Technology Report 2022

New Technology Hub and Digital Resource

This year’s Technology Report features the rollout of a new Technology Hub focused on providing enhanced access to information describing damage prevention technologies. The new searchable microsite of CGA Technology Reports, case studies and other information is modeled after CGA’s online Best Practices. Within the new Technology Hub, case studies will identify the stakeholder group(s) the technology is intended for, using the same icons used in CGA’s Best Practices Guide (see below).

The site will also give users the ability to search and filter by stakeholder, as well as key terms and phrases. Many case studies will fit multiple stakeholder groups and categories. This new hub will allow stakeholders to quickly identify the technologies and case studies of greatest relevance to them. It will also provide more visibility and access to the case studies beyond the initial publication of the annual Technology Reports.

CGA members and industry stakeholders can access the content at technology.commongroundalliance.com.

CGA’s digital damage prevention Technology Hub also classifies information into seven categories: 

• Encroachment – Detection of when/where excavation activity is getting close to buried lines.  Examples include geo-fencing, thermal imaging, vacuum excavation.
• Facility Installation – Reducing chance of damage to other buried utilities during installation or making new facilities locatable. Examples include slot trenching, RFID tags, marker balls, coated/embedded tracer wire in plastic pipe.
• Locating – Equipment, techniques and training. Examples include electromagnetic, RFID, GPR, Sondes.
• Mapping – Increased accuracy, accessibility, and/or reducing cost or time to complete mapping, etc. Examples include LIDAR, RTK, GNSS, SLAM.
• Pipeline Integrity – Maintaining pipeline integrity, including detection and mitigation of cross bores.
• Positioning – Incorporating GPS/GNSS satellites to identify the position of buried lines and/or other items such as excavation equipment, locating devices, persons, vehicles, etc.
• Software – Incorporating software to enable digital collection, storage and sharing of data, use on mobile devices, desktops, etc. Examples include artificial intelligence, risk assessments, electronic white-lining, data collection, enhanced positive response.