Geotechnical Drilling Chalmette What is the Purpose of Geotechnical Drilling?

Chalmette area property owners and developers may require the services of a geotechnical drilling firm in cases where the quality and integrity of the earth is in question at a location or in preparation for a building project.

But what is geotechnical drilling? That’s precisely what we’ll explore here in today’s article.

How Do You Perform Geotechnical Drilling?

Chalmette property owners can use geotechnical drilling for a number of different uses, like planning a building project or for other purposes, such as reinforcing a home or other structure that’s situated atop an underground void that could potentially collapse into a sinkhole.

The term “geotechnical drilling” refers to drilling that is performed into the ground in an attempt to reveal information about the earth and its various layers. This information can then be used to alter the architectural design of a structure or a site may be used for a different purpose.

Geotechnical drilling involves the usage of portable drilling rigs, which are brought to the site that’s being investigated. Once the drills are brought into place, they will be used to drill down into the earth, extracting a large core sample — a vertical column of earth. This sample is analyzed to determine the composition, density, thickness and integrity of the various layers. In cases where a void is present, the core sample will reveal this (and the drilling team will also notice the lack of resistance.)

Geotechnical drilling is often performed to detect potential sinkhole sites. Louisiana sits atop a bedrock layer of limestone, which dissolves when exposed to mild acids. So water can percolate through the various layers, bringing acid rain water and bringing acid from the soil. Once it reaches the limestone bedrock, it begins to dissolve and in time, a cavity forms. The cavity may ultimately collapse, creating a sinkhole.

Thanks to geotechnical drilling, Chalmette property owners can call in a sinkhole remediation team to help at the site by filling the void with concrete to prevent it from collapsing. Large “pins” can also be run down into the bedrock, while being secured to the structure’s foundation. This offers support in the event that the ground gives way.

The length of time required to complete a geotechnical drilling project does vary depending upon the size of the site and the reasons for the drilling. The project could be completed within a couple days or the team could spend weeks at a large site with multiple drilling sites.

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