool, shaded area. A rested worker is a more productive worker.
• Know the symptoms of heat illnesses. Use a buddy system to keep tabs on your fellow workers.
• Acclimate yourself to the heat. You can “get used to” the heat, to some degree. Workers, especially those who follow the advice above, can eventually develop some degree of tolerance. However, new employees and workers returning from an absence of two weeks or more should have a five-day period of acclimatization: 50 percent of the normal workload and time exposure the first day, gradually building up to 100 percent on the fifth day.

stopimg title="keepCool_img3" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: left" alt="keepCool_img3" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/3_KeepCool_260x195.jpg" border="0" />Supervisor Obligations

There are precautions every employer should take when temperatures are high and the job involves physical work.

• Understand the signs of heat stress and permit workers to interrupt their work if they are extremely uncomfortable.
• Provide training about the hazards leading to heat stress and how to prevent them.
• If possible, schedule the heaviest workload for the coolest part of the day: early morning or late evening, when the sun is less intense.
• Make sure your workers have easy access to cool water—a minimum of one quart of water per hour, per worker.
• Schedule frequent rest periods with water breaks in shaded or air- conditioned areas.
• Routinely check on workers who are at risk of heat stress due to protective clothing and high temperature. Pay close attention to those who are at risk because of age and physical condition (including obesity and diabetes).

When A Fellow Worker Is Ill From The Heat

• Call a supervisor for help. If the supervisor is not available, call 911.
• Have someone stay with the worker until help arrives.
• Move the worker to a cooler/shaded area.
• Remove outer clothing.
• Fan and mist the worker with water; apply ice (ice bags or ice towels).
• Provide cool drinking water, if the worker is able to drink.

For more information about preventing and treating heat-related illness, consult these articles:

• “Heat Wave: A Major Summer Killer,” [http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/heat.php] by the NOAA
• “Protecting Workers From Heat Stress,” [http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3154.pdf] by OSHA
• “Protecting Workers In Hot Environments,” [http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FACT_SHEETS&p_id=167] by OSHA

Sources for this article:

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (noaawatch.gov)
• Occupational and Safety Health Administration (osha.gov)

stopimg title="1_980T-resized" alt="1_980T-resized" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/1_980T-resized.jpg" stopimg2Successfully locating and identifying buried utilities is a process of elimination—elimination of mistakes—according to Matt Lumbers, Ditch Witch^® electronics product manager. A thorough understanding of the survey area and the equipment’s correct operating procedures can help you save a great deal of time and money.

No matter what locating equipment you are using, these guidelines will help drilling or excavating crews understand precisely where they can operate safely.

Know Where You Stand.

"Jobsite awareness is critical," says Lumbers. "You should gain as much knowledge about the location of the facilities before pulling out your pipe and cable locator." There are three essential steps: stopimg title="2_811Logo_resized" alt="2_811Logo_resized" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/2_811Logo_resized.jpg" stopimg3

1. Call 811. "Smart digging always requires a call to 811," says the 811 website. This cannot be overemphasized. Calling 811 is important whether you are planting a tree in your backyard or installing new utilities.

Calls to 811 are routed to your local One Call Center, where an operator will ask details about your project. With this information, the operator will notify the local utility companies that will be affected. Within a few days, the companies will send a professional locator to mark the approximate location of your underground lines, pipes and cables. Some important things to remember about calling 811:  

• Call a minimum of 48 hours before you plan to dig. Some states require 72 hours’ notice.
• Only call if you intend to dig. You should not call 811 simply to acquire a map of the utilities in your area.
• One Call contractors mark utilities for free, so take advantage of the 811 service. It can help you avoid utility damage, power outages, fines, and worse.

For more information, visit the 811 website.

2. Make use of available facility records. Facility records indicate approximate location, number of facilities, and access points for buried facilities within the jobsite area. Records are usually available from the facility owner.

3. Visually inspect the jobsite. "Visual inspection is necessary to determine if there are facilities not on record," says Lumbers. Evidence of a facility includes poles, dips enclosures, pedestals, valves, meters, risers, and manholes. stopimg title="3_830_resized" alt="3_830_resized" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/3_830_resized.jpg" stopimg2

Know The Process.

Pipe and cable locators actually locate the electromagnetic (EM) field produced by the AC current flowing on the line, not the pipe or cable itself. Most non-metallic pipes and cables have tracer wires buried next to them that can conduct electricity.

EM pipe- and cable-locator equipment systems consist of a transmitter and a receiver that are portable and, when properly used, very accurate. After identifying the best access point to the target line, the operator can place a signal on the line either by direct connection, clamp induction, or broadcast induction. The most accurate method is direct connection, which involves the signal traveling from the transmitter, through the target line, and returning through the ground stake. Here are some recommended procedures for direct connection:

1. Setup

• Remove common grounds and connections to other utility lines to prevent the signal from being placed on untargeted lines.
• Insert the ground stake to the left or right of the target line’s suspected path. The transmitter’s black ground wire should not cross other lines.
• Connect the black transmitter wire to the stake and the red transmitter wire to the target line. Remove any paint, dirt or corrosion from the target line.

2. Power and Frequency Selection

On the transmitter, select the appropriate settings to match the conditions of the particular locate. Use the minimum power level and the lowest frequency required to locate the target line. (Remember: the higher the frequency, the easier to couple to adjacent lines, and the shorter distance the signal travels.)

