Drilling San Antonio Difficult Conditions for Subsurface Sampling

One of the most important services that is offered by geotechnical drilling professionals to other industries is soil and sediment collection. Gaining access is not the only important aspect of performing geotechnical drilling. San Antonio drilling professionals may be asked to collect a sample of a location to see what the geological conditions are like. This is important information when building new structures or before installing related systems such as water lines or a septic tank for a residential homeowner. Sample collection is not always easy to do though, and most of the time it is because of the geological conditions that lie below the surface that causes these problems.

Clay and Sticky Silt

Most people assume that if a drill is strong enough to bore into even the hardest of sediments, they should easily go through other materials that are more pliable such as clay or silt. However, these two types of sediments are notoriously difficult to collect samples in while performing geotechnical drilling. San Antonio Drilling professionals who have to drill into clay or sticky silt sediment have a problem collecting samples because oftentimes they will stick to the drill and drill bits which can cause problems. Additionally, in these types of materials it is very common to lose drilling fluids that are essential to making a location easier to drill into.

Residual Soils

Clay is not so common in the State of Florida as in other regions, and although it still exists, it is more likely that a professional drilling company will have issues with residual soils when they are performing geotechnical drilling. San Antonio residents should know that these soils are formed when rocks are weathered by water, chemicals, or other environmental factors. Residual soils are much more common in tropical regions or in regions with a high moisture content and humidity. These soils can be highly undulatory and anisotropic which can make it extremely difficult to drill into and collect a sample, even with the right equipment.

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