Tuesday, December 13, 2016

An Overview About The Boring Methods Involved In A Subsurface Investigation

By Daniel Murphy


A geotechnical investigation is one process in which several tests and methods are performed in order to obtain information on rocks and soils physical properties. The methods are done in some particular sites for the design of foundations and the earthworks of proposed structures and of distress repair for structures and for earthworks which are caused by specific conditions. The people conducting the investigations are engineering geologists or geotechnical engineers.

The accuracy and the completeness of subsurface information can be considered as very necessary to all the projects related to civil engineering. Usually, the cause of failure of structures is the misleading and inadequate subsurface data. Auguring is one method which is being used in subsurface investigation. This is done to put down holes in the soft sediment. And for the penetration of greater depths, bore holes are made.

Percussion drilling. The bit in this method is being suspended from cables or from rods, being jumped up and down as well so that the rocks will be broken. Bits are kept cooled and make slurry through adding water to the hole. The removal of debris is done through using a boiler. Chips are recovered for identification. The pounded rocks will be mixed into water from slurry. The costs and the rates are based on the hardness.

Rotary drilling. From the previous method, there is an involved rotating of bits and attaching them to rods from where a fluid mud is pumped. While in the rotary process, this fluid mud is returned into a surface through annular spaces between the rods and the holes. Next is to add successively the rods to assembly during the process of lowering holes.

Core drilling. Tabular bits with lower cutting edges are being used here. These are rotated in holes. Bits are composed of many different forms, some have diamonds while some are hard abrasives to penetrate the hard rocks. Diamond drills are the most commonly used types in sampling and in an exploratory bore.

Core barrels. A structural drilling is aiming on recovering the undisturbed core where in structural features are being measured. Achieving the process is either done through using large diameter or multiple tube core barrels. Geophysical methods. The process helps in the location, mapping, and characterization of subsurface features by measuring the surface in order to respond to chemical, physical, and electrical properties.

Seismic methods. Measuring of a seismic would involve the measurement of seismic waves that will travel through subsurfaces. The assessment of structure, stratigraphy, and material properties may be done in a seismic method. Electrical resistivity. An electrical resistivity measurement is made by placing 4 electrodes as contact to the soil and rock.

Magnetic. This method is using two primary applications including the location and mapping for buried ferrous materials and also mapping structures in geology. Micro gravity. A survey in micro gravity can provide some change measures on subsurface density. Natural variations in a density include faults, large fractures, dissolution, buried channels, and lateral changes.

Ground penetrating radar. The GPR uses electromagnetic waves in high frequency for acquiring subsurface information. The energy will be radiated downward to the ground coming from the transmitter then reflected back into receiving antenna. Reflected signals are then recorded, producing shallow subsurfaces conditions.




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