Borrow

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In many types of excavation, materials must be removed to make way for construction; borrow excavation does just the opposite. Materials such as soil or gravel are taken from a “borrow” pit or “sandbox” for use in an alternate location. These materials may be used for grading, filling, or mixing with other construction materials such as concrete.

Channel

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Channel excavation comprises the removal of materials from channels and drainage ditches to change the flow of water or boost capacity. This helps to alleviate flooding, stagnation and sediment build-up.

Drainage/Structure

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Drainage carries water away from areas and could include ditches, trenches and storm drains. These ditches must be excavated to divert water away from infrastructure, agriculture, habitation, and other areas that could be harmed.

Dredge

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Sediment deposits in waterways can build up over the years, creating an impassable area. Dredging, a type of excavation, takes place underwater in rivers or shallow ocean passages to remove sediment to other locations. This allows boat traffic to smoothly navigate the waterway without getting stuck.

Earth

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This involves the removal of soil for the purposes of laying a structural foundation, digging a drainage ditch, or performing a multitude of other construction or engineering projects.

Footings

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Footings are foundations and structures utilized in supporting buildings and bridges through the spreading of the load so that the heavy structure above does not sink or collapse. Footing excavation usually happens after a building site has been properly graded, which is when excavation can begin. This type of excavation is more precise than other types, as the concrete is poured and left to set.

Muck

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This is a type of excavation involving a combination of water and soil. Specifically, muck includes water and soil that is undesirable in some way, usually due to contamination or because the water content makes an area impassable. Excavation in this instance can remove muck and place it in another area, or spread it so that soil can dry out.

Roadway

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Excavation related to roadways may serve many different purposes. Excavated materials can be removed to another location to enable road construction, or they can be used in the building of the roadway in regards to embankments, for example. Unsuitable slope materials will be excavated and removed, and other excavated materials will be added to replace them.

Rock

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Rock excavation is needed for rocky surfaces that impede construction or engineering projects. This type of excavation is more challenging than other types, sometimes requiring specialized equipment to break up and remove rocks before a project can move ahead.

Stripping

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Stripping involves clearing a large area rather than digging a pit or trench. Before construction or engineering projects can start, an area should be cleared of topsoil, gravel, rocks and sand; grading may also need to be done. In this case, excavation will comprise clearing away wide, shallow swaths of material.

Topsoil

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Often confused with stripping because stripping is used to remove topsoil, this type of excavation is specific to the material (topsoil), which consists of vegetation and the upper-most level of soil.