SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING

Reveal Infrastructure Beneath Your Site

When embarking on surface or subsurface development that requires digging and trenching, understanding what lies beneath the surface is critical to the success of your program. Incorrectly identifying the location of existing infrastructure—or worse, missing a utility line altogether—is a costly mistake that derails a program with significant delays, budget overruns, safety risks, or even program cancellation. For transportation agencies updating and expanding roadways or telecommunications providers establishing a fiberoptic network, SAM offers Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) for locating and mapping existing and abandoned utilities with sub-centimeter precision in accordance with the American Society of Civil Engineers ASCE CI-38-22 and other standards. With cutting-edge, specialized magnetic and acoustic technologies, our vacuum excavation equipment, ground penetrating radar, and radio frequency detection tools from leading SUE equipment providers, our solutions provide you with insight into as-built site conditions and the confidence to move forward with your program.

KEY SUE SERVICES

Utility Locating and Marking

Get actionable data on the location of existing and abandoned utilities with sub-centimeter accuracy.

Non-Destructive Vacuum Excavation

Choose from flexible, safe dig solutions from portable skid systems to large trucks for precise horizontal and vertical utility data.

Utility Relocation Planning

Partner with experts to determine the best locations for utilities that require relocating and for new utility lines.

Utility Design and Specification

Design the safest and most efficient routes and define construction specifications for new utility lines.

EXPERIENCE AT EVERY LEVEL OF SERVICE

For nearly 30 years, SAM has been providing sophisticated solutions to meet the requirements of SUE quality levels, ranging from record research to test-hole locating:

SAM derives Quality Level D information from researching records or gathering oral histories. Our expertise and partnership with local governments provide an overall understanding of utility congestion rather than a comprehensive solution.
For Quality Level C, SAM surveys and plots visible aboveground utility features using terrestrial and mobile LiDAR and other techniques. This data supplements Level D, identifying omissions and errors in records.
To achieve Quality Level B, SAM utilizes surface geophysical sensing technology, such as ground penetrating radar, to locate underground utilities. We mark their location and tie them to project monuments. Our team then maps the collected field data onto plan documents in CAD formats.
Finally, for Quality Level A, SAM safely exposes utilities through non-destructive vacuum excavation. We precisely measure and map them to establish accurate horizontal and vertical location data.

WHY SAM?

SAM has built a reputation as a trusted, knowledgeable, and innovative partner.

SAM’s ASCE-certified engineers and licensed professionals transform petabytes of complex spatial data into intelligent insights in a holistic Managed Geospatial Services™ (MGS™) framework. MGS™ is the digital ecosystem that simplifies the complicated so our clients can achieve the impactful outcomes that drive their business forward.

As North America’s premiere MGS™ company, SAM provides practical, precise, and high-fidelity solutions designed to enhance decision-making, mitigate risks, achieve strategic objectives, and drive costs out of our client’s business. Our vision is to advance spatial data acquisition, improve analysis capabilities, and develop predictive analytics to redefine and transform how infrastructure assets are developed and managed throughout their lifecycles.

Fast, Accurate Utility Location Keeps Transportation Programs on Track

Like many growing cities, Butler, PA, struggled with rising traffic congestion. Upgrading dated infrastructure on a condensed timeline posed immense challenges. With an aggressive 8-month design schedule for advanced transportation systems, the program had the potential to compromise safety or cause major disruptions. AECOM turned to SAM to rapidly provide critical subsurface infrastructure intelligence and mitigate risk. Through a phased approach of utility mapping and strategic underground excavation, our teams delivered comprehensive accuracy while minimizing public impact. Learn how SAM’s responsive, diligent engineering gave Butler the modern mobility infrastructure it required – on time and within budget.

OUR PEOPLE

SAM’s SUE experts, including construction monitoring specialists, geospatial professionals, and engineers, combine years of experience with technical precision to ensure project success. Leveraging advanced technology and industry knowledge, they provide actionable insights that support informed decision-making and keep projects running smoothly.