When a company or private entity needs to see what is going on with the land beneath the surface, an effective option is to install soil borings. Knowing what they are, why they are needed, and how they work is important for anyone who needs them done.

Why Do Soil Borings Need to Happen?

Companies and private entities use soil borings usually for one of three reasons:

1) Environmental monitoring - When a property owner or a company needs to see if there is any problems with soil or groundwater contamination, soil borings are a good  choice. An environmental consultant can take samples of the soil, groundwater, and even test the vapors of the soil to determine if contaminants are present. They can test these samples pulled from different layers for contaminant levels.

2) Geological exploration - When trying to assess an area for natural resources, companies and private entities need to know what sort of geological formations lay beneath the ground. Soil boring installations allow them to take samples from different places to get a solid picture of what is going on with the subsurface geology.

3) Geo-technical investigation - Massive earthworks and buildings both need solid geological formations beneath to have a solid foundation. Taking samples from the ground can bring any problems to light. These soil borings are also a good idea for investigating problems with foundations before attempting any repairs.

Sometimes there is a legal reason for doing an investigation and in other cases it is the smartest thing to do for business and safety.

What Do You Need to Know About Soil borings?

Soil borings are usually temporary. The environmental drilling company comes in, does the borings, takes the samples, and fills the hole according to local, state, and federal guidelines. These operations usually take only a day or two to complete depending on depth and local geology. In some cases, these borings are the first step installing a monitoring well. 

The impact to the surface area is minimal. The drilling equipment needs access to the site so the drilling rig will sit in place as the operators take the borings. The drill operators will put all debris and cuttings into containers so that there is no chance of contamination to the site. All water and soil removed from the boring is also containerized and removed to an approved disposal facility. After the boring is complete, the site will be restored to its original condition.

What are Some Soil Boring Drilling Methods?

Depending on the specifics of the job, the drilling company will likely use one of two methods:

• Hollow Stem Auger Drilling - With this method, the drill rig uses augers to drill down into the ground. A split spoon sampling device is needed to collect clean, undisturbed samples. As the drill goes down, the ground-up soil comes up through the sides via the flights along the sides of the drill pipe.
  
  
• Direct Push Geoprobe - For taking samples, a direct push system is a good choice. This machine drives steel boring rods into the soil using percussion and static force. The boring rods are specifically built to accommodate a number of sampling needs including ground water, soil, and soil vapor. Direct push is good when the samples need minimal soil disturbance to occur.
  
  

Are Soil Boring Installations Necessary?

Many companies wonder if they need to go to the trouble of taking soil borings. That depends on the situation involved.

Environmental monitoring is often regulated by local, state, and federal regulations. In many cases, taking soil borings is not optional. It is part of standard operations in making sure a particular activity is not or has not contaminated the soil or groundwater. In those cases, not taking the borings, can lead to civil and criminal penalties.

Geotechnical exploration is sometimes required by law for certain installations. However, often, it is just a good business practice. Finding out whether there is solid bedrock below for a foundation can save time and money. Digging a foundation without knowing this information is a gamble. Trying to repair an earthwork without doing some investigation is potentially dangerous.

Who Should You Contact about Environmental Drilling and Soil Boring Installations in Texas?

If you need to install soil borings, you need an experienced company who is familiar with the geological formations you need to go through. If you are in Texas, you probably know that there are a variety of soil types across the expanse of Texas, from clay and bedrock to caliche and sand. For high-quality, reputable and dependable environmental drilling, contact Talon/LPE in Amarillo, Texas. With more than a century of combined drilling experience placing a range of wells throughout the state and a company led by a fourth-generation driller, Talon / LPE is an environmental drilling firm you can trust. With vast experience and state-of-the-art, modern equipment, Talon / LPE can handle all of your boring and drilling needs. Give these environmental drilling experts a call today.