LOCATING UNDERGROUND FACILITIES WITH RADAR

Increasing regulations to protect environmental quality requires that all utility services be buried. Gas and water utilities are using plastic pipes because they are easy to install and do not corrode. However, conventional metal pipe finders do not work. Underground radars send out electromagnetic energy bursts then listen for echoes reflected from anything in the signal path. A special antenna, a transducer, sends impluses into the crust. To be able to discriminate between pipe and buried objects, an antenna more sensitive to longitudinal objects was developed. The complete pipe locator weighs 40 pounds. It was extensively tested and demonstrated that direct plastic pipeline location is practical, Servicemen with ordinary skills can learn to operate the locator in a few hours. A difficult field test of the instrument was successfully performed at a chemical plant where operators surveyed a buried electrical cable right-of-way. Plastic pipe locators' are far superior to existing metal detectors for finding metal pipelines and conduits. The locator, in addition to finding pipelines, finds buried power, telephone, and data cables, and sewerlines. In agriculture it can locate and trace field drain tile. In buildings with unreinforced concrete floors, it can find electrical conduits, water, and sewer lines.

Media Info

  • Features: Figures;
  • Pagination: p. 18-19
  • Serial:
    • APWA Reporter
    • Volume: 44
    • Issue Number: 5
    • Publisher: American Public Works Association
    • ISSN: 0092-4873

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00165917
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 12 1978 12:00AM