3. Sweep

Set the receiver frequency to match the transmitter frequency. Conduct a 360-degree sweep around the access point where the transmitter is connected to the target line. This helps locate the direction of the target line.stopimg title="4_FX-30_resized" alt="4_FX-30_resized" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/4_FX-30_resized.jpg" stopimg3

4. Tracing the Target Line

The target line can be identified by finding the location with the strongest signal response. Sweep the receiver perpendicular to the target line and walk along its path. Retrace the path and mark with the proper color paint or flags.  

Know Your Limits.

The receiver/transmitter system is accurate when used properly, but the only way to verify the exact depth and location of a target line is to expose it. First, select the critical areas along the marked path of the target line, and then excavate to the target line. Exposing target lines can be safely accomplished using a Ditch Witch FX25, FX30 or FX60 vacuum excavation system.

stopimg title="19a" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="19a" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/19astopimg4Take the time to winterize your equipment this year. A few minutes spent could save you time and money in the months to come. The amount of winter care your equipment needs depends both on the climate and how it is used. Check your service manual guidelines, and keep the following tips in mind:

1. Check coolant. Provide protection by using the recommended antifreeze/water mixture for the lowest temperature expected during operations.

2. Change the oil and filter before cold weather arrives. In addition, use lubricants recommended for low temperature applications.

3. Maintain the battery. Remove cables, clean cable ends and posts, and clean and tighten terminals on the cranking motor. And remember never to charge a frozen battery.

4. Check tire inflation. Tires inflated in a warm shop will be under-inflated when used in cold temperatures.

5. Give hydraulic components time to warm up before beginning work. If you’re running diesel equipment, be sure to idle the engine a few minutes before shutting down to properly lubricate internal components. Your local Ditch Witch^® service technicians can help you make the most of your cold-weather equipment productivity, and can suggest winterizing techniques that are perfectly suited to your operation.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" title="FX20_1" alt="FX20_1" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX20_1stopimg4Although the Ditch Witch® organization offers many different types of vacuum excavators, there is one thing they all have in common: routine maintenance. Make that daily maintenance. Just as with any piece of equipment, the better you treat it, the better it will treat you. Kind of like the Golden Rule with a twist.

The engine contains several different components that you should monitor before each day's operation. When the air filter restriction indicator reaches the red zone, it's time to change the elements. The engine's oil level should also be checked while the engine is warm. If the coolant level is headed toward low, add coolant as needed to maintain the optimal level for your vacuum excavator. Be sure to consult the operator's manual for the right fluid and filling procedures for your model.

stopimg style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" title="FX20_2" alt="FX20_2" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX20_2stopimg4Every vacuum excavator also contains some sort of hydraulic system. If pressurized fluid is allowed to escape, it can cause injury or pierce skin and poison. The culprit could be hydraulic hose leaks, so add those to your daily checklist. Also check the hydraulic fluid level when the engine is off and the fluid is cool. Simply add hydraulic fluid to the proper levels according to the instructions in the operator's manual.

Keeping the blower in good working order is imperative to keeping your vacuum excavator running strong, so be sure to check the blower oil every day. Add oil as necessary, but do not overfill. If your blower is belt-driven, check blower belt tension and adjust according to the operator's manual.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" title="FX20_3" alt="FX20_3" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX20_3stopimg4Keeping the air filter clean is one of the most important ways to get the best possible performance out of your vacuum excavation system. Ditch Witch vacuum excavator air filters should be removed and rinsed with water before each day's job. It is important to use low water pressure so you don't damage the filter. Also, be sure to drain the filter canister if necessary.

Last but certainly not least, check to make sure the water sprays from nozzle into a fan pattern. Clean or replace the nozzle if necessary.

With these tips, you should enjoy the best production from your vacuum excavator—no matter what job you're asking it to tackle. And remember, your local Ditch Witch dealer is your only source for expert advice and genuine Ditch Witch parts to keep your vacuum excavator running strong. Your Ditch Witch service department can also take the worry out of vacuum excavator maintenance for the long-term with value-added services like Orange Armor planned maintenance agreements and extended warranties. 

The most versatile construction machine available for rental stores?

Many would vote for the loader-backhoe, for years a proven workhorse. Others would say the honor belongs to the skid-steer loader and its array of multi-purpose attachments.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX30_1.jpg" alt="FX30_1" title="FX30_1" />But before making a decision for any most-versatile-rental-machine award, consider the credentials of a new contender: the vacuum excavator.

      A vacuum excavator is two machines in one:

•      A "soft" digging tool that can make small, precisely controlled excavations for virtually any purpose; and
•      A powerful, portable vacuum suitable for a multitude of work-site cleanup tasks.

"Because they can do so many different jobs, they appeal to a very broad range of equipment renters," says Greg Adkins, product manager at The Charles Machine Works, Inc., manufacturer of Ditch Witch underground construction equipment. "So it is not surprising that more and more rental stores are adding vacuum excavators to their fleets of equipment."

What sets vacuum excavators apart from other machines that dig is their "soft" excavation technology, which, depending on make and model, displaces soil using either pressurized water or pressurized air delivered by a hose to a nozzle held by the machine's operator. As digging progresses, the unit's vacuum removes spoils that can be used to refill the hole later or be transported offsite.

stopimg style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX30_2.jpg" alt="FX30_2" title="FX30_2" />Adkins says that most of the vacuum excavators in rental stores are compact models that dig with water and are mounted on trailers that can be pulled by pickup trucks.

