Air-Vacuum Excavation …….”The Safer Option”

Air Vacuum Excavators utilise high volume air flow to draw material up through the intake nozzle and then deposit straight into containers. Air Vacuum Excavation is ideal for the excavation of materials buried around delicate or dangerous utilities or services such as gas, electric, water, fibre-optics and telecoms.

This type of excavation avoids the need for traditionally invasive digging techniques and allows for the safe removal of contaminated ground whilst also reducing the physical risk to digging teams and the general public. The risk of damage to cables, tree roots and culverts is also dramatically reduced which makes this process a cost-effective solution in comparison to heavy plant hire and digger excavation.

Ducron Construction Ltd have invested in a new Air Vacuum Excavator designed with an integral air compressor unit and variable power water jetting system. This self-contained unit is fitted permanently to the body of a Euro 4, 7.5t truck.

The vehicle also carries diamond coring equipment with the capability to core up to 400mm diameter. Furthermore, cable avoidance equipment in the form of either a RIGID SR-20 Line Locator or a CAT 3+ is carried at all times.

This vehicle is an all in one solution for safer trench excavation in the vicinity of high-risk services, or to specifically locate and identify services.

Another benefit to this particular system is the barrel top interceptor which will allow the vacuum excavator to deposit specific items of waste straight into a 45 gallon drum to be sealed ready for offsite disposal, this item of equipment is particularly useful for pockets of contaminated spoil or oil contaminated stones.

The suction power created by the on-board fan system (twin, triple or quad fan power options) allows these machines to safely excavate the material around buried services without coming into contact or damaging the service. All staff operating the plant are trained as National Grid Competent Persons, BESC & HSG47 and fully trained to operate the vacuum excavating system.

This self contained unit is fitted permanently to the body of a Euro 4, 7.5t truck. The vehicle also carries diamond coring equipment with the capability to core up to 400mm diameter. Furthermore, cable avoidance equipment in the form of either a RIGID SR-20 Line Locator or a CAT 3+ is carried at all times. Ducron see this vehicle as an all in one solution for safer trench excavation in the vicinity of high risk services, or to specifically locate and identify services.

Air-Vacuum Excavation Applications and Benefits Include

• Underground utility locating
• CAT Scan Surveys prior to and during excavations
• Underground utility locating
• Safe trenching methods in areas of high risk
• Location of gas or water line service terminations or installations
• Manhole and valve box cleaning/maintenance
• Environmental deep-soil sampling
• Air is faster in most soils, averaging 10 minutes per pothole (based upon 300mm x 300mm x 1200mm in most soils)
• With air, spoils stay dry for backfilling, eliminating mud disposal problems
• Air is much safer (for the operator and the utilities)
• Air won’t damage the road-base (DOT friendly)
• Significantly reduces the risk of damage claims
• Substantially lower risk of physical injury to the operator.
• Reuse the excavated spoils by depositing it back into the trench upon completion aiding your site recycling and waste policy Air won’t damage the utilities you’re trying to expose
• Pocket contamination removal into sealed 45 gallon drums ready for licensed disposal

To find out how Ducron’s Air Vacuum Excavation services can help with your project, call us on 01227 363815 or use our contact us form.