Vacuum Excavation can play many roles at a construction site. The service is tailored to the subsurface issue. Slot trenching is a technique used to search for or verify utilities. The approach can also confirm utility conflicts in a defined area. Typically, a slot trench isn’t wider than 1 foot, no deeper than 18 feet, and can be as long as needed. This service is key to damage prevention, a common stressor in the underground utility industry. A slot trench is a minimally invasive vacuum.
Slot trenching is performed for the purpose of exploration. In particularly sensitive areas, or where unlocatable lines are suspected to exist, a slot trench is dug to identify and locate potential conflicts in a non-destructive manner. Clients may need to install cables, sprinkler systems, pipes, underground utilities, or foundations.
A slot trench can be used for safely planning and preventing damage to sensitive lines when doing this type of work.
Exploratory trenching is needed when you decide not to do any excavation with heavy machinery. Trinity is often called to do this type of service when trying to clear an area. So another reason trenching is leveraged is to find directional drill heads. Directional drill heads can hit subsurface utilities or become buried during tunneling.
In certain areas of the country, installing pipelines requires slot trenching. Several times, Trinity Subsurface has worked on locations where less soil removal is needed to protect the environment, especially wildlife. With slot trenching, potential oil or water contamination won’t be an issue.
Box trenching is requested when our customers are looking to find any underground pipes that would need sectional point line repair or buried pipelines values. There are many different sizes used while performing hydro vacuum excavation to safely dig around any existing underground pipes. There are times that you don’t necessarily need to repair an entire pipe but only where it’s damaged. Box trenching is used for small, sectional repairs to save clients time and money. Sometimes, sectional point line repair services may replace the need for excavation entirely.
Potholing is used to verify subsurface clearances prior to the installation of traffic signals, roadway signs, flag poles, or pole foundations for light poles. It’s always important to consider any disruptions when installing poles. The safest way to install is by doing vacuum excavation.
If a utility is hit using a backhoe, interruptions in site progress can occur. In addition, utility hits can cause injury to workers and those on the job site. Slot trenching is an effective method for detecting any utilities that are buried beneath the surface. Vacuum Excavation is one of the best ways for your job site to stay safe when installing new utility lines or looking for existing utilities underneath the ground.