For digging, one of the primary assignments for vacuum excavators is "potholing," or uncovering buried utilities to visibly confirm their locations before construction involving any type of excavating. Depending on the machine used and soil conditions, a 12-inch-square, 5-foot-deep pothole can be completed in 20 minutes or less. The equipment's soft excavation technology excavates around buried pipe or cable without the risk of damage inherent with backhoes, excavators, or other mechanical tools. Also, excavating with vacuum excavation equipment usually causes less disruption of traffic and other surface activities.

But a vacuum excavator's digging capabilities are not limited to potholing.

"They are used to dig short segments of trench in areas where larger equipment can't be used, and in easements crowded with buried pipe and cable," says Adkins. "They are effective for digging holes to set utility and light poles and poles to support signs. They are also used to make small excavations to repair pipe and pipe joints, to cut off service lines, to plug unused pipelines, and to attach anodes for cathodic corrosion protection systems. Jetting attachments are useful in cleaning out conduit and sanitary and storm sewer lines."

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX30_3.jpg" alt="FX30_3" title="FX30_3" />Small excavations made by the machines are easier and less expensive to fill and repair than the larger ones made by mechanical equipment.

As vacuums, vacuum excavators are versatile, all-purpose machines for cleaning out manholes, catch basins, conduit and pipe, vehicle wash pits, and grease traps; keeping directional drilling jobs free of excess drilling fluids; and virtually any cleanup job.

Vacuum excavators appear to have great appeal as a rental machine, but to date they have not been widely available in equipment rental centers. This appears to be changing, as rental customers are discovering more and more innovative ways to use this versatile equipment.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/2150GR.jpg" alt="2150GR" title="2150GR" />Damage Prevention

Construction professionals understand the importance of not damaging buried utilities while performing any type of new construction and maintenance work.

Even so, accidental strikes of underground utility lines continue to interrupt essential services, cause millions of dollars in damage, result in serious injuries and, in some cases, loss of life. And as utility easements become more crowded, preventing damage to underground facilities has become increasingly challenging.

"Protecting our buried utilities is of critical importance," says Mike Dvorak, electronics sales manager for The Charles Machine Works, Inc. "Utility damage prevention is a responsibility that involves many diverse public and private organizations, making communication and cooperation essential to reduce the number of underground utility strikes."

Locating Is The First Step

The first step in preventing damage to buried facilities is to accurately locate and mark all utilities in a work area before construction. This process is initiated by calling the local one-call center, providing the exact location of the work site and requesting locates be made. The call must be placed at least 48 hours before work is scheduled to begin.

The one-call center then contacts appropriate utility providers, who then locate and accurately mark positions of their buried lines. Some utilities use their own personnel; others employ contract locating specialists.

The basic tool used by locating personnel is the electronic locator, such as the 950R/T receiver/transmitter system from Ditch Witch® Electronics. The 950R/T consists of a lightweight, handheld receiver and compact transmitter unit. It is designed to help make locating buried cable and pipe easier and provide more accurate results.

stopimg style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/950RT.jpg" alt="950RT" title="950RT" />"The 950R receiver," explains Dvorak, "uses different frequencies and modes to find locations of different types of utilities by detecting magnetic fields created by electrical current passing through the lines."

In some situations, the receiving unit is all that is necessary to locate electrical and television cable signals. To find telephone cable and metallic pipe, the 950T transmitter is connected to cable or pipe and a current is sent through the line, creating a signal that is detected by the receiver.

For PVC pipe with tracer wire, the wire is energized by the transmitter to provide a signal that the receiver can read. The receiver processes information and displays an estimate of depth and other data on an easy-to-read screen.

Dvorak says that some utilities also mark positions of buried facilities with 3M electronic markers that are buried with pipe or cable. Markers are passive, resonant circuits with no internal power source to run down, and their polyethylene shells are impervious to minerals, chemicals, and temperature extremes. They are located using a Ditch Witch 950R receiver equipped with an Electronic Marker Locator (EML) attachment that transmits a signal to the buried marker, which then resonates it back to the EML. Markers, line and cable locators, and EML attachments are available at Ditch Witch dealerships.

"Ground-penetrating radar technology also has been adapted for utility locating purposes," says Dvorak. "One of our newer Ditch Witch Electronics products is the 2150GR ground penetrating radar (GPR). It can be used to detect and locate both metallic and non-metallic pipes and cables, but the method is dependant on soil conditions and antenna selection. GPR products are not effective in all types of soils, but can be helpful in locating some previously unknown facilities."

Potholing

"Potholing"—physically uncovering a buried utility to confirm its location—is the surest method of determining a utility's exact position. Because of accelerated efforts to prevent damage to buried utilities, potholing is becoming a standard practice on a growing number of utility jobsites. Government agencies are adopting regulations that require potholing, and project owners and contractors are establishing their own policies specifying potholing before excavation or directional drilling begins.

The procedure isn't new, but until recently most potholes were dug with backhoes, and even skilled operators always ran the risk of hitting and damaging the pipe or cable they were attempting to locate.

"Soft" excavation has changed all that.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/FX30.jpg" alt="FX30" title="FX30" />Portable vacuum excavators use high-pressure water or air to quickly dig small, precisely controlled potholes to uncover buried utilities, eliminating the risk of damage inherent with a backhoe, excavator, or other mechanical tool.

"The Ditch Witch FX60 is the perfect machine for fast, efficient potholing," says Dvorak. "Soil is displaced by a high-pressure stream of water, precisely directed by a handheld wand. Water for excavation is carried in the unit's 200-gallon supply tank."

