Disclosed are methods and apparatus for identifying non-metallic subterranean structures using amorphous metal markers associated with the structures. Some examples will include the amorphous metal in the form of one or more sections of an amorphous metal foil within a protective enclosure sufficient to physically isolate the amorphous metal foil from the surrounding Earth. The amorphous metal foil and enclosure may be in the form of a tape which either will be secured to, or placed proximate the subterranean structure, which may be, for example, a pipe or conduit, or other non-metallic structure.

A system to drive vacuum equipment on a truck having an engine and a transmission includes a power take-off (PTO) unit configured to be coupled to a PTO port located on a side of the transmission. The system also includes a PTO shaft coupled to the PTO unit, vacuum equipment mounted to the truck, and a first gear box coupled to the PTO shaft and the first gear box configured to transfer power to the vacuum equipment. In addition, the system includes at least one belt coupled to the gear box, where the at least one belt drives additional auxiliary equipment. The additional auxiliary equipment comprises at least one of a water pump and a hydraulic pump, where the hydraulic pump is configured to stop and reverse a flow of hydraulic fluid to stop and reverse a rotational direction of air through the blower.

Disclosed herein is a device and method for correlating core sample zones with an actual subterranean depth. The disclosed device has a pair of independent distance measuring devices operably in communication with a core sample apparatus where a first distance measuring device measures the length of a core sample entering a core sampling tube and a second distance measuring device measures a drive depth of the core sampling tube entering into the ground. A processing unit is provided for correlating the two distances so as to allow a determination as to the actual depth below ground from where a given zone of the core sample is extracted.

A system and method for laying an underwater pipeline is provided. The present invention includes a plurality of pipe support rings connected together by tension cables. The tension cables are secured to a S or J laying ship by a winch. The plurality of pipe support rings form a pipe channel sized to guide the underwater pipeline. The present invention further includes a sea water pipe having a distal portion and a proximal end. The proximal end is fluidly connected with a pump on board the ship. The distal end includes a plurality of nozzles. The sea water pipe is disposed underneath the plurality of pipe support rings. The underwater pipeline is fed through the plurality of pipe support rings while the nozzles form a trench on a sea bed.

A stirring device is adapted to be used for a water storage system. The stirring device includes a tube unit and a stirring unit. The tube unit includes a rigid tube member, and a flexible tube member adapted for interconnecting the rigid tube member and an inlet of the water storage system. The stirring unit includes a center rod extending rotatably into the rigid tube member along an longitudinal direction of the rigid tube member, a support subunit positioning the center rod within the rigid tube member, a driver fan subunit mounted to the center rod and adapted to be driven by water for actuating rotation of the center rod, and a stirring member mounted co-rotatably to the center rod and adapted for stirring sediments in the water.

A system for laying an underwater pipeline on a bed of a body of water has a construction site to form a string of an underwater pipeline, the string being defined by a curved portion shaped substantially like a portion of the bed of the body of water characterized by an abrupt change in slope; at least two vessels to transfer, in the body of water, the string from the construction site to a laying site in the body of water and substantially on the vertical of a path along which to lay the string; and a plurality of floating devices configured to be coupled to the string and so as to selectively support and sink the string in the body of water, and progressively lay the string along the path on the bed of the body of water.

The invention relates to a method for ground-working at a bottom of a body of water and a cleaning device for cleaning an underwater ground-working apparatus. The cleaning device has an enclosing body which extends substantially from a bottom of a body of water to above the water surface and enclosing an inner space, along which the ground-working apparatus can be moved, and a separating device, through which in the enclosing body an upper portion of the inner space can be separated off to form a cleaning area, in which the ground-working apparatus can be received and soil and contamination cleaned from it.

A shovel includes an attachment including a working assembly, a diesel engine provided with a supercharger, an oil hydraulic pump connected to the diesel engine provided with the supercharger, and a controller that executes a preload boost function, wherein the preload boost function is for increasing boost pressure of the supercharger prior to increasing a hydraulic pressure load on the oil hydraulic pump, wherein a range accessible by a predetermined part of the attachment includes a partial range at which, upon the working assembly being operated, the preload boost function is to be executed and a partial range at which, upon the working assembly being operated, the preload boost function is not to be executed.

A method and apparatus for digging and removing excavated material provides a mobile device, having a movable or self-propelled chassis, and an elongated, preferably articulated boom with a free end portion having an excavating implement (e.g., digging, excavating or jetting tool). The boom has at least three sections that are foldable to a storage position on the chassis wherein one boom section stacks upon or is aligned with another boom section. The vacuum line is supported upon the boom, extending along the boom and above the earth's surface, wherein the vacuum line extends between the free end portion of the boom and the chassis. The boom attaches to the chassis at a base. The excavated material is vacuumed with the vacuum line into a collection vessel or tank that can be a part of a wheeled vehicle. A separate vacuum truck can provide a vacuum to a selected collection tank.

The invention relates to a method for dredging an underwater bottom in an area using a dredging device. The method includes: determining the present positions of the dredging device and of a source of contamination in the area; entering input data relating to the area into a hydrodynamic model of the area; determining with the hydrodynamic model the degree of contamination at positions in the area resulting from spread of the contamination from the source; comparing the degree of contamination at positions in the area to a threshold value for these positions; and optionally adapting the dredging if the degree of contamination exceeds the threshold value. Underwater bottom can be dredged using the invented method, such that on the one hand the production is maximized and on the other the consequences for the natural environment are minimized.