Built for More Than Fair Weather
Why It’s Crucial to Design Underground Utilities for All Weather Conditions
🥶 Texas isn’t known for long winters, but every so often we get a stretch of cold like this—temperatures in the teens, hard ground in the mornings, and conditions that remind everyone why underground work has to be done right the first time.
When cold weather hits, the biggest changes happen where you can’t see them. Soil tightens up. Moisture behaves differently. Ground that’s usually forgiving suddenly isn’t. And when water freezes, it expands by roughly 9%, increasing pressure on surrounding soil and materials. That’s when shallow lines, poor bedding, or rushed compaction start to show their weaknesses.
This is exactly why underground utilities aren’t designed around “normal” days. They’re designed around standards that account for extremes—even the ones that only show up once in a while. Proper depth keeps lines protected. Correct bedding supports the pipe when soil shifts. Good compaction ensures everything stays where it was put long after crews leave the site.
Industry and regulatory standards reflect this mindset. For example, the Texas Administrative Code requires underground utilities in unconsolidated soils to have a minimum 36-inch cover on longitudinal utility runs and 60-inch cover at crossings. That’s not about worst-case fear — it’s about reasonable performance no matter what the weather does.
The same thinking shows up in many Texas municipal design standards—Frisco’s Engineering Standards, for instance, include specs and general notes for utility installation and testing that reinforce proper depth, bedding, and material performance.
From a developer’s standpoint, this isn’t about overbuilding or adding unnecessary cost. It’s about understanding that underground infrastructure has to outlast weather patterns, construction schedules, and ownership changes. Once utilities are buried, access is limited and fixes are expensive. The real value is in getting it right up front.
Cold snaps like this don’t mean something will fail—but they do remind us why process matters. Plans, specs, inspections, and experienced crews all exist for a reason. Good underground work doesn’t draw attention on a typical day. It proves itself when conditions aren’t ideal.
That’s the difference between building for fair weather and building for the long haul.
If you’re planning a project and want to talk through underground utility scope, sequencing, or installation standards, it’s always worth the conversation early—before the ground ever gets opened up.
Fill out our contact form, Request a Bid today, or call (817) 477-2050.
References
Texas Administrative Code, Title 43, Subtitle B, Chapter 21, §21.40
Underground Utility Installation – Minimum Depth of Cover RequirementsU.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Water Properties — Expansion of water during freezing (~9%)Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Soils and Foundations Reference Manual — Soil behavior related to moisture and temperature changesCity of Frisco, Texas
Engineering Standards & Construction Specifications — Utility trenching, bedding, backfill, and compaction requirements
