Capturing above ground and below ground data...
Wolverton & Associates, Inc. (W&A) combines an experienced staff with technologically advanced equipment and software to provide quality Land Surveying and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) to a diverse clientele. W&A’s size and structure within our Land Surveying and SUE department allows the ability provide our services to large scale projects as well as the flexibility on smaller scale projects. Our Land Surveying and Subsurface Utility Engineering department functions as a partner to many valued clients that only require surveying and SUE as well as to our other “in-house” professional disciplines.
At W&A we have integrated technology into our day to day practices to offer our clients the most comprehensive deliverables available today. With our Trimble S6 Robotic Total Stations combined with the Leica GS15 Viva Series GLONASS capable GPS receivers we have the ability to quickly capture data upon any terrain. Through the use of Ground Penetrating Radar, Electromagnetic Instruments or Non-Destructive Vacuum Excavation we possess the ability to accurately designate and locate utilities. Our combined Land Survey and Subsurface Utility Engineering Department staff are crossed trained on different pieces of equipment for above ground and below ground data gathering which allows our crews to complete projects efficiently.
W&A also provides Three Dimensional (3D) High Definition surveying (also referred to as ground-based LIDAR or terrestrial LIDAR) for the most comprehensive, extremely accurate deliverables on the market today. This innovative, cutting-edge method of data collection allows us to collect high amounts of data remotely and rapidly and provide 3D models of terrain, building structures, roadways, architectural elements and many other features.
W&A's commitment to safety is of the upmost importance. Our staff is instructed regularly on safety topics in our corporately designed safety manual. Our personnel are trained in the art of CPR and First Aid as well as Hazardous Waste Operations (HAZWOPER). Our corporate safety officer routinely checks our safety equipment assigned to each Survey/SUE vehicle.
The W&A Survey Department is licensed to perform Land Surveying services in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, and we are prequalified to provide Land Surveying and Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Scope of Services...
- Boundary Surveys
- Topographical Surveys
- 3D High Definition Surveys / 3D models
- ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys
- Hazardous Waste Operations Surveying
- Utility Route Surveys
- Flood Plain Surveys
- Volumetric Surveys
- Right-of-Way Surveys
- As-Built Surveys
- Construction Staking
- Cadastral Surveys
- Roadway Database Surveys
- Utility Surveys
- GPS Surveys (Static and RTK)
- Legal Descriptions
Land Survey:
- Quality Level-D: Records Research
- Quality Level-C: Surface Feature Surveys
- Quality Level-B: Utility Designation
- Quality Level-A: Test Hole
SUE :
(Want more info?)- 3.10-Utility Coordination
- 5.01-Land Surveying
- 5.02-Engineering Surveying
- 5.03-Geodetic Surveying
- 5.08-Subsurface Utility Engineering
GDOT Land Surveying & S.U.E Area Class Qualifications:
Subsurface Utility Engineering:
Each year, an increasing number of projects are delayed and utilities damaged during the construction phase due to existing underground utilities that were either not shown or improperly delineated on construction drawings. These conflicts and associated delays are substantial, not only in time, but ultimately in cost. The process for the accurate depiction of underground utilities is called Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) and has been shown to produce a savings of $4.62 per $1.00 spent using SUE*
W&A possesses the technology and personnel to provide subsurface utility engineering services via various geophysical prospecting methods. Using the latest technology in electromagnetic equipment, ground penetrating radar, and vacuum excavation, our Subsurface Utility Engineering Department performs accurate designation and location of utilities for the design and construction communities.
Our services include Public & Private Utility Designating/Marking; Utility Verification; Non-destructive Vacuum Excavation; Utility Condition Assessment and Utility Records Research. Our SUE Department is pre-qualified with the Georgia Department of Transportation in area class 5.08 Subsurface Utility Engineering. The Subsurface Utility Engineering Department has worked on projects nationwide. By proactively managing the utility location process, we help our clients avoid project delays during construction, minimize redesign costs, reduce unnecessary utility relocations, and make the most informed cost effective decisions on their projects to further ensure the safety of those who work and live in the vicinity of these utilities.
* Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Study: “Cost Savings On Highway Projects Utilizing Subsurface Utility Engineering” Purdue University, January 2000.
- W&A is capable of providing all four Quality Levels (A-D) of service that SUE providers uniformly use to convey to the design engineers the accuracy of the subsurface utility information provided. The following definitions of subsurface utility engineering quality levels are from the “Standard Guideline for the Collection and Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility Data, 38-02” by the American Society of Civil Engineers, (ASCE).
- Records Research: Quality Level D information is obtained from the record drawings of the known utility providers in the area. The information presented under this Quality Level is often inconclusive or inaccurate since the utility record drawings can be out of date, incomplete or do not accurately reflect the utility to the present site condition.
- Surface Feature Surveys: Quality Level C information is derived by the use of conventional or GPS survey techniques to accurately locate and tie to project specific control visible surface features that indicate the presence of underground utilities. These features include manholes, telephone pedestals, valves, meters, vaults, poles etc. These features are correlated with the Quality Level D information to produce a utility drawing of the project.
- Utility Designation: Quality Level B information is obtained through the use of various equipment to designate the horizontal location of underground utilities. A variety of electromagnetic, radio frequency, acoustic, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment are used to determine and mark the horizontal location of the utility. This information is surveyed using conventional or GPS techniques, and tied to project specific control to provide an accurate two-dimensional utility drawing of the project. Quality Level B information incorporates both Quality Level D and Quality Level C information and the accuracy of the sub product continues to improve.
- Test Hole: Quality Level A information is a result of determining the accurate horizontal and vertical location of a utility by exposing the buried utility in areas where a conflict between the utility and a design feature are believed to exist. Using non-destructive vacuum excavation methods to expose the utility in these critical areas, the utility is accurately surveyed and tied to the project specific control. A Test Hole Report detailing the utility’s depth of cover, condition, size and other relevant information observed while exposing the utility, is prepared and provided to the client.
