Mistakes in excavation and embankment during construction can lead to costly and hazardous conditions, including broken pipe and utility lines, sinkholes, cracked foundations, improperly set footings, and more. This step of construction is so critical to the entire operation’s success that it takes an entire dedicated, experienced team to execute properly.

Whether the contract involves moving thousands of cubic yards of material, or just a few smaller excavations, the excavation company you select should have specialists who analyze the site for soil composition, field measurements, and local environmental concerns.

Here are just a few ways that Judson Construction Company identifies and guards against potential mistakes in earthwork and excavation construction.

Protect Pipe and Utility Lines

Buried pipes, sewer laterals, and utility lines can represent a grave hazard to both the environment and workers if broken. Underground lines are broken every six minutes in the United States due to improper planning before digging with nearly 450,000 incidents recorded in 2019 alone.

When a line is broken, construction must stop, authorities must be notified, and usually, an investigation occurs. These can lead to costly and expensive delays. And in worst-case scenarios, these accidents can lead to injuries and deaths.

Professional excavation construction companies know that they must arrange for a proper survey of all public utilities. Gas lines, water lines, oil lines, sewer pipes, and electrical lines should be mapped, marked with a color code, and properly protected during any excavation project. 

However, these are not the only subterranean hazards that can cause problems during excavation. A complete analysis of the site can identify any potential problems and proper planning can go a long way in preventing any accidents. 

Some common mistakes when excavating near pipe and utility lines include:

• Not conducting a full survey
• Failing to account for other subterranean conditions and hazards including buried rocks, water tables, or other issues.
• Driving heavy machinery over the top of lines
• Improper soil compaction
• Not being OSHA trained or compliant

Our team ensures proper excavation by surveying the site, conducting soil analysis, working closely with local utilities and municipalities to comply with local regulations, and by assigning a project coordinator that inspects the site daily.

Site Preparation

Before construction begins, the site must be physically walked in addition to doing surveys and terrain maps. This will give the excavation company an idea of the type of vegetation they will encounter, existing structures that need to be removed, any environmental hazards that might be present, and other issues that need to be resolved before the project begins.

Next, a complete survey of the land must be done. 

These geophysical surveys will give the excavation construction team the plan for where the building or road will be placed and how the land must be graded to accommodate the structure.

For some buildings or roads, cuts and embankments must be formed and the area leveled. During this part of the construction process, surveyors will mark the area and provide a guided plan to the project engineer. 

Improper planning or mistakes at this phase could lead to construction delays and other job site hazards. 

Finally, the soil must be analyzed with attention to soil swell and shrinkage factors. This leads us to the next phase.

Soil Testing & Analysis

This phase of site preparation is soil analysis.

Soil engineers will drill for core samples to get an accurate reading of the subterranean conditions and to understand the soil’s composition. Mistakes at this stage of the process can lead to:

• Building failure
• Soil collapse
• Hazardous job conditions
• Trench collapse during trench excavation

To get an accurate reading of the site, a soil engineer will conduct the following tests:

• Moisture content test
• Atterberg limits tests
• The specific gravity of soil
• The dry density of soil
• Compaction (Proctor’s) test

Earthwork Excavation and Compaction

Once all of the factors are known, the project manager can draft a plan of how to proceed with the project. Heavy machinery will be mobilized and the earthwork scope will begin.  Our team will actively survey the site daily.

To get a bid on your next earthwork and excavation project, call us at Judson Construction Company or learn more about our excavation construction process. 

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JUDSON’s team were proud winners of the Associated General Contractors of Utah‘s Highway Specialty Construction Project of the Year for building Utah’s first cable restraint escape truck ramp.

The construction team, engineers – Kimley-Horn, Beason Brackin & Associates, LLC, and client, Utah Department of Transportation all worked together with one common goal, to produce a successful project.

We love projects like this that make the roads we travel safer. Next time you go to Bear Lake, be sure to check it out!

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Structural backfill is used to replace excavated earth around a newly constructed structure. Structural backfill is an important component of building and wall construction as it restores the strength of the surrounding earth to ensure a sturdy structure. At Judson Construction Company, we achieve safe structural backfill for large public and commercial projects.  Here’s how our team performs the structural backfill process.

The Structural Backfill Process

1. Once the structure has been completed, the foundation is waterproofed. This involves applying a self-adhesive waterproof membrane or liquid rubber to the exterior of the foundation after backfilling.
2. After determining the types of material we will use for foundation backfill, we will apply the first layer.  We begin backfilling at the corners while making sure to distribute the material as even as possible in order to provide ample lateral support for the structure. This process will continue until the entire area is filled.
3. The remaining space between the backfill material and ground level will be filled with the material that was originally removed from the ground. Once this material has been laid, it will be compacted down as far as possible. This process will be repeated until the material is even with the ground level.
4. Once the backfill process is complete, grass seed or sod can be planted to blend the backfilled trench with the surrounding area.

The structural backfill process varies based on the structure and requires the work of a heavy industrial contractor. At Judson Construction Company, we own most of the machinery and equipment to handle large amounts of material and ensure a well compacted structure. Our team has a complete and full understanding of equipment operation, safety, and maintenance. Contact Judson Construction Company today to get started on your large structural backfill project!

