Geotechnical Survey Tampa How is Drilling Used in a Geotechnical Survey?

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Tampa geotechnical drilling firms such as Amdrill, Inc. are routinely called in to perform drilling as part of a geotechnical survey. But what is a geotechnical survey and why is drilling used as part of the surveying process? Well, that’s precisely what we’ll explore in today’s article.

What is a Geotechnical Survey?

Tampa technicians with Amdrill, Inc. may be dispatched to drill at a site that’s the subject of a geotechnical survey. This type of survey is typically performed as one of the first steps in evaluating a site’s suitability for the construction of a structure. This can include a house, a commercial or industrial structure, a large multi-unit building, or another structure type, like a bridge, levee or communications tower.

When performing a geotechnical survey, Tampa surveyors will typically be seeking a lot of data and information, including:

  • The soil composition
  • The soil density
  • The soil saturation levels
  • The moisture level in the soil
  • The groundwater levels
  • The depth and integrity of the underlying bedrock
  • The presence of any underground voids which could collapse into a sinkhole

These attributes can be determined through geotechnical drilling efforts, which can include everything from performing permeability drilling tests, to collecting soil samples and core samples – cylindrical tubes of earth that are vertically extracted to provide insight into the composition, moisture content, compaction levels and density. Core samples are effective at providing experts with key data that may otherwise be lost during the drilling process, which can disrupt the earth, making it challenging to accurately evaluate the attributes of various soil layers.

In other cases, if a geotechnical survey were to reveal the presence of underground voids which could potentially collapse to form a sinkhole, the developers may choose to drill into the cavities. Then, concrete can be pumped into the void, filling the cavity and preventing a future collapse. This is one of the many options available for sinkhole prevention.

*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Amdrill Inc*