Jeong, H S; Abraham, D M and Lew, J J (2004) Evaluation of an emerging market in subsurface utility engineering. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 130(2), pp. 225-234. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Subsurface utility engineering (SUE) is a fast growing industry segment in the civil engineering arena. Subsurface utility engineering is gaining credibility as a significant tool to reduce the risk from informational uncertainty associated with underground facilities in a construction project. Subsurface utility engineering can minimize the risk primarily through mapping existing underground utility facilities, utilizing surface geophysical technologies, surveying and data management systems. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation of SUE to facilitate a better understanding of this emerging industry by the many in the construction domain that are relatively unfamiliar with it. Topics investigated include quality levels in SUE, incorporation of SUE strategy at different stages in the construction project, and cost-benefit analysis of SUE based on 71 actual construction projects where SUE was employed. In addition, the results obtained from questionnaire surveys of State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and the SUE industry are analyzed, which reveal the trend of state DOTs in the use of SUE and various aspects of SUE business in private sectors.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | geophysical surveys; information management; underground construction; utilities |
| Index terms: | underground construction, private sector, data management, utilities, construction project, mapping, questionnaire, emerging market, surveying, strategy, survey |
| Subjects: | data management, geotechnical engineering, industry analysis, management, spatial and geospatial analysis, production management, economic analysis, health monitoring assessment and metrics, construction type, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, International Construction, Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Health and Safety, Research Practice, Project Management, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here