Frequently asked questions Soil sampling with augers

General questions.................................................................................................................................... 2 Q: Can the metals, used in an auger, contaminate a sample?.............................................................. 2 Q: Our guidelines say that I need to take samples with a stainless steel auger. Eijkelkamp augers are much stronger and drill much better than stainless steel material but what to do ? .............................. 2 Q: How many meters of extension rods can I leave coupled when doing a deep drilling? ...................... 2 Q: How do I collect a sample from various soil types ? ........................................................................ 2 Q: How can I effectively decontaminate sampling equipment ? ........................................................... 3 Q: What happens if I drill through an electric cable isolation?.............................................................. 4 Q: What does exactly mean disturbed or undisturbed soil sampling ? .................................................. 4 Q: In our country we are only just starting with environmental research. How do we take soil samples ? 5 Questions on augers and (ergonomic) handles .................................................................................... 6 Q: In what soils can I use a Dutch auger ? .......................................................................................... 6 Q: Why are there so many types of Edelman (Dutch) augers ? ............................................................. 6 Q: The ergonomic top piece to drill with augers uses auger bottom parts with extremely short tubes. I have augers for a normal length auger so they have longer connection tubes. Can I use the older bottom parts with the new ergonomic handle ? ................................................................................. 7 Q: I have difficulties in drilling in heavy clay soil and pulling up a filled auger. What do I do wrong ? ..... 7 Q: Does an auger need any maintenance? ......................................................................................... 7 Q: The bayonet coupling is very handy and rapid but sometimes, specially if used under water, it does not want to move anymore. How do I solve this problem ? ................................................................. 7 Q: How deep can I go with augers ? .................................................................................................. 7 Q: The ergonomic handle is expensive. Why should I buy it ? .............................................................. 8 Q: What is the main function of a spiral auger and the stone catcher ?................................................ 8 Question on piston samplers.................................................................................................................. 8 Q: There are two piston sampler kits. What is the difference between the two? ................................... 8 Q: How do I take a sample with a piston sampler ?............................................................................. 8 Q: When it was new my piston sampler operated in a perfect way. Now I have the impression that I loose the sample more often when retrieving and that it is more difficult to get a full length sample..... 9 Q: Can I take a peat, clay or loam sample with a piston sampler? ........................................................ 9 Questions on bailer boring ..................................................................................................................... 9 Q: When can or should I do bailer boring? ......................................................................................... 9 Q: How deep can I do a bailer boring? ............................................................................................... 9 Questions on motorized soil auger sets .............................................................................................. 10 Q: When can I use the motorized soil augering set 03.05SA? ............................................................ 10 Q: When can I use the motorized soil augering set 03.05SB? ............................................................ 10 Questions on percussion drilling.......................................................................................................... 10 Q: When can / should I use this drilling / sampling technique? ........................................................... 10 Q: Can I go to 16 m depth with percussion drilling equipment? ........................................................ 10 Q: When do I buy a motor powered hammer and when an electrically powered hammer ? ................ 11 Q: Do I choose the wedge connection or the RD-32 connection? ...................................................... 11 Q: Can I take a sample in a liner ?.................................................................................................... 11 Questions on the lost cone drilling set and the Direct well 10.100 .................................................. 12 Q: How does the lost cone drilling technique work. .......................................................................... 12 Q: What can I do with the lost cone drilling set?............................................................................... 12 Q: What is a Direct Well and how does it work? ............................................................................... 12 Q: When and how do I install a Direct Well?..................................................................................... 13 Q: Can I install a Direct Well with sounding equipment? ................................................................... 13 Questions on Sonic Drilling .................................................................................................................. 13 Q: What techniques can I apply with Sonic drilling? .......................................................................... 13

