Skip to main content

Innovative utilities approach

An innovative approach to the management of utilities works is the result of a partnership that has produced the Intelligent Trench. This novel underground mapping solution is also being combined with PelicanCorp's beforeUdig service to deliver a comprehensive and accurate national record-sharing service for underground assets in the UK. The new no-charge service allows local authorities and contractors to use the Intelligent Trench portal to access utility plan information directly from the portal's data b
March 20, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
An innovative approach to the management of utilities works is the result of a partnership that has produced the Intelligent Trench. This novel underground mapping solution is also being combined with 3178 PelicanCorp's beforeUdig service to deliver a comprehensive and accurate national record-sharing service for underground assets in the UK. The new no-charge service allows local authorities and contractors to use the Intelligent Trench portal to access utility plan information directly from the portal's data base, as well as to initiate utility plan requests for additional plan information through the beforeUdig service.

And the data is available through a one-stop operation. The service provides asset data quickly and efficiently, saving time and money for all stakeholders, helps improve the on-site safety of workers, and protects underground assets from accidental damage. Steve Voller, industry solutions director for 4019 Bentley Systems, representing Intelligent Trench, and Marcus Edwards, managing director of PelicanCorp (UK), have jointly stated that the service has been developed to meet the need for a solution combining direct access to underground asset data using the Intelligent Trench portal and an automated plan request service.

The web portal is based on 2603 Exor technology, which is part of Bentley's AssetWise platform for asset lifecycle management. With this combined service, planners or contractors requiring information about these assets can reduce the time required to source key data. As a result, they reduce their costs and benefit from the timely delivery of the location records they require. Intelligent Trench combines advanced radio frequency identification (RFID) asset marking from 152 3M, field-based GPS data collection software from 4021 Trac-ID, a web portal and Exor spatial asset data base from Bentley Systems, and industry best practices, such as noninvasive surveys, from Infotec. Together, these technologies enable every excavation to be accurately and cost-effectively recorded, photographed, and mapped on a web portal. Access to the stored data is provided free of charge to registered users. PelicanCorp's beforeUdig service enables plan requests to be made from all relevant asset owners. It lets contractors request plans from utilities in a very simple step-by-step process. Once the request has been lodged with beforeUdig, each utility is notified of the intention to dig.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • PTV’s novel traffic analysis system
    April 25, 2013
    German traffic analysis consultant and software maker PTV, which produces the well-known Visum and Vissim strategic traffic analysis and micro-simulation tools, has launched a new assessment tool aimed at studying traffic impact of new developments. PTV Vistro is claimed to be the first all-in­ one-solution for transport analysis and signal optimisation, an easy-to-use software that can be used to conduct traffic studies which are often a mandatory part of development applications and planning approvals.
  • Smart system for recording road repairs
    May 25, 2016
    The new Site-Track system is said to offer a sophisticated tool for tracking road repairs. The system can be used for identifying new installation or repairs for utilities and recording all utilities in the immediate area of the installation. The package offers a method of relocating previously recorded information rapidly, without the need for advanced skills or technologies such as GPS and is said to be invaluable for night-time or emergency works. The package can provide accurate location of critica
  • Yotta upgrades asset management package
    May 19, 2015
    Yotta is now offering the latest version of its Horizons visualised asset management platform. Version 2.6 of the package is said to provide a better user experience with improved visualisation. The latest version of the cloud-based solution also offers improved transparency with upgraded reporting providing clear and auditable work trails. Users of Horizons 2.6 can now directly link documents and images in Horizons, improving access to detailed information about a specific asset through the use of phot
  • Reality check: Topcon’s Aptix
    July 20, 2023
    The biggest challenge facing construction professionals and general contractors is disconnected data and/or siloed data sources. The recently launched Aptix integration platform has broken down these silos, explains Topcon’s Scott Langbein.