Partial Excavation
This inspection type adds one component to the sound and bore inspection: A below grade excavation confined to an area of the pole of high decay probability.
Inspection Specifications:
Visual Inspection
Excavation
Sounding
Boring
Data Collection: This is customer-driven, but the minimum requirement would be a GPS point taken at the pole. Notations of attributes of the pole, which include physical characteristics, would usually be on a staking sheet (height, class, vintage) and any hardware or pole issues.
Data Delivery: Should be given in a suitable electronic format, typically a shapefile (.shp), Excel or Access format. Some utilities request a mark up of their maps for important information such as reject location. RAM generates detailed maps from the data acquired during the pole inspection and presents it in a book form at the end of the job.
Accuracy: This is a big step up from the visual or sound inspections. Adding a boring improves accuracy greatly. Adding a boring below groundline moves the accuracy another leap forward.
Cost: This is a high-value pole inspection. Cost per pole is still low, but accuracy is improved significantly with the excavation.
Inspection Specifications:
Visual Inspection
- 360 degrees of the pole are viewed from the point of intersection of the pole and the ground to the top of the pole.
Excavation
- At a probable decay point (large check extending below ground line, machinery damage or other decay visual indicator).
- Depth of 6” to 8”.
- Width of one shovel width.
- Placement centered on 1) Largest check (vertical split) extending below ground line. 2) Machinery Damage 3) Visual Decay Indicator
Sounding
- From the ground line area to as high as one can reach from the ground.
- 6” apart from ground line to 2’ above ground line. 12” apart above 2’.
Boring
- ½” to the left or the right of the largest check (vertical split) that extends below ground.
- From ground line to the bottom of the excavation, depending on the height of the water table in the area. For drier areas, the excavation should be deeper.
- Angle of boring, depending on the height of the water table, anywhere from 0 to 60 degrees (steeper for lower water table).
- Boring extends to the center of the pole.
- All borings plugged with a tight-fitting treated dowel.
- Soil is replaced in the same manner as it was removed.
Data Collection: This is customer-driven, but the minimum requirement would be a GPS point taken at the pole. Notations of attributes of the pole, which include physical characteristics, would usually be on a staking sheet (height, class, vintage) and any hardware or pole issues.
Data Delivery: Should be given in a suitable electronic format, typically a shapefile (.shp), Excel or Access format. Some utilities request a mark up of their maps for important information such as reject location. RAM generates detailed maps from the data acquired during the pole inspection and presents it in a book form at the end of the job.
Accuracy: This is a big step up from the visual or sound inspections. Adding a boring improves accuracy greatly. Adding a boring below groundline moves the accuracy another leap forward.
Cost: This is a high-value pole inspection. Cost per pole is still low, but accuracy is improved significantly with the excavation.