General questions
Q: Can the metals, used in an auger, contaminate a sample? A: The augers are made of high tensile strength forgeable iron-manganese steel. As long as the surface is kept clean from polluted soil, grease and so on you can take reliable samples on both macro parameters as well as micro parameters like cadmium, copper, vanadium, chromium, nickel and so on. The only exception is that you cannot take samples for iron and manganese analysis if the surface of the auger is heavily oxidized for instance after long term storing in a humid environment. You may clean such an auger by rubbing it with sand or just using it to drill a few meters before you start taking samples. To clean augers from oil you may use neutral baby shampoo and rinse it with water or, again, use it for a few meters of drilling. Q: Our guidelines say that I need to take samples with a stainless steel auger. Eijkelkamp augers are much stronger and drill much better than stainless steel material but what to do ? A: "Early" tests (around 1988), performed by a Dutch (largest) environmental research company and a Swiss (state) organization showed that neither stainless steel, nor Eijkelkamp' non stainless gouges and augers was able to contaminate a soil sample with detectable levels of steel components contaminants like nickel, chrome, vanadium etc. The reasons are simple: The Eijkelkamp steel (so called iron-manganese steel) AND stainless steel are so hard that the amount of abrasion between the auger and soil is too little to get a detectable level in a soil sample. If any of those two materials would be able to cause a problem in this way it would be the stainless steel product rather then the oxidizable iron ! The reason, again, is simple: Our iron manganese steel contains only a trace of vanadium (0.1%) whereas stainless steel (304 type) contains 18.5% and 9% nickel ! So if a material would be able to contaminate a sample with a toxic metal then it would be the stainless steel. The fact that researchers showed that it doesn't, shows that even stainless steel is acceptable (and not the other way around !!). Even a moderately oxidized 'ordinary' steel auger is not able to contaminate a sample simply because it does not contain toxic contaminants in quantity in the oxides. If any rust has appeared by incorrect storage the cleaning procedure followed by most field workers is to twist the auger a few times in local soil to rub off the rust. Further cleaning as with other sample material. Do not use detergents with a high pH to prevent zinc from the extension rods to go in solution ! Baby shampoo is perfect to wash of any oil residues. Beware of zinc (or paint) plated augers a.s.o. Zinc is very soft and the layer of pure soft zinc (or paint) will be rubbed off quickly and will bias analysis results in detectable levels ! Q: How many meters of extension rods can I leave coupled when doing a deep drilling? A: Four meters can be held horizontal without that you run the risk that they bend. This needs a second person to hand over the 4 meter long extensions to the driller. Two coupled meters can be connected and disconnected with one hand. Manipulating two coupled rods at the time allows deeper drillings when you are alone. Q: How do I collect a sample from various soil types ? A: Firstly put a sheet of plastic on a hard surface or wooden plate. If you are drilling in a sand soil you open your jar and collect the sample in the jar by scraping it in the jar with the cap or a spoon. For a cohesive soil type like clay you open the jar and push it upside down in the clay until the jar is completely filled. Clean the rim with your finger or a spatula and close the jar.

Q: How can I effectively decontaminate sampling equipment ? Situation: Effective decontamination of a wide range of sampling equipment to be used for sampling in coal tar residues contaminated water/sediments - in a waste dam of several decades old at a large iron/steel works - the exact concentrations are unknown - thats why we are sampling. The range of samplers to be used (for the variety of material conditions on site) are: Hand augers Bailer boring equipment & temporary casings & bailers Stainless steel bailer for water sampling Sample gutter for sample presentation Multisampler Dividable piston sampler Bi partite gouge auger set Peat sampler THE ANSWER Concerning the question on decontamination of equipment: Tars are difficult matter for decontamination ! Hot diluted Deconex (20.05.29) is a very aggressive cleaner (zinc will go into solution !) I will separate two groups of products: A: The products used for soil or sediment sampling A1: Stainless steel products A2 Steel products A3 Plastic products B: The products for groundwater sampling B1 Stainless steel or glass products B2 Plastic products (non-disposable) A1: Stainless steel products can be cleaned in a hot (60-95 C) concentrated Deconex solution (concentration indicated on the bottle). In case of very heavy contamination (greasy layer on the product) a cloth with pure acetone (alternative naphtha / paraffin where you wash clothes in) can be used in advance of the Deconex. Of course a steam cleaner is effective too. Rinse with clean water to finish with. A2: Use the acetone option and after that baby shampoo + water rinse. A3: Forget the acetone (except for Teflon where it can be used). Naphtha / paraffin can be used however. After that Deconex or (if less dirty) shampoo + rinse. B: General: Use disposables when possible. Except when used in a layer with pure product the concentrations will be very low. B1: Use the hot Deconex for an hour or so. Then rinse. B2: The most delicate group: Through their micro porosity you may clean the out + inside but not the interior (intermolecular space). Use the hot Deconex (attention not to destroy the product by overheating the product). Then rinse with ample water. Expose to warmth (sun, outside) for a few days to chase out the volatiles. Please consult the decontamination documents in the additional info section (not in FAQs) for decontamination procedures as recently described in a US magazine.

Q: What happens if I drill through an electric cable isolation? A: Nothing. Since the auger body also is in contact with the surrounding soil, current will be deviated from the cable to the earth instead of to your body. You will hear nasty sounds and even see a white flame blowing out of the bore hole. This will shock you but without being 'shocked'. We do however not exclude that in bone dry soil (that does not conduct electricity so easily as moist soil) it is wise to wear isolating rubber foot wear, gloves and use a handle with isolating protection. Q: What does exactly mean disturbed or undisturbed soil sampling ? Sampling equipment compared to degree of disturbance for three types of soil samplings: Soil; soil under the groundwater table and sediment. Also see the Product Information Brochures or manuals for further info on equipment and applications. Table 2 lines up equipment compared to degree of disturbance and sampling depth. Table 1 shows the legenda. Table 1 Legenda for degree of disturbance Degree of Description of phenomena disturbance Undisturbed soil in-situ = research in profile pit Undisturbed sampled soil in the best sampling tool imaginable (coring rings)

Slightly disturbed

Layers, roots, soil concretions perfectly visible but some compression or (water/air) leakage at sides of sampling ring or tube.

