What is Hydro Excavation?

Hydro excavation also know as a soft dig is a precise, non-mechanical, non-destructive excavation process that uses pressurized water and a high-powered vacuum to excavate and remove soil. As the water breaks up the soil it creates a slurry that is pulled by the vacuum into the debris tank. These debris can be removed from the site of left for refilling the excavated hole at a later time.

What is Vacuum Excavation?

Vacuum excavation, also known as a soft dig often uses an air lance to safely break down soil and other materials to be vacuumed up on site. Vacuum excavation is a safer, more environmentally friendly, and cost-effective alternative to traditional excavation techniques. It's also safer, faster, cleaner, and quieter. Vacuum excavation can also be used to describe hydro excavation as hydro excavation exchanges water pressure for air pressure to break down the soil.

Is Hydro Excavation Safe?

Yes, as compared to mechanical excavation with an excavator, other heavy machinery or even a shovel. Hydro excavation and vacuum excavation have much less opportunity for the utility to be damaged, or the operator to be injured.

How does GPR work?

A GPR system is made up of two main components: a control unit and antenna. The radar transmits high frequency, short duration pulses of energy into the ground from a coupled antenna. Transient electromagnetic waves are reflected, refracted, and diffracted in the subsurface by changes in electrical conductivity and dielectric properties. Travel times of those waves are analyzed to give depths, geometry, and material type information. The energy returning to the antenna is processed within the control unit and displayed on the receiver. A favorable feature of GPR is its ability to noninvasively produce high-resolution images of the subsurface, and detect points or areas that have different reflection patterns than neighboring areas. An area or point having a contrasting spatial reflection pattern is often referred to as an anomaly because of its uncertainty and/or non-uniqueness. An anomaly often indicates there is something different in the subsurface. In an archaeological context, an anomaly may indicate an area of disturbance or an artifact buried in the soil. However, even under favorable site conditions (i.e. dry, coarse-textured soils) the detection of an anomaly is never assured with GPR. The detection of an anomaly is affected by 1) the electromagnetic gradient existing between the feature and the soil; 2) the size, depth, and shape of the buried feature; and 3) the presence of scattering bodies within the soil. The amount of energy that is reflected back to a GPR antenna is dependent on the contrast in dielectric permittivity that exists across subsurface boundaries or interfaces. Dielectric permittivity quantifies how easily a material becomes polarized in the presence of an electric field. The greater and more abrupt the contrast between an anomaly (e.g., buried archaeological feature) and the surrounding soil, the greater the amount of energy reflected back to the antenna, and the more intense and conspicuous the reflected signal.

What is your service area?

Atlantic Soft Dig is headquartered in Jacksonville Florida. We often have team working around the state and can often serve customers in Gainesville, Palm Coast, St Augustine, Tampa, Orlando, St Petersburg, Clearwater, Port St Lucie, Cape Coral, Ft Myers, Naples, Ft Lauderdale, Melbourne, Palm Bay, St Cloud and more.