Working On Hydro Vac Truck At Construction Site

Digging and excavating using traditional methods does not always work. The latest technique is required when pipelines or conduits are buried in the excavated area. Hydro excavation using a hydrovac truck is a non-destructive digging method involving pressurized water and a vacuum system to dig out the soil while leaving the trench open.

Process

Hydro excavation is a non-destructive digging technique that removes dirt using pressurized water and a robust vacuum system. Hydrovac systems, truck-mounted or trailer-mounted, are fitted with hoses and pistol wands that use pressured water to precisely cut through the dirt. The unit’s boom is extended as the soil loosens, sucking the debris into the unit’s body tank, where it is disposed of or returned to the excavation site. Hydrovac in Edmonton or elsewhere has traditionally been a technology used in building and infrastructure projects. Still, excavation with hydrovac trucks has been gaining favour owing to its accuracy and safety benefits.

How does it work?

Hydrovac trucks liquefy soil by injecting water through a hose into the ground. When the soil has converted into a slurry, it is vacuumed into the truck and stored using a powerful pumping system. In rare situations, the method can dig up to 70 feet deep and at great distances from the holding tank or the pumping truck. Excavation can be done in practically any soil type, even frozen ground.

The hydrovac process can be done in two ways: with a fan system or a positive displacement blower. A fan system can move a lot of air. This speeds up the excavating process. It is simpler to operate and regulate. Positive displacement blowers are often heavier and more costly.

Benefits

Hydrovac services can solve various issues while making digging and excavations safer. It provides a solution that minimizes infrastructure interruptions and damage. Other advantages include:

• It provides a safe approach to completing excavations without requiring a human to manage the excavation equipment from within the trench.
• Protects existing infrastructure by digging in a regulated manner.
• Hydrovacing prevents the surrounding soil from being disturbed, lowering the risk of cave-in deaths.
• When compared to traditional excavation, the hydro-vac excavation procedure is speedier.
• Hydrovac uses simply water and an air vacuum, requiring little additional equipment.
• Hydrovac equipment can be placed distant from the work area, decreasing traffic congestion.
• Damage to pipelines and existing infrastructure is minimized.

Applications

The hydrovac truck can be utilized in the following scenarios:

• Trenching slots

Hydrovac trucks are suitable for trenching in slots. Excavating thin trenches to install pipelines, cables, poles, and underground utilities is known as slot trenching. Due to its accuracy, hydro excavation is the most acceptable alternative for slot trenching. Hydro-excavation is the most exact way of completing slot trenching, and it can excavate small dimensions that other methods cannot. This eliminates the need for backfilling because only the excavated areas are touched. Narrow trenches can be constructed quickly and with less soil disturbance than older methods. This technology helps locate utilities or install tiny diameter pipes.

• Removal of debris

It may be used to clean up and remove debris without causing any damage to existing infrastructure. It can be used to clean manholes and drainage infrastructure.

• Potholing

The most effective method for exposing subterranean infrastructure without causing damage is potholing. Hydro excavation in a busy location is a cost-effective alternative to perform these tasks.

Hydrovac trucks and their operators are increasingly being tasked with potholing and daylighting. This is the process of exposing existing subsurface facilities before starting new infrastructure construction or repairing them. Because the water and vacuum used to excavate do not cause harm to these facilities, hydro excavation is known as non-destructive digging. Unlike traditional technologies like shovels and backhoes, which can harm subsurface utilities and their operators, hydro-excavation can safely excavate and expose them. A hydro-vac is efficient, precise, and safe for these jobs.

• Excavating in tight spaces

Hydrovac excavation is one of the most excellent options to consider when working in close locations, such as narrow roadways, planting strips, or backyards with limited room.

• Excavation in cold weather

Controlled excavation is the safest approach to digging in freezing circumstances without exposing personnel to dangerously low temperatures.

• The pole setting

Hydrovac truck can help in pole drilling and excavation.

Conclusion

One of the safest trenching procedures is vacuum excavation with the hydrovac truck. However, on-site staff and the general public would be at risk if sufficient safety procedures were not taken. Excavations can be dangerous, but strict attention to safety measures can help you prevent them.