Semi disturbed

Soil structure can still be read (layers, roots, concretions, local colour variations, fauna) but more severe compression and damage to soil structure Disturbed Information on roots, soil structure, concretions, local colour variations is lost. Colour variations over layers (> 10 cm) can still be determined Completely disturbed Colour variations over layers > 10 cm < 100 cm cannot be read anymore (soil structure completely lost, soil mixed over layers)

Main application of samples Undisturbed soil structure description Laboratory measurements on water/air permeability, volumetric soil moisture and density determinations a.s.o. Accurate soil profile descriptions, accurate root distribution, soil structure, volumetric soil moisture content, chemical sampling on volatiles, fauna countings Soil profile description, root distribution (rough) Rough soil profile descriptions, rough estimations on permeability Not for sampling; only to make holes !

Table 2 Sampling equipment compared to degree of disturbance for three types of soil samplings: groundwater table and sediment. Type of soil Undistur Slightly disturbed Semi Disturbed material bed disturbed Soil Coring Coring tubes (04.11, 04.14, Edelman Riverside rings 07.xx 04.15, 04.16, 04.17) augers 01.04, stony and 08.09 Soil column cylinder auger 01.02 in soil augers 05.07. moist soil 01.06 in all Gouges < 15 soils. Edelman All gouges > 15 mm (Dutch) including percussion gouges mm diam. 04.xx. augers 01.02 Grass plot samplers 05.03 in dry soils 05.10. Root samplers 05.01/02 Profile samplers 05.08/09 Coring Coring tubes 04.11, 04.14, Edelman Riverside Soil under groundwate rings 07.xx 04.15 04.16, 04.17 (in sand augers 01.04, stony (impossible core catcher will be 01.02(satura soil 01.06 in r table ted sands all cohesive in necessary). saturated Piston samplers 01.09. will drop out soils Aqualock 30.6x. of auger use sand) piston Only in cohesive soils: All gouges > 20 mm including sampler percussion gouges. there) In peat soils use Peat sampler, Dachnowsky probe, root auger or profile sampler Sediment Peat sampler 04.09 Free fall Van Veen Sediment corer Dachnowsky probe 04.08; corer 04.29 grabs 04.30 Beeker Aqualock 30.6x type Piston sampler 01.09, 04.23, Multisampl er 12.42, Vrijwit sampler 04.22

Soil; soil under Completely disturbed Helicoidal / spiral augers (flighted) augers 01.08 + 03.05SA and SB

Bailers (all)

Bailers (all)

Q: In our country we are only just starting with environmental research. How do we take soil samples ? A: The 01.11SO kit is meant for general soil sampling. If the augers / gouge or piston sampler are clean (that is why they are sold unpainted) the samples obtained can be used for macro as well as micro-parameters. Trace metals and the other parameters that you mention are relativily easy to sample since they are not volatile. Normally samples are taken at 50 and 150 cm depth up till a depth of some 5 meters if no monitoring well is installed. If sampling for airborne deposits the top soil is sampled. It would be logical to include searching for volatile components (like toluene and benzene) since they are omnipresent in badly exploited gas stations / refineries / tank parks and so on. They will pollute the groundwater in the region if the pollution arrives in the groundwater. Also the use of tri and tetra (degreasers used in galvanisation plants and dry-cleaning of clothes) has lead to dangerous soil pollution.

When searching for volatiles sampling is started at 1 m depth (the top soil is too much vented by wind and heat). Two options for sampling are reasonable: Taking core samples with the 04.16 kit in a pre drilled hole (pre drilling is done with the 01.11SO kit). Otherwise you may follow the way that will be pre-scribed in the ISO standard on soil sampling (for pollution). Then you take a few soil samples (for instance over a depth of 50 cm) with one of the augers and cover it with aluminium foil until the next step is taken. The next step is to immediately fill a small glass vial with the soil from the five samples you took over that 50 cm depth. Then (also directly in the field) laboratory-grade methanol is added (about 50%) to extract the volatiles from the sample. In the lab the methanol is analysed. If a soil sample is taken with the 04.16 kit the volatiles cannot evaporate (sample is completely enveloped in diffusion proof stainless steel). The samples are cooled and transported to the laboratory and then subsampled with a small gouge from both sides of the core. This is analysed on the volatiles. If sampling is difficult because of bricks and stones normally the next step before renting a shovel or pay loader is investing in percussion drilling equipment 04.19SD (see brochure P1.21 of catalogue or website). Be aware of the fact that soil pollution is one but groundwater pollution two ! If groundwater is close (<5 m) or soil is polluted then monitoring wells have to be installed and groundwater (fter purging the well) sampled and analysed. If you are ready for serious Environmental Soil Pollution research and you are ready to invest you may consider following a course at Eijkelkamp Training and Consultancy (see our website section training).