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Excavation is the process of removing rock, soil and other materials from a site. This is generally performed using heavy earth moving machines like bulldozers. The reasons for performing excavation vary, but some of its common uses include exploration, environmental remediation and construction. The work is generally done by a skilled and experienced heavy industrial contractor in order to ensure a quality job and safety while using the heavy machinery required for larger projects. To help you get a better understanding of the purpose for excavation, here is a list of the top three applications mentioned above and why excavation is needed to perform them.

• Exploration— Digging into the foundation of a job site can tell you a lot about its archeological history. Many significant historical discoveries have been made thanks to the work of skilled excavators. Some incredible finds are mummified bodies in Egypt and dinosaur remains all over the world.
• Environmental Remediation— The purpose of environmental remediation is to clean up a contaminated site. It is a necessary process after oil spills or ground water contaminations. Excavation is used in environmental remediation to get to the root of the problem and begin the cleaning process. This process is often conducted by the government but can be done by individuals and private groups as well.
• Construction— Excavation is performed during the early stages of construction to prepare the site for building. It provides a clean site and gives builders a more clear view of what they will be building on. Contractors also use excavation to determine the quality of the materials beneath a construction or mining site.

There are many important and unique uses for excavation that contribute to the innovation, historical knowledge and environmental well being of our society. Although excavation can be performed by individuals on a small scale, it is best that bigger excavation projects are left to heavy industrial contractors in order to avoid structural damage and perform the process safely. Finding a heavy industrial contractor who is trusted in the industry for quality work, safety and customer service is the first step in a successful excavation process. Do a little online research and ask around for recommendations before selecting your heavy industrial contractor. This will help you find a contractor who not only provides quality work, but values safety and client relationships as well.

Judson Construction Company has been providing trusted structural excavation/backfill services to companies throughout the Intermountain West since 1986. Our goal is to work with our clients to complete quality work as safely and quickly as possible with little to no interruption of the workplace surrounding the jobsite. We have made great progress over the years and are now proud to be one of the leading heavy industrial contractors with an excellent reputation in the industry.  Please visit us online for more information on our certification, safety precautions and experience in excavation.  While you’re there, make sure to check out our project gallery to see what we can do!

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As a full-service engineering and construction firm, Judson Construction Company is built to handle your excavation needs. Using a well-developed process, our excavation contracting team handles every project using strategic planning and care. Depending on your project needs, we will customize our process to fit the structure of work required. However, no matter the project, our team will flawlessly execute every phase.

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 What is Excavation?

Excavation is the process of moving earth, rock, or other materials with tools, equipment, or explosives. It includes earthwork, trenching, wall shafts, tunneling, and underground. Excavation has a number of important applications including exploration, environmental restoration, mining, and construction. Among these, construction is one of the most common applications for excavation. Excavation is used in construction to create building foundations, reservoirs, and roads.

Some of the different processes used in excavation include trenching, digging, dredging, and site development. Each of these processes requires unique techniques, tools, and machinery to get the job done right. The processes used will depend upon the structure that will result from the construction process.

How Does the Excavation Process Work?

Before the excavation and heavy earthworks process can begin, the site must be carefully examined to make sure that the natural habitat and artifacts surrounding it persevered throughout the excavation process. Next, the plans for the size and depth of the site are made and the excavation contractors make drawings from them to clearly mark the excavation site’s boundaries. Once these two important steps have been taken, the excavation work can begin.

The entire excavation process includes:

• setting out corner benchmarks
• surveying ground and top levels
• excavation to the approved depth
• dressing the loose soil
• making up to cut off level
• the construction of dewatering wells and interconnecting trenches
• making boundaries of the building
• the construction of protection bunds and drains

Where Judson Construction Company Excavates?

Excavation construction is used during the construction process of almost every structure. It is used to build the foundation for the construction of homes, roadways, and buildings and creates reservoirs like lakes and pools that house some of our favorite summer activities. It is also relied upon for the mining of precious metals and minerals. Excavation facilitates the construction process and helps our important structures be built to their fullest potential by providing increased control over the job location.

Judson Construction Company offers excavation services in the following locations:

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Idaho
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• Utah
• Wyoming

How to Choose an Excavation Team?

Construction excavation requires experience, skill, and close attention to detail as it deals with large structures and creates the foundation for the entire project. Heavy industrial contractors use advanced techniques, tools, and heavy machinery to make sure that the job is done right. Hiring a heavy industrial contractor to complete large excavation projects will yield the best results.

Get your project started by looking into the heavy industrial contractors that service your area. You will want to take note of their reputations and values on safety to narrow down your list to the top in the industry. You can find this information by conducting a quick Google search, asking around in the construction industry, and/or reviewing their websites. 

Selecting a heavy industrial contractor who values safety, is known for quality work, and has experience in excavation construction will yield the best results for your large excavation project.

Excavation Projects

Judson Construction Company has been providing heavy industrial contracting in the Intermountain West since 1986. Our commitments to quality work, safety, and strong relationships with our clients have made us a leader in the industry in terms of excavation and other construction services.

VIEW EXCAVATION PROJECTS!

Take the Next Step!

Interested in working with Judson Construction Company? Let us help you get started on your project. Contact us to find out more information or to request a bid.

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