Croydon – Structural Report Using a CCTV Crawler Unit

The Project

Tracing and Assessing a 900mm Culvert Beneath a Proposed Development Site.

KD Drainage attended a proposed building site in Croydon for commercial client Pleiadian Property Ltd.

The brief was to investigate a substantial underground drainage asset, establish the location of the culvert and provide information on its structural condition.

The culvert measured approximately 900mm in diameter, making it substantially larger than typical domestic drainage pipework and well suited to inspection using a specialist CCTV crawler unit.

Our engineers used the crawler system to travel through the culvert, capture internal footage and help trace the route of the drainage infrastructure across the proposed development site.

The Challenge

Surveying a Large Underground Culvert Over a Significant Distance.

Large-diameter culverts present a different surveying challenge from standard household drainage pipework.

The pipe diameter, survey distance and need to understand the route of the underground asset meant a conventional push-rod drainage camera would not provide the same level of access or control.

The client also needed more than a simple blockage check. The purpose of the investigation was to understand both the location and structural condition of the drainage infrastructure beneath a proposed development site.

A remotely operated crawler system therefore provided a much more suitable platform for carrying out the inspection.

Our Solution

Remote CCTV Inspection Using a Specialist Crawler Unit.

KD Drainage deployed a CCTV crawler unit designed for surveying larger-diameter drainage systems and long pipe runs.

Unlike a manually pushed inspection camera, the crawler is remotely controlled and travels through the pipe on its own powered chassis.

The camera can be directed within the pipe to provide a closer inspection of areas of interest while footage is viewed by the engineer from the surface.

This enabled our team to trace the 900mm culvert, assess its internal condition and gather the information required for the structural report.

What Is a CCTV Crawler?

Specialist Surveying Equipment for Larger and Longer Pipe Runs.

A CCTV crawler is a remotely operated camera system designed to travel through drainage pipework under its own power.

The crawler’s camera can be controlled from the surface, allowing the engineer to inspect different parts of the pipe wall and investigate areas of particular interest.

This makes crawler systems particularly useful for larger-diameter drains, culverts and long pipe runs where conventional push cameras may be less suitable.

The footage can then form part of a detailed CCTV drainage survey and structural condition report.

Commercial CCTV Surveys

What Can a CCTV Drain Survey Identify?

CCTV surveying allows drainage engineers to inspect pipework internally rather than relying solely on what can be seen from access chambers or above ground.

The footage can reveal structural defects, obstruction and installation problems that would otherwise remain hidden underground.

Depending on the purpose of the survey, CCTV can also help establish drainage routes and provide information needed for maintenance, repairs or proposed construction works.

For larger commercial drainage infrastructure, crawler systems allow the same principle to be applied to pipework that is significantly larger or extends over greater distances.

Need to Survey Large Drainage Infrastructure?

Need a CCTV Crawler Survey or Structural Drainage Report?

KD Drainage provides specialist CCTV inspection for commercial drainage systems, large-diameter pipework and complex underground drainage infrastructure.

Whether you need to establish the condition, route or location of existing drainage before construction work, speak to our team about the most appropriate survey equipment for the site.