Standard Methods

There are a number of approaches that can be used to find or predict the position of buried objects or utilities.  For example Terra Discovery uses electromagnetic (EM) detection systems, ground penetrating radar (GPR), video inspection systems, and vacuum excavation methods.  The most common of these and the one used throughout the locate industry is based on EM detection, also referred to as EM tracing.

EM tracing is used to mark the position of buried objects or utilities by detecting the EM field around them, or for hollow conduits by pushing an EM transmitter (called a sonde) through the conduits and detecting the corresponding signal.  The object or utility must be an electromagnetic conductor, or provided with a tracer wire, or accessible to a transmitting sonde for this method to work.

To avoid confusion when referring to locate methods Terra Discovery defines “standard method” as:

1. EM tracing and mapping via inductive/conductive methods.
2. EM tracing and mapping via transmitting sonde.   

See also Terms and Conditions