Gibsonton Geotechnical Drilling

Gibsonton property owners can turn to a geotechnical drilling service provider to extract rock and soil samples which will be used to evaluate a site for stability and suitability for a particular type of structure.

There are many benefits and a number of potential uses for geotechnical drilling. Gibsonton property owners and developers can move forward with a project in confidence, knowing that a particular site is stable and suitable for a specific building project.

Gibsonton geotechnical drilling service providers typically begin the process by bringing one or more drilling rigs to the property that will be the subject of the investigation.

Geotechnical drilling rigs penetrate the soil and down into the bedrock, extracting a vertical column of stone and soil. This sample is known as a core and it will contain material from each layer, indicating the depth, quality and content of each soil and stone layer. These cores are sent to a laboratory for testing to evaluate the composition and strength of the various stone layers.

Geotechnical drilling operations usually involve the extraction of multiple core samples, which are used to evaluate how the various layers vary at different areas of the site. Many different properties can be evaluated, including the degree of compaction, liquefaction potential, permeability, moisture and density, and overall stability.

What’s the Importance of Geotechnical Drilling?

Gibsonton geotechnical drilling service providers offer a cost-effective option for determining the stability of a particular site. This operation is commonly performed prior to the construction of a new building.

In certain areas of the country, like Florida, the ground quality is poor. Florida has a layer of sandy soil situated atop porous karst limestone, which is easily dissolved by acid rain. Rain water can percolate down through the sand, bringing with it the acids in the soil. This may result in the formation of an underground void; if that void collapses, a sinkhole is the result.

Geotechnical drilling can even identify the presence of a potential sinkhole site. If an underground void is located, a tube can be extended down into the cavity which is then pumped full of concrete. This reinforces the area and prevents collapse.

In cases where a site has poor soil and/or stone quality, the developers may opt to call in engineers to resolve the issues at the site. Or the building plans may be altered to accommodate the site’s geology.

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