Question

Describe the range of field and laboratory measurements that are commonly conducted on diamond drill core during a geotechnical assessment. In your answer you should specifically refer to logging techniques that are used to assess the intensity of fracturing and also methods for measurement of rock strength. How might this be useful to an engineering site evaluation?

Answer 1

Core drilling method is a type of drilling in which cylinder of a material is being removed from a given field. It is very much like a hole saw as kind of holes are being drilled. Diamond drilling is a type of core drilling in which core item used is made up of diamond. It is nothing new in the industry. But it's advancements are changing the face of the sector. It was first Used in 1863 in oil industry. It is a very precise method for creating accurate and clean holes. It has a wide range of hole drilling ranging from diameters between 8mm to more than 1500mm. In laboratory it is preferred to drill between 10 - 100mm diameter holes and in field area the drilling range is extended upto 1500mm. Structural integrity is also maintained while drilling the broad holes and just because of that accuracy is being maintained and this method is proving to be beneficial in many industries.

Other than drilling holes, diamond core drilling also has various roles to perform such as in lodging techniques. It is one of the most efficient methods in mineral exploration and determining the strength and intensity of the rock material. The core is being cleaned and then used to drill the amount of penetration by applying a fixed amount of force will help us to obtain the rock strength and the intensity of the diamond drill also. The core description process of log covers lithology, determination of data and rock mass classification.

In construction fields site evaluation is to be done before starting of any project. It is the first step in installing the goods on the site. It helps us to know about the soils ability to treat the loads applied on it and the strength of the rocks and minerals residing within the soil. Here also the diamond core drilling method may be used to evaluate the site and determine the strength of the rocks and aggregates in the soil. Holes are being drilled of minimum diameter or we can say soil is being penetrated by the diamond drill to determine the strength and quality of the soil and rocks which will give an estimate about the construction site and hence in this way it can also be used for site evaluation.