A valve system, including first, second, third and fourth ports, a first flow path connecting the first and second ports, a second flow path connecting the third and fourth ports, with valves connected in the first and second flow paths, and energizable to block the same. A third flow path connects the first and second ports and a fourth flow path connects the third and fourth ports. The third and fourth flow paths are more restricted than the respective first and second flow paths. A fifth flow path connects the first and fourth ports and a sixth flow path connects the second and third ports. When the third and fourth flow paths are open, the first, second, fifth, and sixth flow paths are blocked. When the first and second flow paths are open, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth flow paths are blocked. When the fifth and sixth flow paths are open, the first, second, third, and fourth, flow paths are blocked.

A work machine includes: a chassis; a backhoe assembly carried by the chassis, the backhoe assembly including: a boom pivotably linked to the chassis at a boom pivot point; a boom angle sensor associated with the boom pivot point; a stick extendably linked to the boom; a stick extension sensor associated with the stick; a bucket pivotably linked to the stick at a bucket pivot point; and a bucket angle sensor associated with the bucket pivot point. A controller coupled to the boom angle sensor, the stick extension sensor, and the bucket angle sensor is configured to: determine a boom angle of the boom; determine a stick extension of the stick; determine a bucket angle of the bucket; and output a bucket location signal corresponding to a current bucket position and a current bucket orientation, relative to the chassis, based on the determined boom angle, stick extension, and bucket angle.

A method and apparatus for installing a monitoring cable or other utility near an existing pipeline. An electromagnetic signal may be induced on the pipeline. Sensors disposed on an installation vehicle communicate with a processor to determine a distance and orientation of the vehicle relative to the pipeline. A plow or other digging tool opens a trench and installs the cable along a path disposed next to the pipeline within an acceptable distance range from the pipeline. The vehicle may be remotely or automatically operated.

Provided is a microtrench fill comprising concrete, a polymer, and a colorant. Also provided is a method of using the microtrench fill to fill a microtrench in a street or walkway.

A process for safely excavating to reveal underground utilities. The process includes the steps of: identifying known utilities; planning an excavation trench; excavating the trench by: (i) making a cut of the excavation trench at a selected depth; (ii) extracting material from the trench; (iii) observing the trench; (iv) adjusting the depth of cut; and repeating (i) to (iv) until the process is complete.

A material moving machine including an implement, a camera, an augmented display, and a controller including an image generator. The controller is programmed to store a three-dimensional model of underground features of the terrain, capture an implement image comprising the implement and terrain, generate through the image generator a superimposed image by superimposing corresponding portions of the implement image and the three-dimensional model of underground features, generate a virtual trench based on the position of the implement, overlay the virtual trench on the superimposed image to generate an augmented reality overlay image comprising the virtual trench and the superimposed portions of the implement image and the three-dimensional model of underground features, generate through the image generator the augmented reality overlay image, and display the augmented reality overlay image on the augmented display.

The boundary tracking system has a plurality of signal transmitting devices located to represent at least one boundary of a work site. The boundary tracking system also has a receiving device configured to receive signals transmitted from one or more of the plurality of transmitting devices and to generate an output based on the received signals. The boundary tracking system also has a controller configured to determine a location of at least one of the plurality of transmitting devices based on the output from the receiving device.

Provided is a method of identifying a location and/or type of buried device by a device identifier fill covering the buried device. Also provided is a buried device under the device identifier fill.

A system and method for utility maintenance may include a robotic system having an articulating arm capable of utilizing a variety of tools and sensors for locating and accessing underground structures. The robotic system may be contained within a truck or other vehicle that provides access to the ground through the floor of the vehicle or truck bed. A curtain may be extended from a bottom of the vehicle to the ground to enclose a work site and inhibit visual and physical access to it.

A method for an implement for use with an excavator includes having a radar implement rotatably connected to an arm of the excavator, the radar implement having a ground penetrating radar at a lower surface thereof, rotating the radar implement to a first angle, the arm radially moving the radar implement while maintaining the first angle, collecting output of the ground penetrating radar during the moving, rotating the radar implement to a second angle generally orthogonal to the first angle, the arm radially moving the radar implement while maintaining the second angle, and collecting output of the ground penetrating radar during the second moving.