Geotechnical Drilling Tampa geotechnical drilling and construction

Building a new structure requires a great deal of research into the composition of the earth that underlies the site. Before the architectural design and engineering phase even gets underway, it’s common to investigate the location with measures such as geotechnical drilling. Tampa developers are provided with an accurate idea of the composition of the ground and the integrity of that stone and soil. This is particularly important in Florida, where the entire state sits on a layer of sandy soil atop a limestone bed. This limestone can be prone to degradation when it comes into contact with acidic groundwater. This may dissolve the stone, causing instability at best or a sinkhole at worst.

Geotechnical drilling is a vital step in the process of constructing not only buildings, but also bridges, parking garages and underground bunkers. When performing geotechnical drilling, Tampa developers can expect their drilling contractor to arrive on-site with one or more drilling rigs which will be used to extract samples from the earth. These samples, also known as cores, are then analyzed to determine the strength, composition and overall integrity of the land.

Following the geotechnical drilling operation, the findings will be shared with the project’s engineers and architects who will then use the data as they plan the structure(s). The ground composition can impact many elements of the build, including the size of the structure, the materials used in the build and any special design elements such as large metal anchor rods that may be secured into the underlying bedrock. Some areas may or may not be suitable for construction of a basement or another underground structure depending upon the findings that are revealed by geotechnical drilling.

Tampa contractors may opt to perform this specialized type of drilling both on land and offshore.

Tampa developers must evaluate a site to ensure that it’s suitable for the planned structure. Geotechnical drilling will reveal the exact composition of the soil and underlying stone, along with the thickness of each layer. Multiple cores are usually extracted, providing you with a more comprehensive view of the site.

Geotechnical drilling, near Tampa, may even reveal the presence of an underground void, which can collapse into a sinkhole. Florida is especially prone to sinkholes due to the rain patterns and the composition of the ground, which is largely limestone. If a structure is built atop one of these voids, the weight of the building may ultimately cause a collapse.

Tampa contractors may opt to perform other investigative measures in addition to geotechnical drilling, such as a ground penetrating radar scan. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the site will be sufficiently stable to support the new structure. Otherwise, the structure may degrade or even collapse due to gradual sinking and shifting.

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