A few years ago, I received a call from a contractor asking for help mitigating a situation with a governmental transport agency in regards to monitoring downhole pressures as they were drilling under a six-lane highway crossing.
Gel strength is one of the most important characteristics of an HDD drilling fluid, and understanding how to test for gel strength and adjust drilling fluids to varying soil conditions can greatly increase the success rate for HDD contractors.
It is not an understatement to say that most drillers do not fancy drilling over water. After all, drilling on dry ground rarely throws the curves that must be dealt with when drilling over water.
While many people consider the cheapest option to be the simplest answer, the upfront cost should never be the only factor when selecting a water well drill.
When stuck between a rock and a hard place, I was determined to come up with a solution to penetrate very coarse alluvial gravels, where traditional split spoon and Shelby-tube sampling methods could not.
John A. “Jack” Hayes, PE, D.I.C. is a widely recognized authority on Osterberg cell (O-cell) testing, a method of evaluating the integrity of drilled piles. We spoke to Hayes at this year’s Osterberg Memorial Lecture at the International Foundations Congress and Equipment Expo (IFCEE).