Why this investigation mattered
The project combined a sizeable survey footprint with several utility classes that can produce very different radar responses. Metallic power infrastructure, water services and telecommunications may vary in diameter, material, burial depth and installation history, so interpretation could not depend on a single “typical” radar signature.
A 3 m survey grid was used to create repeatable area coverage. The technical challenge was to preserve route continuity between survey lines while avoiding over-interpretation of isolated reflections caused by surface layers, backfill changes or non-utility features.
Investigation strategy
The survey was structured around the specified grid and the excavation-risk objective. Profiles were reviewed as a connected dataset rather than line by line in isolation, allowing potential utility responses to be traced through the area.
Interpretation prioritized linear continuity, repeatable geometry and consistency with known utility behavior. Water, electrical, telecommunication and fibre findings were then organized for engineering use, with uncertainty retained where the data did not justify a definitive classification.