Questions on augers and (ergonomic) handles

Q: In what soils can I use a Dutch auger ? A: The purpose of agronomist Professor Edelman the inventor of the Edelman auger was to get an auger that results in a soil sample where soil structure and layer characteristics still are more or less intact. Roots should still be recognizable; stains clearly visible and so on. The auger that blacksmith Eijkelkamp forged in 1946 ordered by Professor Edelman responded to these demands. This auger is push/twisted like other augers but results, if applied in moist soils in a semi-disturbed sample. This auger type will not be effective in a hard (dry) soil. It will start scraping and powderizing the soil. In those cases you still need to use the riverside auger (dry soils and soils with gravel), or stony soil auger (dry or moist soil with larger stones). Q: Why are there so many types of Edelman (Dutch) augers ? A: The differences of the various Edelman augers do concentrate around the width of the vertical blades. Also the point is slightly differing from one model to the other. A sand type auger has wider blades than a clay type auger. The reason: Imagine a moist clay soil in which you auger down a sand auger. After having it filled you pull it up and try to empty it. Due to the large (rounded !) blades there is a lot of friction to tap the sample out of the auger body. This works much better with an auger with narrow blades and a short point: The clay auger. So buy only a clay auger ? Well let us start using the clay auger in a sandy soil. The blades are so narrow that once you pull the auger up about half of the material is not enveloped / held by the blades so it drops down in your borehole. To make a deeper borehole in this way will take you twice the time as with a sand or coarse sand auger. The combination type is an in-between model that serves most cases of augering in moist clayey sand or sandy clay soils. If you have the whole range of auger bodies including clay, combination, sand, coarse sand, riverside and stony soil augers you will use them all if you have a soil profile which varies between sand, clay, stony layers. Reducing the number of augers you buy will make you drill slower and with a much reduced chance of success.

Q: The ergonomic top piece to drill with augers uses auger bottom parts with extremely short tubes. I have augers for a normal length auger so they have longer connection tubes. Can I use the older bottom parts with the new ergonomic handle ? A: Theoretically that is possible. Largest problem is that the height at which you will initially start the augering (so at soil surface) is quite high. At the moment you are 30 cm deep this disadvantage is not felt anymore. The only disadvantage left then is that the depth markings on your ergonomic do not comply with the depth for which these markings are meant. If you want to spend a minimum of money to start working with the ergonomic handle you may buy the handle with only one (combination) type auger. Q: I have difficulties in drilling in heavy clay soil and pulling up a filled auger. What do I do wrong ? A: Firstly you are probably overfilling the auger ! If you do that in a clay soil you are creating a pistoncylinder combination that will cause big trouble ! And it gets worse if you get below the water table. So: 1. Do not overfill the auger. If you did however, lower while rapidly twisting it an empty auger (preferably a coarse sand type) into the borehole until you touch the bottom of the borehole. Pull the auger out and empty it. Now you have cleaned the wall of the borehole of excess soil. 2. Very effective is to make, at a certain depth the borehole somewhat larger with an 8 or 10 cm auger. This will free space and will make lifting out the auger for the next coming meters easy. 3. In wet clay soil keep extension rods clean. If not they will become too slippery. 4. If a clay is so soft that suction pulls it partly out of the auger consider using a combination type auger or even sand type auger. The blades hold the soil much better. 5. In soft soil you may consider using the soft soil auger ! The auger body has twice the length of an ordinary Edelman auger and works much quicker. 6. To be able to tap the sample out of the auger body do the following: Push/twist the auger until it is almost full. Then pull it up for ten centimeters or so. Then push it down back in the borehole with your FULL weight WHILE doing a short sharp clockwise twist of not more than 30. Then pull it up. This procedure has loosened the original sample from the point and the blades. When you tap the auger gently on a piece of wood the sample will loosen from the auger easily. 7. Pull the auger (or any other tool) out of the soil by putting your upper leg under the handle and using your leg as a jack. Since the ergonomic auger can be adjusted to three ideal heights this can save your back. Q: Does an auger need any maintenance? A: No. Just allow it to dry after use and store it in fairly dry area. Q: The bayonet coupling is very handy and rapid but sometimes, specially if used under water, it does not want to move anymore. How do I solve this problem ? A: Pouring clean water into the sleeve while keeping the extension rods vertical will flush out any blocking sand. A few taps on the side of the sleeve will make it move; no doubt ! Q: How deep can I go with augers ? A: Depends on: Soil type, number of available extension rods, availability of different auger bodies (specially types; also sizes), groundwater level (specially if you are drilling in sand layers) and not to forget experience and available time ! The deepest drilling that was recorded with bayonet coupling type Eijkelkamp augers 7 cm was 40 meters of which the last 5 meters below the water table (in Catalonia, Spain). This was done in a very easy soil type by a German team that did not use a tripod. Tripod assisted deep drillings up to 25 meters were recorded from Sudan. In the Netherlands generally 5 to 7 meters is considered a realistic depth nowadays considering ergonomic items (weight) and efficiency of drilling teams. Deeper drillings are then reserved for drill rigs. Once a sand layer under the water table is reached the auger will come out empty and other drilling techniques (like bailer boring) are needed anyway.