Depending on soil conditions, a 12-inch-square, 5-foot-deep pothole can be completed in less than 30 minutes.

"Vacuum excavators," says Dvorak, "are capable of digging much deeper, but utility potholes seldom need to be more than six feet deep. The vacuum function of the dual-purpose machine picks up soil displaced during excavation to use later as fill or to be removed from the jobsite. Soft excavation causes less surface damage and reduces disruption of traffic and other surface activities. The small excavation is easier, faster, and less expensive to repair."

For many utilities and contractors, potholing is standard procedure on horizontal directional drilling projects when the path of a planned pilot bore either crosses or is in close proximity to buried lines.

"A vacuum excavator's usefulness isn't limited to HDD operations," adds Dvorak. "It is the ideal tool any time a small, carefully controlled excavation is necessary. Vacuum excavators also are used to clean up drilling fluids that escape from bore holes during drilling, backreaming, and product installation, and can be used as a powerful, portable vacuum for just about any type of cleanup need."

Focus On Best Practices

Common Ground Alliance (CGA) efforts focus on implementing best-practice procedures identified in the Common Ground Best Practices Study, recognized as the most effective guidelines for preventing damage to underground facilities. One of CGA's primary roles is coordinating information and communications among the various organizations involved in building, maintaining, and operating the utility infrastructure.

"CGA encourages the shared responsibility of utility damage prevention," says Dvorak. "They help achieve this by refining and disseminating best-practice recommendations, developing public awareness through educational programs, supporting appropriate research, and serving as an information clearinghouse."

A "Dig Safely" public awareness campaign, which includes a damage-prevention brochure and video, and the "Call 811" initiative are in progress to make construction personnel and the general public aware of the importance of notifying one-call centers before construction begins. More information on CGA programs is available on the CGA website: www.commongroundalliance.com.

The Charles Machine Works, Inc., Perry, Oklahoma, is the world's leading manufacturer of underground construction equipment. Its products include Ditch Witch trenchers, vibratory plows, horizontal directional drilling systems, Ditch Witch Electronic tracking and utility locaters, mini excavators, mini skid steers, excavator-tool carriers and the Zahn® family of power utility equipment.

For more information about DitchWitch products, call 800-654-6481 or visit www.ditchwitch.com

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/BoreTek_1.jpg" alt="BoreTek_1" title="BoreTek_1" />In May 2000, three South Carolinians decided it was time to stop working for others and apply their experience and knowledge to their own directional drilling business. With one compact drilling unit, one truck, and one trailer, Bryan Williams, Terry Thompson and Eric Lovell started Bore-Tek, Inc. in the city of Charleston.

The timing seemed right. The telecommunications building boom of the late '90s was still under way. Construction of Level 3 Communications' new 15,000-mile long-haul network was not yet complete, and there appeared to be plenty of subcontracting work for small HDD companies. But getting started wasn't easy, recalls Thompson, Bore-Tek's president.

"From the beginning," he says, "finding financing for our business was difficult. We had no track record. But we were determined. The drilling unit we wanted—a Ditch Witch Jet Trac® JT1720—was for us the biggest initial investment. Our equipment dealer—Ditch Witch of the Carolinas--recognized our commitment and took a risk by internally financing the drilling unit's purchase."

stopimg style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/BoreTek_2.jpg" alt="BoreTek_2" title="BoreTek_2" />A month later the new company got its first HDD project in Charlotte, North Carolina. The job did not go well. "We were booted out of the state after we released drilling fluid collected from the job site at a location where we were unaware that dumping was prohibited," says Thompson. "Then on our second job in Atlanta, we drilled into solid rock, destroying our only drill bit. Our first year was very discouraging."

The three persisted, taking projects in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida with what Thompson describes as "minimal" success. Just as things seemed to be looking up, the telecom boom went bust, and the HDD industry fell into the most severe depression of its relatively short life. Before the bust, however, Bore-Tek's owners had introduced themselves to general contractors, engineering firms, and municipalities. With the telecom boom over, Bore-Tek shifted its focus to the water and sewer markets.

"By earning the confidence of several local general contractors, we began to fill a niche market in water and sewer," Thompson said. "We ventured into multi-duct bores, ductile iron bores, and grade bores. Realizing the increasing demand for larger bore projects, we purchased a Ditch Witch JT4020 with 40,000 pounds of pullback capability."

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/BoreTek_3.jpg" alt="BoreTek_3" title="BoreTek_3" />As the water and sewer business grew, Bore-Tek leased and eventually purchased a larger, more powerful HDD unit, the Ditch Witch JT7020, which enabled allowed the company to bid and win larger projects. As the company's workload continued to increase, Bore-Tek ordered a new 80,000-pound pullback Ditch Witch JT8020.

By 2007, the Bore-Tek partners were ready to take on their biggest project ever: installing 15,200 linear feet of 24-inch diameter fusible PVC pipe for expanding water services to the rural South Carolina sea island communities of Johns Island, Kiawah Island, and Seabrook Island. After work had begun on the project, the unexpected occurred: Bryan Williams died in a traffic accident.

"Ironically," says Thompson, "one of bores remaining to be done on the project was at the intersection where Bryan's accident had occurred."

stopimg style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/BoreTek_4.jpg" alt="BoreTek_4" title="BoreTek_4" />Thompson and his team recognized everyone had to get through this emotionally while still taking care of business. "This was a critical project for us—everything was on the line," says Thompson. "It was a very intense time."

