Underground Construction - August 2021 - 32

SPONSORED CONTENT
How to Approach a Vacuum Excavation Job
in the Five Most Common Soil Types
Contributed by Chris Thompson, product marketing manager - vacuum excavation, Ditch Witch
While vacuum excavators have historically been used to expose existing utilities
and prevent utility strikes on HDD jobs, their ease-of-use and high-ROI have
made them one of the most rapidly growing machines in the underground
construction industry. The flexibility and soft excavation benefits of vacuum
excavators are ideal for irrigation installation, landscaping jobs and fiber installation,
in addition to the traditional HDD and damage mitigation projects.
But no two jobsites are alike. And as vacuum excavators are increasingly
used for underground construction, they will be asked to take on a wider range
of jobsites-and that means a wide range of soil types.
WHAT ARE THE SOIL CONDITIONS?
Vacuum excavators are versatile and have the ability to work in a variety of soil
conditions. However, to be as productive as possible, vacuum excavator operators
should always identify and then consider the ground conditions before
putting the machine to work. And there are five main soil conditions they will
potentially encounter: rock, sandstone, clay, topsoil and sand.
Contacting the local dealer is always the best way to identify a jobsite's
ground conditions. Soil types can vary not only from jobsite to jobsite, but can
even change within a single jobsite. It is not uncommon for an operator to
begin a job working in topsoil and quickly come across clay. Local dealers are
experienced working in their area and can often help a contractor determine
what soil conditions they will find on a jobsite.
Besides contacting a local dealer, operators should also be looking for
visual cues, like changes in soil patterns, to help them determine ground
conditions. Another best practice for operators is to consider the natural
landscape. For example, jobsites on a hill often have harder formations, while
jobsites in a valley usually contain clay.
WORKING " CONDITIONALLY "
Once the ground conditions have been identified, a vac operator can better
understand how to best approach their job. Here are some tips for approaching
the different soil conditions.
Rock and Sandstone
Rock and sandstone conditions will often be the most difficult to excavate
through. As a result, operators should expect these conditions to take the
most time to work in. Operators working in rock and sandstone should always
turn to hydro excavation with hot water because it most effectively cuts
through difficult soil; similar to how hot water power washers are used to
clean construction equipment. Using a boiler package is often the best way
for operators to access hot water on-site. Boiler packages are diesel powered
water heaters that are available as an add-on to most vacuum excavators at
the time of rental or purchase. When working with hot water, it's important for
operators to check with utility owners for their preferred excavation method,
but a standard rule-of-thumb is to always keep the water temperature at or
below 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
Working in difficult conditions like rock and sandstone often requires more
water, since the operator will be excavating for longer. This means potentially
more water tank fill-ups and trips to dump spoils. Thus, operators that
anticipate rock or sandstone conditions should invest in larger water tanks,
understand where nearby water refill options are located and be familiar with
local spoils disposal regulations.
Clay
Clay is a medium-difficulty soil type. While not quite as soft as topsoil or
soil, clay is softer than rock and sandstone. This opens a few more options
for contractors. First, operators working in clay could use either hydro or air
excavation. Hydro excavation is typically the more efficient between the two
methods, but air excavation offers benefits as well. As a dry excavation method,
air excavation eliminates challenges related to spoils disposal or finding
fill-up locations.
If an operator elects hydro excavation as their method, jobs with clay conditions
will require less water and less time on the job than when working in rock
or sandstone. Similar to the harder soil conditions though, hydro excavation in
clay conditions should be done with a boiler package. The same best practices
for temperature should be adhered to.
Topsoil and Sand
Topsoil and sand are often viewed as the least difficult soil types to excavate
through, but softer soil types have their own challenges. Jobsites with topsoil
and sand are often sensitive and require a delicate touch to prevent the ground
from caving in when an operator is excavating.
Similar to clay, hydro-excavation is generally the most efficient option
for excavating in topsoil and sand; however, the sensitivity of these soil
types-especially sand-can make air excavation the more accurate option. Air
excavation doesn't create slurry, which keeps more of the soil together and
limits the chance of the hole caving in. When operators are working on extra
sensitive jobsites, they should opt for the sensitivity of air excavation over the
efficiency of hydro excavation. But, when an operator is looking for efficiency,
hydro excavation is the best option.
Operators using hydro-excavation in softer soil types can invest in a more
economically sized machine for their expected workload. However, they
should make sure they know where water-refill locations are in-case they
come across harder ground conditions. *
32 AUGUST 2021 | UCONonline.com
SPONSORED CONTENT
http://www.UCONonline.com

Underground Construction - August 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Underground Construction - August 2021

Contents
Underground Construction - August 2021 - Cover1
Underground Construction - August 2021 - Cover2
Underground Construction - August 2021 - Contents
Underground Construction - August 2021 - 4
Underground Construction - August 2021 - 5
Underground Construction - August 2021 - 6
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Underground Construction - August 2021 - 8
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