Abstract
There are increasing incidences of damages to underground utilities and services during maintenance and construction works. These have posed significant challenges to utility owners regarding the magnitude and costs associated with remediation works. Therefore, this study investigates the management activities for underground utility maintenance works in New Zealand to establish the significance of as-built drawings as a mitigator of these challenges. Data for the analysis was obtained through a questionnaire survey of asset owners, consultants, and contractors based in three major city centres in New Zealand. The responses are analysed descriptively and inferentially for ease of understanding of the study findings. The findings established the challenges around the as-built records, which were significant to utility damages during construction operations in New Zealand. The study participants highlighted other factors such as poor project management, site records, communication, excavation operator competencies, and inadequate site inventory. Generally, more investment in asset documentation is recommended for asset owners. Innovative approaches to information capture, monitoring and updating of as-built drawings are also suggested to improve on current routine processes. Other solutions relate to skills acquisition and development in the management of underground utility maintenance projects.
Highlights
Urban centres around the world comprise a complex web of utilities that constitute the lifelines of those cities
The first part covered the demography of the respondents, the second was on the accuracy of the as-built records and the third part focused on utility damage reports in New Zealand
The demographic information shows that over 70% of the participants work with contractors, and with more than 50% based in the largest regional area of Auckland
Summary
Urban centres around the world comprise a complex web of utilities that constitute the lifelines of those cities. These utilities can be located above or below ground depending on the type of utilities, the urban infrastructure model, costs, maintenance needs, and operational strategies. There is a general tendency to locate more services underground because of their aesthetic benefits, creating a more modern urban environment. Underground utilities comprise power, gas, telecommunication, water, drainage and sewage systems, and other buried services. These buried services are quite often damaged, sometimes avoidably and at other times unavoidably.
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