This document discusses subsurface utility engineering (SUE), including definitions, its importance, and how it works. SUE is used to manage risks associated with infrastructure projects involving underground utilities. It helps prevent damages to utilities and defines quality levels (A-D) for mapping utilities, with A being the highest level of absolute spatial accuracy. SUE is important for risk management to avoid delays, damages, and costs from hitting unknown utilities. The mechanics of SUE involve gathering existing utility records, surveying visible above-ground clues, then precisely locating underground utilities using techniques to the appropriate quality level needed.

1. Subsurface Utility Engineering
Location and damage prevention of
underground utilities

2. Subsurface Utility engineering
• Understanding SUE
• Why SUE is important?
• Mechanics of SUE

3. UNDERSTANDING SUE
What is SUE: definitions and application within the law in Australia

4. Understanding SUE
• Subsurface Utility engineering is an engineering
practice that encompasses the management or
risk associated with many aspects of
infrastructure project management such as:
• Underground utility relocation
• Infrastructure planning and estimation
• 3D mapping of utilities for design
• Correct identification and location of underground
utilities
• Road and Highway upgrades

5. Understanding SUE
• Australian Standards of Practice
• AS 5488-2013
• Contents
• Definition of SUE
• Quality levels of SUE

6. WHY SUE IS IMPORTANT?
Managing and preventing risks | Infrastructure management

7. Why is SUE Important?
• Prevention of damages to existing subsurface
• Power
• Water
• Gas
• Sewer
• Drainage
• Communications
• CCTV
• Data
• Fuel

8. Why is SUE important?
• We can’t rely purely on One Call (DBYD)
systems or GIS overlays to provide accurate
location of underground utilities.

9. Why SUE is important?
• Risk management is the essence of SUE, by utilizing all aspects of SUE
your are minimizing costly delays and potentially saving lives.
• Risks under control with SUE
• Project delays
• Damage to critical utilities
• Safety of the public
• Environmental damage
• Costly design errors
• Insurance claims
• Loss of reputation
• Time / Budget penalties

10. MECHANICS OF SUE
How does it work?

11. Mechanics of SUE
• Before engaging in any subsurface activities,
following the following step is recommended:

12. Mechanics of SUE
• Australia recently released AS 5488-2013
defining the quality levels of SUE
• Quality level A
• Quality level B
• Quality level C
• Quality level D

13. Mechanics of SUE
 Existing records
 Cursory site inspection
 Anecdotal evidence
 Utility owner
 Indication of utility type
 The date of installation
 An indicative location of the
surface and subsurface features
 The date the data was captured
 The source of information
• Quality level D (QL-D) is the lowest quality level.
• The attribute information and metadata of a subsurface utility
can be compiled from any, or a combination of the following:

14. Mechanics of SUE

15. Mechanics of SUE
 Full utilization of QL-D
 An interpolation of the location
and direction of the utility using
surface features as points of
reference
 Feature codes of surface
features, pits, access chambers,
poles, valves and hydrants
 The location of surface features
measured in terms of relative
spatial positioning with a
maximum horizontal tolerance of
+/-300mm
• Quality level C (QL-C) is described as a surface feature correlation.
• It is achieved using a combination of existing records and a site
survey of visible evidence

16. Mechanics of SUE

17. Mechanics of SUE
 Full utilization of QL-D & QL-C
 The location of subsurface
features measured in terms of
relative spatial positioning with a
maximum horizontal tolerance of
+/-300mm and a maximum
vertical tolerance of +/-500mm
 The locating method(s) used to
obtain the attribute information
• Quality level B (QL-B) provides relative subsurface feature locating
in three dimensions
• The minimum requirements for QL-B Is relative spatial positioning:

18. Mechanics of SUE

19. Mechanics of SUE
 Full utilization of QL-D, QL-C and
QL-B
 The location of points surveyed
on surface and subsurface
features measured un terms of
absolute spatial positioning with
a mac Horizontal and vertical
tolerance of +/-50mm.
 Survey control information used
to determine the absolute spatial
position of the utility
 The survey and locating methods
used to obtain the attribute
information
 Utility type, status, material, size
& configuration
• Quality level A (QL-A) is the highest quality level consisting of positive
identification of the attribute and an absolute spatial position in three
dimensions.
• It is the only quality level that defines a subsurface utility as “validated”

20. Mechanics of SUE

21. THANK YOU
Questions?
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