Q: The ergonomic handle is expensive. Why should I buy it ? A: To save your hands, your wrists, your elbows, your shoulders, your spine and your legs ! The reasons: The ergonomic top piece can be adjusted to three ideal working heights, the horizontal handle itself is larger than a normal handle which reduces the necessary twisting force. The horizontal handle itself is at the end fitted with large balls that reduce internal forces in hand and wrist. Due to the fact that the handle is not turned around but twisted in small strokes forces on spine, elbow and shoulders are reduced largely. The spine will also be very content that you do not need to bend over to twist the auger or pull it out of the soil since the handle allows adjusting for three working heights. In the Netherlands, since a few years, employers pay the salary of sick employees for the first two years of their illness. You can imagine that this boosts investments in ergonomic improvements like the ergonomic handle. Q: What is the main function of a spiral auger and the stone catcher ? A: See the soil as your teeth after a good meal. The spiral auger is the tooth pick and the augers the tooth brush. Use the spiral auger to loosen stones down in the borehole. Use the augers (more specifically the riverside and stony soil augers) to remove the loosened soil from the borehole. The stone catcher can be used to remove oversized stones from a borehole.

Question on piston samplers

Q: There are two piston sampler kits. What is the difference between the two? A: Piston samplers (all types) work in saturated sand and other very weak/fluid material with very low friction. The piston prevents friction of the sample when it slides into the samplers tube. The piston also holds the sample in its place (by a vacuum) when pulling up the sampler. Of course the piston's rod should be firmly held then. The traditional kit 01.09SA includes as basic tool a 2 meter long piston sampler (net sample length). This is the maximum length an average tall person can handle. You must push out the sample directly in the field in a sample gutter supplied with the sampler. If you drop or otherwise force the sampler the tube may become unusable and the sampler must be replaced completely. The more recently developed kit 01.09SB features three exchangeable tubes of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 net sample length with three accompanying piston rods for these lengths. Of course there is also the necessary top piece (collar) and pistons going with the kit. The 1.5m long sampler is appreciated by people that have difficulties in handling the 2 meter long version. You may leave the sample in the tube for later analysis at home. Of course you will need to have more tubes of that length and pistons then. You may also assemble a bare 1.5 m long piston sampler and leave the other lengths if you wish. You would in that case need parts: 01.09.03b (the collar that connects the tube with the extension rods) + 01.09.06 (sample tube 1.5 m) + 01.09.10 Piston rod 1.5 m + 01.09.00.01 (piston). Extension rods and rope and so on is not mentioned over here.

Q: How do I take a sample with a piston sampler ? Wet the inside of the coring tube / piston with water Lower sampler with piston in lowest position Upon hitting the water bottom pull up the sampler for at least some twenty centimeters Stretch the piston cord without pulling the piston up and block it, for instance, by stepping on the cord with your (left) foot. Push down the sampler. If it blocks try pulling the piston rod with short strokes to diminish the friction of the sample in the tube. However the resulting position of the piston should stay at a stationary level. Pull up the sampler together with the piston cord.

Empty the sampler by lying it in a gutter and pulling the sampler towards your body while holding the piston in a stationary position. See the manuals of this equipment for more detailed info on sample retrieval and applications.

Q: When it was new my piston sampler operated in a perfect way. Now I have the impression that I loose the sample more often when retrieving and that it is more difficult to get a full length sample. A: Put your (or another persons) hand on the bottom end of the sampler and pump up and down the piston. In both ways it should apply correct suction or pressure. If not renew the piston after checking if there are no bumps in the steel tube ! Q: Can I take a peat, clay or loam sample with a piston sampler? A: Un compressed peat or unripened clay would not be a problem. Ripened or compressed peat or even loam would be a problem simply from the penetration resistance point. Use a Sediment corer Beaker sampler type there since this can be hammered.

