6/9/2017 Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Quality Levels

Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Quality Levels

Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services enable project designers to manage risks associated with
surprise encounters of buried utilities. These services have been proven to reduce construction costs
related to the risks associated with inaccurate or incomplete utility information. The process is defined by
a publication of the American Society of Civil Engineers entitled Standard Guideline for the Collection
and Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility Data (ASCE CI 38-02). This standard establishes four levels
of quality:

SUE Quality Levels

Quality Level D: Records Research / Data Collection

Level D provides a general overview on the congestion of the utilities. The data is solely derived from
existing records and verbal information, both usually unreliable sources. Therefor the information is very
limited in terms of accuracy and completeness.

Quality Level C: Above-ground survey

Above ground utility features are surveyed and added to the existing Level D data. This level usually
raises more questions than answers: It will expose discrepancies to Level D data by revealing utilities that
have been omitted or incorrectly displayed.

Quality Level B: Utility Designation

Quality Level B. QL-B involves the application of appropriate surface geophysical methods to determine
the existence and horizontal position of the utilities within the project limits. This activity is called
"designating". The information obtained in this manner is surveyed to project control. It addresses
problems caused by inaccurate utility records, abandoned or unrecorded facilities, and lost references.

Quality Level A: Test Hole / Potholing

Quality Level A. QL-A, also known as "locating", is the highest level of accuracy presently available. It
provides information for the precise plan and profile mapping of underground utilities through the
nondestructive exposure of underground utilities, and also provides the type, size, condition, material
and other characteristics of underground features.

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