Examples of Various Kinds of
Examples of Various Kinds of
of
DRILLING RIGS
J. David Rogers
• One of the earliest diamond drilling machines is the
steam-powered rig shown here in 1908, recovering
cores for assessment of shallow coal deposits in
Illinois. From Illinois State Geological Survey
• From about 1900, shallow “dry borings” for
geotechnical exploration utilized a 3-man crew with
a simple A-frame, such as that shown here, along
with a gas powered engine. This could be set up
and broken down by hand, in confined spaces.
A-frame rigs
• A-frame rigs are still
utilized world wide for
drilling exploratory
borings and advancing
large diameter
caissons, as the
example shown here.
• This is an early
example of a large
diameter “bucket
auger” excavation for
a dam site in Montana
Old SPT Sampler
• The original SPT sampler
was developed by the Gow
Division of the Raymond
Concrete Pile Co. in the
late 1920s
• It used a 140 lb weight
dropping 30 inches, using
a rope drag line wrapped
around a cat head, shown
here
• Blowcounts are measured
in the field as the sampler
is driven into the ground
Damage and
Disturbance
• Sampler shoes and
heads become
increasingly damaged
and deformed when
used in granular
materials, like cobbles
and rock
• This disturbance
invalidates
comparative
measurements, such
as Nspt or (N1)60
Smear and selvage
• Drive samples should be
assumed to be disturbed
• Their perimeter is often
covered with a selvage of
smeared material that may
not be representative of the
actual horizon being
sampled
• This selvage of gooey
material should be lightly
scrapped to ascertain what
the sample interval actually
recovered
• Samples of cohesionless materials, such as coarse
sand (shown here), may not be recoverable as neat
cylinders of coherent material; esp. if sampling below
the water table.
Advantages of the SPT Test
• Usually the most economical method of
testing
• Provides physical sample for soil
classification
• Long service life of equipment
• Vast SPT database
• Numerous empirical correlations with
SPT
• Other methods available to supplement
when more refinement justified (e.g.
liquefaction analyses)
Most Common Errors when
Using SPT test
• Damaged drive shoes
• Variation in hammer fall
• Effect of overburden pressure (if not
corrected)
• Driving a stone ahead of the sampler
• Hollow stem auger “quick condition” in
saturated cohesionless soils
• Careless or inexperienced drilling crew
HOLLOW FLIGHT
AUGERS