Questions on bailer boring

Q: When can or should I do bailer boring? A: More then 90% of mankind is living in river deltas and valleys. A lot of these soils are sands under the groundwater table. There augering does not work simply because the material flows out of the auger. In that situation you may widen the borehole to 100 mm and lower a casing in this hole until the level were you arrived drilling with the auger (or other) technique. Then you connect a bailer to the extension rods (or cable if you are drilling larger or deeper with the help of a tripod). The bailer itself is a narrow bucket with a large foot valve at the bottom. If you quickly move it up and down in the mud standing below the casing the casing will fill and the casing will lower by its own weight, by the suction of the bailer and if necessary helped by your weight if you start standing on the casing tube platform. Each time the bailer is filled it is pulled or winched up and emptied while refilling the casing with a sufficient quantity of water to give backpressure to the sand under the casing. This prevents sand from re-entering the casing. Specially if the sand also holds stones this should be avoided. The bailers cutting shoe (valve) should operate at the same level as the cutting shoe of the casing for maximum drilling efficiency. Therefore a good visible marking should be put on the cable. The upper rim of the extension rods can be used as reference when working with rod operated bailer. When arriving in a stony layer a bailer with rubber foot valve or even smaller size bailer with rubber foot valve should be used to prevent lifting an empty bailer. Arrived at the desired depth one places the monitoring well or takes a core- or piston sample and lifts (by means of a jack or tripod) the casing out of the borehole. The material poured out of the bailer cannot be used for profile description since it is too much mixed. When the bailer is blocked by a stiff clay layer or loam on may use an ordinary auger or gouge to take a sample or drill through this layer. If a large size casing was used one can, once drilled through the 'blocking' layer slip a smaller size casing down the larger casing to recommence bailing in the second sandy layer. Two clamps enable disconnecting the casings. A good manual accompanies a kit. There are faster drilling techniques but there are only a few techniques that allow the accurate installation of monitoring wells or accurate, even undisturbed, samplings.

Q: How deep can I do a bailer boring? A: Depends on weight and size of the casing. Weight and size of the bailer (with consequently the use of a tripod to lower and lift the bailer). soil types, depth of the sand layer below the groundwater table (friction on the side of the casing), steel or plastic casing (friction again) and experience of the drilling crew.

For the 01.12kit one may say that in an average saturated sand layer one may 'penetrate' by bailing some three to four meters into the saturated sand layer. This means that if your water level is minus 7 meters that you may auger to that depth with a ten cm auger then lower a casing and continue until you are 10-11 m deep and install a well or take samples all along the drilling depth. In this case you would need more casings and extension rods. When water table + fluid sand is at minus 1 m bailing to 5 m depth (4 m of friction) is already hard work. Of course with the larger / heavier casings you can go deeper. For instance: With extensive experience and 'good' soil 50 m can be reached with a 120 mm steel casing.

Questions on motorized soil auger sets

Q: When can I use the motorized soil augering set 03.05SA? A: The 03.05SA is meant for drillings in non-fluid soils. So you cannot drill through a water saturated sand layer. You need three people; one to operate the winch; the two others two hold the engine with drill. You also need patience since it is not a rapid drilling technique. Do not expect samples. The soil will be spiraled up and will be very mixed. It is just to get a hole 8 cm in diameter. Of course you can take core or other samples from the bottom of the borehole. For this the hole drill string must be winched out of the hole.

Q: When can I use the motorized soil augering set 03.05SB? A: Same as SA only the set is enriched with bailer boring equipment to be able to do an additional bailer boring once a fluid sand layer is reached. Note that larger spiral flighted augers are added to the set too to allow lowering casings.

Questions on percussion drilling

Q: When can / should I use this drilling / sampling technique? A: If working with an auger or a hand operated gouge becomes fighting then it is time to think about investing in percussion drilling equipment. It penetrates rubble, debris, bricks, stones, stony sands, moist glacial loams and so on. It does not penetrate concrete (too compact; too hard), thick wood or roots (too fibrous), metal sheets and rubber (too plastic) and dry soil types without any porosity. The reason of the latter is that the gouges' own volume (the cutting ring) must push aside the soil. If the soil has no pores AND no porosity then there is little or nothing to push and you can better skip to a cheap riverside or stony soil auger. For the rest a percussion drilling set will give fantastic sampling results and a perfect cylindrical borehole in extremely stubborn soils. Clays without stones can better be drilled by hand augers (or mechanical drill rig) since emptying the gouges can be tough with clays. A reason for buying would also be that you can use the most expensive parts to hammer down and pull out a small diameter hollow casing with lost point to install small diameter wells or dynamite for seismic explorations. See also the FAQ's on the lost cone drilling set.

