This is one in a series of newsletters dealing with drilling and sampling technologies. For more information please refer to the newsletter section in our web site www.amiadini.com.

Drilling & Sampling Technologies - Sonic Drilling

Sonic drilling is used for continuous sampling and monitoring well installation in unconsolidated and soft/fractured bedrock. The primary benefits of this technology are that very rapid drilling rates are possible combined with reduced volumes of waste. Recent improvements in equipment design should lead to increased use in the future.

A sonic rig uses an oscillator or head with eccentric weights driven by hydraulic motors to generate high sinusoidal force in a rotating pipe drill. The frequency of vibration (generally between 50 and 120 cycles per second) of the drill bit or core barrel can be varied to allow optimum penetration of subsurface materials. A dual string assembly allows advancement of casing with the inner casing used to collect samples. Small amounts of air and water can be used to remove the material between the inner and outer casing. When a drill bit is used, most of the cuttings are forced into the borehole wall. A thin-wall or split-spoon sampler can be used to contain continuous samples. Sonic drilling is also referred to as vibratory drilling and rotosonic drilling.

http://www.prosoniccorp.com/overview.html

The information in this newsletter has been gleaned from the “Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR)” site at http://www.frtr.gov/ and enhanced with pictures obtained on the Web.

Call me if you've got any questions. There are no obligations.

Ami Adini
Ami Adini & Associates, Inc.
Environmental Consultants
Underground Storage Tank Experts
323-913-4073; 323-667-2336 fax
mail@amiadini.com
www.amiadini.com

Ami Adini is a mechanical engineer, California Registered Environmental Assessor, Level II, and president of AMI ADINI & ASSOCIATES, INC. (AA&A), an environmental consulting firm specializing in all phases of environmental site assessments, rehabilitation of contaminated sites and upgrading of underground storage tank facilities. AA&A supplies practical solutions to environmental concerns using the highest standards of ethics and integrity while providing its clients with maximum return on their investments.