Subsurface Utility Engineering
Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) is a method we use during the design phase of construction to accurately locate underground utilities. With SUE, we determine their position, depth, and defining features before any digging begins.
Benefits of Subsurface Utility Engineering
What are the benefits of SUE?
Using SUE properly provides significant advantages throughout project planning, bidding, and construction. Typical benefits include:
- Avoid costly surprises. Unknown or unmapped utilities are a common cause of delays, redesigns, and extra costs. SUE identifies these issues before breaking ground.
- Substantial cost savings. It cuts expenses related to utility locating and relocation.
- Reduced downtime & design risk. It minimizes or even eliminates damage to existing utilities
- Improved job-site safety and reduced liability. Knowing exact locations reduces the chances of damaging utilities or endangering workers.
- Better project planning & fewer change orders. Accurate utility information helps designers plan utilities, foundations, drainage — and avoid conflicts before construction drawings are finalized.
Why Choose Safe Site for SUE Services?
At Safe Site Utility Services, we offer a complete, full‑service approach to Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE).
Our team combines years of field experience with cutting‑edge locating technology and high‑performance vacuum‑excavation equipment. This powerful combination, paired with meticulous attention to detail, enables us to deliver reliable, high‑precision utility locating and mapping services you can trust.
We believe this integrated capability sets us apart in the SUE industry.
Our Commitment to Quality
We are dedicated to excellence and precision on every project. From the earliest records research to advanced vacuum‑excavation test holes, our mission is simple but vital: to identify all underground utilities and potential conflict areas during the design phase, so you face no unwelcome surprises when construction begins.
With Safe Site, you get thorough, dependable subsurface investigations, giving you the confidence to move forward with your project safely, on time, and on budget.
Our SUE Services:
Tailored to Fit Your Project Needs
We offer the full suite of SUE “quality levels”, from basic records research to precise vacuum‑excavation test holes, so you can choose the scope that fits your project complexity, budget, and risk tolerance.
LEVEL A – UTILITY TEST HOLE / POTHOLING
The highest and most effective SUE level presently available.
Non-destructive digging equipment is used to determine the precise horizontal and vertical position of underground utilities.
When surveyed and mapped, precise plan and profile information is available for design decisions and justification.
(Air or Hydro Vacuum Excavation)
LEVEL B –
UTILITY DESIGNATING AND MAPPING
Determines the existence and horizontal position of underground utilities using surface geophysical techniques. This level also includes obtaining two-dimensional mapping information, which aids in decision-making for design, utility relocations, and installations. Locating is often overlooked during the design process. Safe Site believes this is one of the most important steps in the SUE process.
(Electromagnetic Locating, Radio Detection, 2D & 3D Ground Penetrating Radar, Acoustic Locating, CCTV)
LEVEL C – SURVEY OF ABOVE GROUND FEATURES
Entails surveying visible above-ground utility features, such as manholes, valve boxes, utility marker posts, and more. This information is then correlated with existing utility records.
(Survey Grade or Mapping Grade)
LEVEL D – RECORDS / RESEARCH
Involves gathering record data, which may include digital records, on-site utility records, GIS / Municipal records.
As-builts, Design Drawings, Quarter Section Maps, Historical Satellite Imagery
Our Four Levels of SUE Services
Safe Site offers four progressive levels of SUE to meet any project’s needs:
Level A – Test Holes / Potholing
We use non-destructive air or hydro vacuum excavation to expose utilities and determine their precise horizontal and vertical positions. Once exposed and surveyed, this data gives you accurate plan and profile information to guide design decisions.
Level B – Utility Designating & Mapping
Using geophysical methods — like electromagnetic locating, 2D & 3D ground-penetrating radar (GPR), acoustic locating, and CCTV — we locate and map the horizontal paths of underground utilities. This is often one of the most critical steps in the design process, helping with planning for relocations or installations.
Level C – Above-Ground Utility Survey
We survey visible above-ground features such as manholes, valve boxes, and utility markers. We then relate this survey data to existing utility records, giving you a clearer picture of both surface and subsurface infrastructure.
Level D – Records & Research
We delve into records, including municipal or GIS maps, as-built drawings, historical satellite imagery, and more. By correlating this data with what we find in the field, we create a comprehensive and reliable utility model.
*A joint study by Purdue University and the Federal Highway Administration in 1999 concluded the following:
A total of $4.62 in savings for every $1.00 spent on SUE was quantified. Qualitative savings were non-measurable, but it is clear that those savings are also significant and may be many times more valuable than the quantifiable savings. Only three projects returned less in savings than expenditures. This leads to the conclusion that SUE is a viable technologic practice that reduces project costs related to the risks associated with existing subsurface utilities and should be used in a systemic manner. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/pus.cfm