The company worked through its grief and finished its share of the project in 30 days, three days ahead of schedule. "The three of us once pledged that whatever the challenge is, we would never, never, never give up," says Thompson. "That was our only motto. It will not change."

Read full article.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/selge_1.JPG" alt="selge_1" title="selge_1" />In the 47 years the company has been in business, Selge Construction, Niles, Michigan, has built a reputation as one of the most respected utility contractors in the Southwest Michigan-South Bend, Indiana, area.

Selge Construction is a multifaceted company specializing in municipal sewer and water systems, low-pressure sewer systems, concrete paving, and flat work. President Marv Selge, Jr., grew up in the business, purchasing the company from his father in 1992.

"It is the only work I've ever done," says Selge.

Selge has seen significant changes in water and sewer construction, and has made sure his crews are equipped with the latest technologies to keep pace with the needs of water and sewer utility owners and operators.

In addition to conventional open-cut construction, Selge crews use bore and jacking, and horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for underground infrastructure projects.

"We are capable of handling many of the difficult challenges often experienced in underground construction," says Selge. "In conjunction with installing pipe in the ground, we install a variety of lift stations ranging in size from six to ten feet in diameter. We are able to take projects many contractors are not equipped to do."

Selge always has been alert to market changes and conditions. Currently Selge Construction is actively involved in installing low-pressure sewer and grinder pump systems to serve rural homes near the area's many lakes. In response to initiatives to improve water quality standards in rural lakes, streams, and rivers, these systems are being installed to solve several problems, says Selge.

"Often," he explains, "homes and cottages around these lakes are in very close proximity to each other and have old, deteriorated septic tanks buried at or below the groundwater table. Sewage from these tanks finds its way into the lakes, causing contamination and increased weed and algae growth."

Because many lakes are outside the boundaries of towns and cities, Selge says regional sewer districts are formed to oversee the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of these low-pressure grinder pump systems.

A typical project consists of installing a small grinder station and control panel at every residence, service lines from the tank to the main line, main lines to collect the influent from each tank, large lift stations, and force mains to take the sewage to a treatment plant or tie into an existing municipal system if one is nearby.

"We have installed systems with as few as 68 grinder tanks and large systems with more than 500 tanks," says Selge. "The first step in a project is to install HDPE service lines—usually 1.25 to two inches in diameter—from the proposed main line locations to the proposed locations of the grinder stations. Once all the service lines are in the ground, a crew then installs the main sewer line, usually located within road right-of-way. After the main lines are installed, a crew then sets the grinder station at the predetermined location. A curb stop and a redundant check valve are usually installed on the outside of the grinder station."

Site conditions often propose a challenge.

"With lake projects," Selge explains, "homes often are with in close proximity to each other, so we often deal with narrow easements to work in, landscaping, and sometimes grinder stations on the lake side of the house where it is difficult to reach with equipment. We have seen a wide variety of soil conditions—from sand, gravel, clay, and silt to peat, marl, and muck—often on a single project. In addition to different soil conditions, we often deal with areas that have high groundwater tables, especially close to lakes."

stopimg style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/selge_2.jpg" alt="selge_2" title="selge_2" />For these and other reasons, Selge says horizontal directional drilling plays a critical role in the company's low-pressure grinder system construction projects. "Directional drilling limits the amount of excavation necessary to the tie-in points and grinder stations locations," Selge says. "HDD lets us install both service lines and mains under landscaping, between houses, and in tight locations where typical open-cut operations would not be possible. HDD limits the damage to surface features, thus minimizing the restoration needed after the pipe has been installed. In high groundwater situations, HDD eliminates the need for extensive dewatering that open-cut operations would require."

HDD equipment often used by Selge crews on these projects includes Ditch Witch JT2020 and JT2720 drilling units.

The compact size of the JT2020 (51 inches wide, 207 inches long) suits it well to job conditions found on many low-pressure sewer projectsMounted on rubber tracks, it moves easily over landscaped areas and paved surfaces. The JT2020 develops 20,000 pounds of pullback, 2,200 foot pounds of rotary torque, and spindle speeds to 150 rpm.

The larger, 125-horsepower JT2720 produces 27,000 pounds of pullback, 2,700 foot pounds of torque, and spindle speeds to 195 rpm, providing plenty of power to make longer installations of mainline pipe. For its production capabilities, the JT2720 also is a relatively compact unit. Subsite 750 and 752 electronic tracking systems are used. Other Ditch Witch equipment includes a skid-mounted fluid mixing system; two FX60 vacuum excavators, one mounted on a trailer, the other on a truck; and an SK500 compact skid-steer loader.

After all pipe is in place, Selge crews complete a low-pressure grinder system by connecting services to the grinder stations and to the main line by fusing a branch saddle to the side wall of the main. The main is tapped, and finally the service lines are electrofused to the branch saddles.

"A control panel is set within close proximity to the grinder station," Selge continues. "Wires are buried from the tank to the control panel using the SK500 skid-steer, which is equipped with trencher and vibratory plow attachments. Incoming power wires are trenched in from the service drop to the control panel. Once all the tanks have been installed and the tie-ins made, the system is pressure tested and each grinder station is started to ensure that everything is running as designed."

Selge points out that the use of directional drilling technology is not new to Selge Construction. The company was one of the first water and sewer contractors in the area to recognize its potential for water and sewer work, and the benefits of HDD construction are not limited to low-pressure sewer construction.