Q: Can I go to 16 m depth with percussion drilling equipment? A: You can but you shouldn't ! The main principle of the sets offered is that you do a stepwise sampling; each time taking a smaller diameter gouge. So you start with a gouge 100 mm. This leaves a hole 100 mm in diameter 1 m deep in which you can DROP a 1 m long 75 mm gouge. This gouge needs to be pulled out with heavy equipment only for one meter and not the two meters that you drilled deep now ! After one meter of pulling you can lift the gouge out easily by hand. Once lifted out you can DROP a 2 m long 60 mm gouge, hammer it in the soil and pull it out. Then drop, fitted with one extension rod, a 2m long 50 mm gouge, hammer it down, pull it out for two meters and lift

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it out by hand for 2 meters. Then fix two extension rods on the 2m long 40 mm gouge and lower this into the borehole half way. Twist an extra three rods on it and hammer it in the layer from 6 to 8 meters. Anything deeper will demand extreme patience because you not only will have to use the power hammer to hammer the gouge in the not sampled layer but also to hammer it through the layer that was already drilled in. To arrive at 16 m depth you would have to use the 2 m long 40 mm gouge for the 6-8 m stretch, 8-10 m stretch, 10-12 m stretch etc. To sample the last stretch from 1416 m you would have to lift on and off the power hammer for 11 times. Each time screwing a 1 m long extension rod on the drill string. This demands for extreme patience. We suggest the Sonic drilling equipment for deeper drillings or very many shallow drillings. Q: When do I buy a motor powered hammer and when an electrically powered hammer ? A: Generators, which are essential to power the electric hammer are heavy (50 kg) but they consume relatively little fuel, are reliable starters and do not smoke since they work with a 4 stroke engine. You take (super unleaded) petrol at every gas station. The electric hammer however is much lighter and more compact than the 2-stroke motor powered hammer. The two stroke motor hammer is a generator and power hammer in one. Its weight is substantial and you will lift it on and off the gouge with two persons. It is more expensive than a generator + electric hammer. Two stroke engines smoke, ask for oil mixed petrol and are less reliable starters. In general they also ask for more maintenance than electric equipment or four stroke engines. But you do not need to transport a generator. Safety of electrical equipment can be assured with the isolation guard. This tests the generator, extension cables and all internal wiring of the electric power hammer 1000times/second and switches off the tension in case the tiniest loss of voltage is noticed. The power hammer is double insulated so earthing is not necessary and so useless. You may earth the generator since it will add some extra safety. The isolation guard cannot physically stop the generator. Of course the electrical parts of the generator that we selected for this equipment are very well isolated. So the choice; electric or motor power is (still) up to you. Q: Do I choose the wedge connection or the RD-32 connection? A: Compared to the formerly used M20 screw connection the wedge connection is extremely reliable and relatively straight forward to use. As long as you do not drop drill strings (gouge + some connected rods) on the ground or bend the drill string in the borehole the equipment will be durable and perform as desired (dropping or bending will overstress the thinner male parts of the wedge connection with a breakage risk as result). The wedge connection set weight is within sympathetic limits. A disadvantage of the wedge connection is the vertical 'play' when pulling out a drill string from a borehole which causes the need for more strokes with the mechanical rod puller before the gouge comes above ground. This is specially important when often drilling at larger depths. RD-32 equipment is incredibly strong and reliable and is made to last. It is heavy and you need heavier and more expensive rod pulling equipment and side tools as wrenches. In general people prefer RD-32 because of its convincing almost stubborn drilling qualities. One tip on beforehand: Always keep drilling rods with screw connection tightly 'closed'. This is done by twisting the power hammer lightly to the left (left hand thread) while drilling. Again, the final choice is up to you. Q: Can I take a sample in a liner ? A: Yes. There is one gouge with an outside diameter of 63 mm. This gouge has a detachable top and bottom piece and includes a core catcher and a PVC liner 50 mm.

