Section

Projects in the Field

Real jobs. Focused excavation. Explore the challenge, approach, and result behind our hydrovac work across Ohio.

22 project case studies

Emergency

Cleveland, OH

Night Emergency Dig

Challenge: A damaged utility at an urban roadside required an after-hours response.
Our approach: The crew used truck-mounted light towers and vacuum excavation to expose the utility while traffic controls maintained the work zone.
Result: The damaged utility was exposed during the overnight response.

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Trenching

Newark, OH

Industrial Trench Network

Challenge: An operating industrial plant needed trenching through compacted gravel around marked utilities.
Our approach: ABI daylighted existing lines and used hydrovac excavation to form the trench network.
Result: The facility stayed in service and the marked utilities remained untouched.

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HDD Support

Cincinnati, OH

HDD Bore Verification

Challenge: A directional drilling crew needed to confirm existing utility positions along its bore path.
Our approach: Working from the paved shoulder, ABI opened sequential vacuum potholes with safety fencing along the trench edge.
Result: Utility depth and alignment were confirmed before drilling began.

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Cold Weather

Toledo, OH

Frozen-Ground Excavation

Challenge: An emergency dig faced frozen ground, snowfall, and overnight winter conditions.
Our approach: The crew used heated water and vacuum excavation inside a controlled work zone.
Result: Excavation continued through the frozen ground, keeping the emergency work moving.

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Remote Hose

Dayton, OH

Remote-Hose Confined Dig

Challenge: The excavation area was beyond the truck's reach across wooded ground.
Our approach: ABI extended remote vacuum hose from the truck to the confined work area.
Result: The crew reached the dig without a lane closure or mechanical equipment inside the work zone.

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Debris Removal

Columbus, OH

Slurry Haul-Off

Challenge: Excavated soil and slurry needed to be removed from an active jobsite.
Our approach: ABI collected the spoils in a sealed debris tank and hauled them to the disposal site.
Result: A single-trip haul-off cleared the spoils and left the work area clean.

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Industrial

Ohio Valley

Refinery Flare-Stack Dig

Challenge: An active refinery required nighttime excavation around live process lines.
Our approach: Crews carried out precision excavation under the facility's safety protocols.
Result: The excavation proceeded around the process lines during the night shift.

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Utility

Columbus, OH Metro

Residential Driveway Potholing

Challenge: A buried service line needed to be located beneath a finished concrete driveway.
Our approach: The operator used a hand-held vacuum hose to excavate a targeted opening.
Result: The service line was located while limiting disturbance to the surrounding driveway and yard.

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Trenching

Lancaster, OH

Trench-Shield Utility Excavation

Challenge: A deep utility trench required controlled soil removal within a trench shield.
Our approach: ABI used the vacuum hose to clear the utility zone inside the shield.
Result: The utility zone was cleared within the protected trench.

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Mobilization

Licking County, OH

Rural Site Mobilization

Challenge: A rural jobsite needed excavation capacity without repeated water refill runs.
Our approach: ABI mobilized a truck with a 12-cubic-yard debris tank and 1,200 gallons of onboard water.
Result: Onboard capacity kept the dig cycle moving without refill trips.

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Emergency

Columbus, OH

Night Roadway Utility Exposure

Challenge: An after-hours roadway job needed utility exposure ahead of morning traffic.
Our approach: The crew worked from the grassy shoulder, extending the boom into the excavation area.
Result: The utility was exposed and the lane returned to service before the morning commute.

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Residential

Westerville, OH

Residential Site Work

Challenge: A residential excavation required equipment staging around a finished lawn.
Our approach: ABI staged the hydrovac on the driveway and used its onboard water and debris capacity.
Result: The truck stayed off the lawn and the dig progressed without extra trips.

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Cold Weather

Chillicothe, OH

Frozen-Ground Winter Dig

Challenge: Winter conditions had stopped mechanical excavation at a utility site.
Our approach: ABI used heated-water hydrovac excavation to work through the frozen ground.
Result: The winter utility dig continued despite the ground conditions.

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HDD Support

Newark, OH

Directional Drill Site Support

Challenge: An HDD crew needed existing utilities exposed before starting a bore on a building site.
Our approach: ABI potholed the bore path while the directional drill staged nearby.
Result: Existing utilities were exposed before drilling began.

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Emergency

Delaware, OH

Fire Suppression Line Exposure

Challenge: A damaged fire suppression line required emergency access after hours.
Our approach: The crew vacuum-excavated a deep, narrow cut and cleared soil from the line.
Result: The line was exposed so the repair crew could begin work that same night.

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Utility

Pickerington, OH

Residential Sewer Line Repair

Challenge: A failed clay-tile sewer line lay beside a home's foundation and near a gas service.
Our approach: Vacuum excavation opened access to the sewer while keeping the dig clear of the adjacent gas service and meter.
Result: The excavation provided access for removal of the old sewer sections and placement of the replacement line.

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Utility

Zanesville, OH

Roadway Utility Daylighting

Challenge: A muddy roadside trench contained multiple existing utility lines.
Our approach: ABI worked from the shoulder and vacuumed slurry from the utility exposure at dusk.
Result: The trench was cleared while the roadway remained open to traffic.

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Utility

Columbus, OH

Downtown Street Exposure

Challenge: A utility access point between downtown storefronts required a focused excavation.
Our approach: The hydrovac boom worked the access point on the street.
Result: The utility exposure was completed with limited disruption to nearby businesses.

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Trenching

Dublin, OH

Protected Trench Coordination

Challenge: Commercial-site utility work needed a clearly controlled excavation area.
Our approach: Crews coordinated trench work within a marked caution perimeter.
Result: Utility work proceeded with access to the trench area controlled.

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Cold Weather

Mansfield, OH

Cold-Weather Muddy Excavation

Challenge: Wet conditions left a commercial-site utility trench waterlogged.
Our approach: ABI used high-flow vacuum removal to clear water and slurry while the crew stayed outside the exposure.
Result: The trench was kept clear as excavation continued.

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Mobilization

Columbus, OH

Dusk Mobilization

Challenge: An active building site required excavation support late in the day.
Our approach: ABI mobilized the truck and used light towers to support boom work at twilight.
Result: Excavation continued into the evening.

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Potholing

Columbus, OH

Deep Pothole Verification

Challenge: Upcoming work required confirmation of utility depth and alignment beneath a concrete pad.
Our approach: ABI opened a targeted pothole and used the vacuum hose to clear the exposure.
Result: The exposed utility could be checked for depth and alignment before the next phase of work.

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Built for contractors

A Long-Term Hydrovac Partner

ABI Hydrovac supports the utilities and contractors who keep critical infrastructure moving. Explore how our crews can support your next project.

Utility & Pipeline Contractors

Daylight crossings, verify buried lines, and support HDD crews in congested utility corridors.

Pipeline support

Industrial & Commercial Projects

Plan controlled excavation around active facilities, substations, and constrained sites.

Industrial capabilities

General Contractors & Municipalities

Get a single hydrovac partner for potholing, narrow excavation, water and sewer exposure, and field coordination.

Municipal services

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