"We recently installed 28,000 feet of eight- and twelve-inch water main for Niles Township," says Selge. The job was originally bid to be open cut, but the entire project was installed by HDD. By using this method, it minimized disruption to the heavily traveled commercial corridor, and kept restoration and drive closure to a bare minimum.

stopimg style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/selge_3.jpg" alt="selge_3" title="selge_3" />"We also utilize HDD to perform river crossings for municipal water and sewer mains, and we have used HDD in gravity-sewer operations to install sewer mains and laterals. This causes the least amount of disturbance to heavily traveled streets and busy highways."

With the growing need to replace and rehabilitate the nation's aging water and sewer infrastructure, Selge expects his company to remain busy on a variety of projects and expects demand for low-pressure sewer systems to continue to grow.

And, as if utility construction doesn't keep Selge busy enough, the company continues to carry out a variety of local paving projects, and has earned many awards of excellence in that industry.

If your machine's hydraulic system isn't working, neither are you. Here are some common causes of hydraulic system breakdown and steps you can take to avoid them.

stopimg title="SK650_1" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="SK650_1" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/SK650_1stopimg4Contamination

An estimated 75 percent of all hydraulic system failure is due to contamination, so change filters regularly. If filters become dirty too frequently, examine them. Metal shavings can indicate that a pump, motor, or other upstream component may be failing. Resin or sludge—type material usually means oxidation of the fluid, often caused by low fluid levels or damaged seals.

Use clean tools and equipment, and always thoroughly clean hydraulic components before you remove, repair, or reinstall them. When you disconnect a hydraulic line, cap the end to keep contamination out while you're servicing the system. When you put the system back together, always install a new filter.

stopimg title="SK650_2" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" alt="SK650_2" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/SK650_2stopimg4Low or Dirty Fluid

Low fluid levels can cause everything from sluggish cylinder operation to catastrophic pump cavitation, so check the fluid regularly (with the engine off and the fluid cool) and maintain the proper level. Always use the right fuel for your system.

Murky or cloudy fluid usually indicates water or air in the system. Water can come from condensation, and excess air can be a result of low fluid levels, a damaged seal, or a crack in a suction hose.

Other System Components

Sometimes the obvious causes of hydraulic system trouble get overlooked. Try these preliminary checks:stopimg title="SK650_3" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="SK650_3" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/SK650_3stopimg4

•  Check the hydraulic fluid level with the engine off and the fluid cool.
•  With the engine stopped, check for leaks around seals, castings, and hydraulic connections.    
•  Check for kinks in hydraulic lines.
•  Check for a plugged or damaged fluid cooler or fluid filter.
•  Check the electrical connections to solenoid valves. The problem may not be hydraulic after all.

When in doubt, you can always find factory—trained technicians at your Ditch Witch dealership, professionals whose only business is keeping Ditch Witch equipment healthy.

by George McGuire
R&D Project Manager
The Charles Machine Works, Inc.

Replacing our nation's aging copper communications infrastructure is a monumental task. This is one thing all of the experts agree upon. The disagreements begin when the discussion turns to the most efficient and cost-effective way to tackle the challenge.

There are two main areas related to FTTH (Fiber to The Home) installation: the "homes passed" loops, essentially the main fiber circuit that runs along the streets in neighborhoods and business districts; and "house drops," or service directly to the home or business from the network loops. Equipment manufacturers and installation contractors are strongly focused on bringing more cost-effective solutions into play to make the FTTH network more affordable for owners and consumers.

The solutions vary, and all have their merits.

"Stitch" boring with pneumatic boring tools is a favorite of contractors because of the low operating cost per foot of installation, very reasonable equipment investment, and the low level of expertise necessary for equipment operation. One drawback to stitch boring is its limited guidance or steering capability. Directional drilling is a popular application because of the minimal damage to the surface areas of lawns and landscapes and the ability to drill underneath roads, streets, driveways, and other surface obstacles. In addition, the cost of surface restoration, compared to open-cut excavation, is eliminated with the directional drilling technique.

Compact utility equipment with attachments—either vibratory plows or special disc plows—is especially useful in house-drop situations. Vibratory plows can go six to twelve inches deep and are extremely cost-effective in running services of 70 to 100 feet to houses. Double-disc plow attachments are designed to minimize the impact to lawn sprinkler systems and can bury the cable about six to eight inches deep.

Yet another FTTH-installation technique involves the use of vacuum excavation systems. This type of equipment is advantageous for use in congested areas around other buried utilities because of the reduced likelihood to cut or damage other lines or cables.

FTTH construction projects are bid and awarded on the basis of cost per foot, the type of soil conditions involved, and costs per house passed, among other things. To learn more about the types of equipment and methods most frequently used in network loops and house drops and the cost-effectiveness of each type, you can download the full article.

Versatile, multi-purpose vacuum excavators are standard equipment on most horizontal directional drilling (HDD) project sites.

A compact, mobile vacuum excavation system—mounted on a trailer or truck bed—uses high-pressure water or air to make precisely controlled excavations to visibly expose already-buried pipe and cable. As excavation proceeds, the unit's vacuum removes spoil to a self-contained storage tank for reuse as fill or removal from the site.

Depending on soil conditions, a 12-inch-square "pothole" six feet deep can be completed in 20 minutes or less. Perhaps most important, a vacuum excavator's "soft" excavation technology reduces the risk of damage inherent with mechanical excavation methods such as backhoes, excavators, and shovels.

