Underground Construction - April 2018 - 22

Modern Utility Investigations
on investment for projects using ASCE 38. Knowledgeable
contractors say they can provide
better bid estimates when the results of utility investigations are
displayed using ASCE 38 "Utility
Quality Level" values. Use of
ASCE 38 appears to be increasing
rapidly as the industry shakes
out the poor performers. In fact,
Colorado has introduced legislation to make ASCE 38 mandatory for certain projects, just
like a building code incorporates
ASCE 7.
The competent use of ASCE
38 finds most of the utilities on
a project, whether there are records or not. Applying a "Utility
Quality Level" value attached to
discrete utility segments allows
users to understand the relative
uncertainty of a utility's depiction in its location and attri-

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butes. "QLA" means that utility
was exposed at that exact spot
and the uncertainty of its location is zero, although there is a
risk that the utility may not be
the one it was thought to be, so
a small amount of uncertainty
always exists. "QLB" means that
geophysics was the method used
to search for and find a particular
utility segment. QLB is more uncertain due to errors in geophysics, interpretation and positioning. "QLC" is where only records
and visible features are able to
determine the best-judged position of a utility because the geophysics didn't work, while "QLD"
has no data other than records
or One-Call marks, and are the
most uncertain depiction.
Projects end up with a mixture
of utility quality levels based on
what was achieved and inte-

grated during the geophysical,
records and site-visible features
investigation. This depiction
of utility segments uses their
judged relative uncertainty
which allows the design engineer
to make informed decisions on
placement and type of design
elements, and other project parameters.
The underground is uncertain
when we can't see it, and when
accurate, comprehensive records
are not available and guaranteed. We have come a long way
in technology, contracts and case
law, and practices to attempt
to manage these uncertainties.
There is continuous improvement, with the occasional
back-sliding as technology claims
by researchers and manufacturers don't live up to new promises. Yet we so desperately want

them to work that we try them
in a project setting and discover
the limitations. We have made
progress since we started trying to tame uncertainty in the
1970s. There is more to go.
About the Author:
Jim Anspach is technical practice lead for
Cardno Inc.'s Utility
Engineering and
Survey Practice. He
serves as ASCE's Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute President for 2018. He is the incoming
chair for EJCDC, and chairs the
ASCE 38 Standard Committee. He
is also a member of ASCE's Board
Committee on Claims Reduction
and Management.

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APRIL 2018 | UConOnline.com

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Underground Construction - April 2018

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