Sinkhole Investigations Apollo Beach What are Professionals Looking for When Performing Sinkhole Investigations?

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There are many ways that geotechnical drilling professionals can find themselves working for members of their community. Yet one of the most common services that professionals perform regularly are sinkhole investigations. Apollo Beach might see the importance of sinkhole investigations, but they may not know exactly what geotechnical drilling professionals are looking for when they are performing them. Sinkhole investigations are designed to give drilling professionals a good idea of what geological conditions are like below the surface of a specific area, which can help them determine what their best course of action would be to correct the issue.

Looking for Limestone Sediments

One of the specific types of geological conditions that drilling professionals are looking for when performing sinkhole investigations is limestone. The most common types of sinkholes form when this limestone rock is eroded away by constant exposure to groundwater. This removal of limestone creates little gaps and fissures underground, which is something that professionals are actively looking for when performing sinkhole investigations. If a sample is analyzed to see signs of limestone rock that are still intact, it is less likely that the signs a homeowner is seeing are the direct result of an active sinkhole on the property.

Inconclusive Results May Mean More Investigations

When geotechnical drilling professionals are tasked with taking samples for sinkhole investigations, Apollo Beach residents should know that sometimes not all the information that is needed can be obtained with one sample. In order to avoid a false positive during a sinkhole investigation, it is quite common for professionals to take more than one sample in a similar area to determine if geological conditions are consistent or show signs of change. Sinkholes can be a little tricky to locate and identify, especially with smaller sinkholes that are just starting to grow larger and show signs of a bigger problem.

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

Drilling Apollo Beach The Differences between Drilling and Digging

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One of the biggest misconception’s individuals have about drilling professionals and what they do from day-to-day is that they are simply digging holes. This is not entirely the truth, as professionals in the geotechnical drilling industry are actually drilling. Apollo Beach residents might be under the impression that drilling and digging are the exact same thing, but this is not true. For example, when someone is talking about drilling at a location, they do not intend to remove the soil or sediment from the site while digging implies this. Drilling is also something that has to be done very precisely for the desired effect, and being off by a couple of inches or even millimeters can be the difference between a successful drilling task and a failed one.

Digging Implies the Removal of Soil and Sediment

Most homeowners or even contractors that need to dig something are trying to do so to remove the soil or dirt that is already there. For example, when home construction is being done, and they are trying to build an in ground pool, the construction team will always dig a pool as opposed to using drilling. Apollo Beach residents would only use drilling when they are trying to be as non-invasive as possible, such as when they are trying to create the foundation of a new building. For creating a sturdy foundation, soil and sediment needs to be present.

Digging takes a Lot More Time Than Drilling

Depending on what task a professional is trying to get done, most of the time digging something is going to take a lot more time than using drilling. Apollo Beach residents who have to dig an area for a septic system are not going to be able to complete it at the same pace a drilling professional is able to produce a well. The only time that digging jobs are ever faster than drilling ones is when large bulldozers are used to remove large amounts of dirt. Digging is something that can be done by hand while drilling by hand will often be nearly impossible.

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

Geotechnical Drilling Apollo Beach Why geotechnical drilling in Apollo Beach is so important

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Geotechnical drilling is an efficient technique that’s used to determine the integrity and composition of the site of a future structure, from buildings, to bridges and everything in between.

When hiring a firm to perform geotechnical drilling, Apollo Beach developers will gain important insight into the exact thickness, composition and quality of each layer of stone and soil. This information is vital when planning a build, particularly in areas of the nation such as Florida, where the state is supported by a layer of limestone, topped with sandy soil. Limestone can be especially problematic from an engineering perspective because acidic water may cause the stone to dissolve and disintegrate. This can impact the integrity of the earth, making it unsuitable for building.

Underground water flow may also erode the limestone, creating massive voids. These cavities can collapse under the weight of the ground above, creating a sinkhole.

Apollo Beach developers can obtain a great deal of insight from the ground samples that are extracted during a geotechnical drilling effort. The process, which may take anywhere from a day or two to several weeks or even longer depending upon the site’s size, involves the usage of large drilling rigs which drill deep into the earth, extracting samples called cores.

These core samples are analyzed for composition. The quality and strength of the stone and soil is evaluated too. Multiple cores are typically extracted from various locations throughout the site. Drilling may even reveal the presence of underground voids that would leave the area prone to a sinkholes. When these voids are identified, sinkhole remediation contractors can drill into the voids, filling them with concrete to reduce the risk of collapse.

Other investigative measures such as ground penetrating radar scans may be performed in conjunction with geotechnical drilling. Apollo Beach developers typically pass along the data to the project’s engineers and architects, who collaborate to create a structural design that will be suitable for the site. In some cases, the structure may need to be built on an entirely new site; in other cases, the findings may necessitate the inclusion of special features, such as stabilization anchors – large metal poles that are driven into the bedrock and secured to the foundation.

If geotechnical drilling and other investigative measures are not performed, the structure may ultimately experience a catastrophic failure. An underground structure could collapse, while an above-ground building may slowly sink and shift, resulting in major structural damage.

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