During drilling operations, backreaming and product pullback, the machine's powerful vacuum keeps the work site free of drilling fluids that flow from the bore hole.

However, the vacuum excavator's usefulness is not limited to HDD projects.

Anywhere buried utilities are present and excavation of any kind must be performed, potholing is advised and, in some areas, mandated. The vacuum excavator is recognized as the fastest, most efficient way to expose utility lines with the least risk of damaging them during the process.

In addition, it did not take construction personnel long to recognize that soft excavation often is the best way to make small excavations for just about any purpose and to use the equipment for general cleanup and many specialized applications.

Titan Communications, Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a utility contractor specializing in telecommunications, electrical power and gas projects. Titan crews use two Ditch Witch FX30s and one larger FX60 vacuum excavator for the standard HDD applications of potholing and directional drilling fluid cleanup.

"Potholing is definitely a necessity these days," says Travis Mills, Titan treasurer. "And the state prohibits mechanical excavation over utility markers, so without a vacuum excavator it would mean digging by hand, and some of the potholes we do are five, six, and seven feet deep. Vacuum excavation is faster and it's much safer. We want everyone to go home at the end of every workday."

The Hillview Water Co. is a private company providing water services to Oakhurst, California, a city of 18,000 located 12 miles from the southern entrance of Yosemite National Park.

The company uses an FX30 vacuum excavator for accessing pipe to repair leaks and to make excavations to connect new services and to make spot repairs on existing water service lines, says Roger Forrester, Hillview Water president.

"Acquisition of this machine has been very advantageous for us," Forrester continues. "The machine makes a nice, clean hole, rather than the larger excavations made by backhoes and excavators, limiting damage to surrounding areas and reducing the amount of surface repairs required after a repair is made. This method of excavation also reduces the chance of damaging our pipes when we uncover them or causing damage to other nearby utilities that are in the ground."

PARC Environmental, Fresno, California, offers a wide range of environmental remediation and cleanup services and uses an FX60 model vacuum excavator for recovery and removal of various types of materials. The self-contained vacuum excavation system is mounted on a truck that also transports tools and other equipment.

"Typical projects where the machine is used are cleanup after demolition of structures and for site preparation," says Louie Martina, vice president of operations for PARC. "We first rented a machine and then purchased it about nine months ago. It serves our needs very well."

The City of Riverbank, located along the banks of the Stanislaus River in the heart of California's Central Valley, uses a model FX60 vacuum excavator for making a variety of repairs to its water system.

"We use the vacuum excavator to excavate around mainline leaks so repairs can be made," says Eric Tackett, the city's domestic water supervisor. "Because the machine digs with water, we can reach leaking areas without the risk of causing more damage during excavation. The machine also lets us dig around other buried utilities without risk of damaging them."

As the excavation is made, spoil and water and mud caused by the leak are vacuumed up.

"Before we got the machine, all that was pumped out onto the street, making a big mess which sometimes could enter storm drains," Tackett adds. "With the damage exposed, the vacuum excavator also can clean out pipe around a break removing mud, pieces of broken pipe, and other debris. This helps prevent contamination from entering the damaged pipe, and that is very important."

The machine also is used to access breaks in service lines leading to homes and buildings, minimizing damage to lawns. Spoil and mud from breaks is stored in the FX60's debris tank for later disposal. Clean, dry fill is used to restore excavations.

The two Ditch Witch vacuum excavator models are well suited for conventional support of HDD operations and many special applications.

The FX30 is powered by a 26-horsepower diesel engine, and its blower develops 500 cfm and up to 15 inches of mercury, providing powerful suction force. Maximum water pressure can be controlled in increments to a maximum output of 3000 psi for excavating. It is available with a 500- or 800-galllon debris tank and a 80-, 200- or 300-gallon supply tank to supply water for excavating.

The larger FX60 is powered by a 60-horsepower, liquid-cooled diesel engine. For vacuuming, the machine's belt-driven blower develops maximum airflow of 900 cfm and up to 16 inches of mercury. For excavating, soil is displaced by water at pressures of up to 3500 psi. The FX60 can be equipped with a 500-, 800- or 1200-gallon debris tank. Water-supply tanks are available in 80-, 200- or 300-gallon sizes.

Both models are available as a trailer-mounted package or on skids for mounting on trucks.

Ditch Witch equipment is manufactured by The Charles Machine Works, Inc., Perry, Oklahoma. In addition to vacuum excavators, horizontal directional drills and support equipment, the Ditch Witch product line includes electronic HDD tracking systems, trenchers, vibratory plows, compact utility equipment and electronic utility locators. Ditch Witch products are sold and supported by the worldwide Ditch Witch dealer network. For more information, call 800-654-6481 or visit ditchwitch.com.

By Christina Fisher—Construction, 6/9/2008

With 47,000 vehicles a day traveling down Warwick Boulevard, a number that is expected to grow to 54,000 a day by 2026, this major transportation artery in Newport News, Virginia, was in desperate need of widening from four lanes to six lanes. In order to complete the two-mile project as quickly as possible, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and officials from Newport News worked together to split construction into three phases.

Phase I — Intersection Improvements

Local contractor Basic Construction Co. started work on Phase I in February 2006. This phase of the project, which totaled $10.2 million, involved extensive improvements to the intersection of Warwick and J. Clyde Morris boulevards, an extremely busy intersection due to traffic from the Mariners Museum, the main entrance to Christopher Newport University and the local hospital.