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Questions on the lost cone drilling set and the Direct well 10.100
Q: How does the lost cone drilling technique work. A: That is quite simple: A wetted (cheap cast iron) point is slipped into the bottom part of a narrow casing. Most of the time one of the two O-rings is removed from the lost point. The O-ring is smeared with a bentonite slurry. Each meter is hammered or vibrated (with Sonic equipment; which is dozens of times faster than hammering) into the soil. After each meter you add a meter. Arrived at depth you lower into the empty casing Depending on used hammer/vibrator and soil types you will reach from a few meters to thirty forty meters or more). In this casing you may lower a well (for monitoring or to measure local pressure height) or explosive (seismic research) or sensor (geotechnical research or other). Then the casing is filled with water; filled with bentonite plugs (in most cases) and pulled out with special pulling equipment. The lost point stays behind. The plugs (at least the part that is wetted with groundwater) will swell in 48 hours and the installation is ready. The point will do no harm. In this reduced environment it wont even rust. For your information: We have sleek (smooth on in and outside) casings (diameter 40 x 53 mm) and heavier ones 40 x 63. The latter being smooth at the inside but thicker at the screw connections. They work with the same lost point. Further data in the catalogue with the Sonic drilling equipment info. Q: What can I do with the lost cone drilling set? A: Drill through layers which cannot be drilled by augers or bailer boring, spiral augers and so on. Specially stony layers or layers with debris are popular. But you may use the technique with any soil except those soils that have little porosity. In certain fine sands penetration may be too slow. In heavy non plastic (fairly dry) clays it does not work fast either. You have a technique here with which you can install monitoring wells almost in any situation. You may install a traditional small diameter (32 mm outside) well but in a fluid soil you can either apply filter sand (the casing is too narrow to allow for this) nor bentonite pellets. That is why the Direct well was invented. The lost cone drilling technique does not result in soil samples so a profile description must be made separately. To prevent oil pollution do not use any oils or greases on the casings screw connections. Remove all greases prior to drilling if in doubt. You may use naphtha or acetone for this a hot detergent / steam cleaner will work as well. You can grease the screw connections with a slurry of bentonite. Q: What is a Direct Well and how does it work? A: A Direct Well has three typical components which distinguish it from normal wells. a) The blind pipe is narrower than the slotted (screen) section. In fact it is so narrow that a tube 10 x 12 mm PE can be used in stead of a stiff pipe. b) The slotted section is composed of 1 m slotted HDPE pipe with a special shape on the outside which keeps the already mounted filter gauze a few millimeters away from the slots. This prevents plugging of the filter gauze and slots and increases greatly the filtering capacity of the well. This pre-packed filter makes the use of filter sand unnecessary. Of course the top of the prepacked filter is fitted with a tubing connector. c) To plug all layers, hollow thick bentonite staves are slipped over the tubing (blind pipe) over the full length of the tubing. After pulling out the casing these will swell and will close impermeable layers and the space left behind by the casing. d) To measure the water level a special water level sensor is available (11.03.18) with a 8 m long cable. e) To sample the well a peristaltic pump can be used until water levels 8 m with either tubing 6 x 8 mm slipped to the bottom section of the well or connected directly to the 10x12 mm tubing of the well itself. f) A foot valve pump diameter only 9 mm outside with tubing 6 x 8 mm PE can be used until 30 m depth to sample wells with deeper water levels.

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Q: When and how do I install a Direct Well? A: How ? Once the casing or sounding rod are at the desired depth: Open, at the end of the tubing connector, the protecting foil, enveloping the pre-packed filter. Slide two bentonite plugs over the end of the 10 x 12 mm tubing (this will act as ballast when lowering the pre-packed filter into the casing). Slide the PE tubing 10 x 12 mm over the connector. Now remove the protecting foil completely and slip the filter and plugs and tubing into the casing. If the plugs are somewhat banana shape break them. Try to avoid plying the tubing. When hitting the bottom of the casing (the lost point) add bentonite plugs until they stick out of the casing. Fill the casing with water. You may also fill the casing prior to filling them with the plugs. Then install on the ground the rod pulling device and wedge clamp. If you are not very deep or the lost point is sitting in a soft layer be sure that the lost point will free itself from the casing. This is done by heavily pushing the bentonite plugs downward at the moment someone else starts lifting the casing. Then all casings are removed. What will be left is a tubing sticking out of the soil. You may finish this tubing just below the soil level with a special kit that allows adapting the monitoring well cover 10.02.30 with a foot plate and a special vented plug for the tubing. The kits number is 10.04.32. Q: Can I install a Direct Well with sounding equipment? A: If the hollow casing is spacey enough has no narrowing inside and the casing can be fitted with a lost point it is OK. Diameter should be 40 mm inside minimum.

Questions on Sonic Drilling

Q: What techniques can I apply with Sonic drilling? A: a. You can vibrate down, with often incredible speed, a casing fitted with a lost point. In the casing you may install a Direct Well, a small diameter (32 mm O.D.) classical well, an explosive for seismic explorations, any sensor < 35 mm in diameter. b. You can vibrate down, prior to a lost point with casing a long liner sampler fitted with a core catcher. c. You can vibrate down, specially meant for under the groundwater level, an Aqualock sampler. This is a long tube with a water pressure operated piston. Upon use the piston is firmly blocked with 100 bar water pressure at the bottom end of the tube (max 4 m long). Then the sampler is vibrated down until the level where soil has to be sampled. This may vary from soil surface until tenths of meters of depth. Arrived at sampling depth a rod is lowered in the casing and a valve is opened allowing the water on top of the piston to flow out of the tube. This will only start happening when the sampler is vibrated down. By inertia effects the piston stay at the original level and the sampler is filled with sample. Once filled the rod is removed and the valve closes. The piston will now act as a vacuum that holds the sample while the sampler is retrieved. Once above the ground the chamber between piston and valve is pressurized with a normal high pressure cleaner. This will expel the sample which can be collected in a half round shaped liner or full round liner. d. The vibrations can be used to retrieve the casings with even less effort than vibrating them down. What you can vibrate down you will be able to get up again. With traditional low frequency hammering this can be a big frustration. e. A Sonic drill mast is also equipped with a rotation function. This has two advantages: 1. You can drill through plastic clay layers. In these layers the effect of the sonic vibrations are lost for a large part. Added with rotation you will be able to drill through these stubborn layers. 2. Connecting and disconnecting casings (which is the most important time factor since the drilling itself goes so quickly) can be done efficiently.

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