Extensive improvements to this intersection included:

•      New dedicated right-turn lanes from every direction
•      Upgraded utilities
•      Widening the road to three lanes in each direction
•      New lighting
•      New Opticom emergency vehicle-sensitive traffic signals

"Because it was so heavily congested, it was imperative to get this intersection finished as quickly as possible," says Thomas Druhot, VDOT project manager. "We didn't want this intersection to be under construction for the duration of the entire project. We wanted to get everything completed in that area first, then we could concentrate on other areas."

Phase I was completed in October 2007 on time and on budget.

Phase II — Utility Relocation And Upgrades

In September 2006, Suburban Grading and Utilities Inc. began work on Phase II of the project. This phase incorporated storm water, sewer and water supply line relocations and upgrades on Warwick Blvd. from Nutmeg Quarter to Nettles Drive. At the request of the city, an additional $900,000 of work was added to this phase of the project to replace completely deteriorated portions of the sewer system.

Phase II, which came within its budget of $14.5 million, was completed almost six months ahead of schedule.

Phase III — Under Construction

Currently Virginia Beach, Virginia-based E.V. Williams, Inc. is five months into Phase III of the project, which includes additional underground utility work, widening Warwick Blvd. to three lanes in each direction, upgrades to traffic signals, pedestrian crosswalks, lighting and landscaping, and median and drainage improvements. E.V. Williams is at work installing storm drain, sanitary sewer, force main sanitary sewer, and a city of Newport News water line.

Throughout the entire Warwick Boulevard project, utility work has been a major challenge. "Part of the problem with the underground construction is all of the existing utilities," says Dennis Miller, vice president of Operations with E.V. Williams. "Even though they are abandoned we have to deal with them as if they are alive because nobody knows what's abandoned and what isn't under the road. We are continually moving electrical work to get in and around where we need to place other underground utilities.

"The most critical part of dealing with existing utilities is finding them in advance, determining if there is going to be conflict with the work you're doing, and giving everybody as much lead time as possible to resolve those conflicts," says Miller.

To help locate utility lines prior to excavation, E.V. Williams is using a Ditch Witch vacuum excavator for potholing utilities. High-pressure jets of water are directed at the ground through a 6-inch-diameter pipe. The water loosens the soil, and then a vacuum sucks up the dirt and water, creating a 6-inch-diameter hole that exposes the utilities. Because only water and air are involved, there is no damage to the utilities.

Traffic management has been another huge challenge. The team is trying to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction throughout the project, often diverting traffic onto the road's former median.

Major work is scheduled between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. There are significant restrictions during peak rush hours and only a short window between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to work during the day.

Once the utility relocations and upgrades are complete, preparing the road bed and grading will begin. Preconstruction test bores and the previous two phases of the project have revealed unsuitable material for the road bed.

"The peninsula is very flat, so it is subject to a lot of silt and blue marle clay, which is a terrible bearing surface," says Druhot. "Therefore the project was designed with geotextile fabric and in some places geogrid underneath the roadway. A typical response to unsuitable material on the job would be to undercut and backfill, but with the amount of utilities in this area undercutting is not a feasible option. The geogrid material will provide us a solution with a zero elevation differential."

Phase III, which has a budget of $17 million, is scheduled for completion in the winter of 2009-2010.

Editor's note: Additional material provided by the Virginia Department of Transportation.

"Vacuum excavation systems have been better known for their association with directional drilling," says Kevin Smith, Ditch Witch product manager. "But over time, customers have continued to find new opportunities to put them to work."

stopimg title="63a" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="63a" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/63astopimg4Smith says that today it is not uncommon to see vac systems used for everything from utility verification to grain elevators. "The market for these units continues to expand, and the list of applications where they can be used just gets longer and longer," he says.

Ditch Witch of Central California's Kevin Campbell would concur—to a point. While he acknowledges that "the possibilities are nearly endless" for vacuum excavation systems—he recalled one account of a Ditch Witch FX30 being used to clean and process carrots—he also says that the majority of his customers use these units for soft excavation tasks such as potholing and utility locating, road construction, and wastewater treatment.

"Municipalities probably experience the most application diversity with our vac systems," says Campbell. "They use them to not only expose utilities but also to repair and maintain their underground valve boxes and meters. Some of these meters are in alleys, and they used to have to be cleaned out by hand. With an FX30 or FX60, you can run a hose into the alley and clean them out faster and more effectively." Municipalities also use vac systems for removing leaves from storm systems, cleaning out street and building gutters, preparing roads for repaving, and keeping expenses manageable. "Before vac systems, municipalities only had these huge machines that require a team of skilled laborers to operate," Campbell explains. "With our machines, you can us general labor because they are simpler to operate, and they can go places the big machines can't."

California utility companies are choosing vac systems for a variety of reasons. PG&E San Francisco purchased several Ditch Witch FX60 1,200-gallon systems partially because the unit meets the noise-pollution requirements of the environmentally sensitive Bay Area. And the construction industry, a major driver of the state's economy, is finding new applications for vac systems, says Campbell. "When a company digs concrete footings for a new building, they leave a trench," he says. "If it rains, construction has to stop until the trench dries out. Instead of waiting, companies can now suck the water out with a vac system."

California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory owns a Ditch Witch FX30. The top-secret research and development institution is responsible for ensuring that our nuclear weapons remain safe, secure, and reliable. So, for reasons of national security, we may never know everything that a vacuum excavation system can do.

Published in the Spring 2006 issue of The Underground.