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Drilling for wells, water lines, utilities, and oil is hard enough in El Paso, even when conditions are ideal. However, when you throw low clearance and limited access into the mix, drilling is so much harder. Therefore, in addition to all the normal safety measures involved with drilling in El Paso, there are extra safety issues to consider with low-clearance drilling. 

Luckily, El Paso Drilling offers quality, low-clearance drilling services. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more.

What is Considered Low-Clearance Drilling?

As the name implies, low-clearance drilling in El Paso is industrial drilling with low overhead space. Low-clearance drilling is typically when your drilling is impeded by a ceiling or low overhang, such as a cliff or rock face. 

Low-clearance drilling can take place inside structures or in the great outdoors. It can be hazardous because industrial drilling equipment is often 20+ feet tall, but low-clearance drilling allows for access of 25 feet or less. In some instances, you may only have 10 to 15 feet of clearance to work with. This severely complicates matters because you need special drilling equipment to make drilling a possibility.

Safety Considerations For Low-Clearance Drilling

Now that you have a better idea of what low-clearance drilling is let’s look at why it can be hazardous. 

Ventilation Concerns

One of the first things to worry about with low-clearance drilling is whether or not there’s adequate ventilation. If you’re drilling outdoors and have low clearance due to a bridge, cliff, or another type of overhang, ventilation isn’t an issue as long as there’s airflow from the sides. However, ventilation is a huge concern for low-clearance indoor drilling. It’s essential to have fans or a ventilation system in place to protect the lungs of your workers. 

Limited Manpower

Limited space and clearance often means smaller drilling equipment, which translates to less manpower. As a result, you may have two or three people doing a job that would normally require four or five people. It’s important to adjust accordingly and change your approach when you have limited manpower due to limited clearance. 

Limited Maneuverability

In addition to not being able to fit as many people into a low-clearance area, you will also have less room to maneuver your equipment. Therefore, it’s essential to take things slow and not rush, as this can lead to jam-ups and accidents. 

Overheating

Another aspect of not having as much airflow in low-clearance spaces is that heat is more likely to build up. In addition to potentially damaging your equipment, intense heat can also be dangerous to your workers. It may be necessary to have a cooling system in place before you start drilling. 

Exposure to Dust 

If you have less ventilation, you’re more at risk for dust inhalation. It’s essential to wear ventilators or breathing equipment to compensate. 

Noise Protection

Finally, low clearance usually means a louder drilling experience, so ear protection is another essential. 

Safe and Professional Low-Clearance Drilling in El Paso

If you want a team that can overcome the obstacles of low-clearance drilling in El Paso, El Paso Drilling is here to help. No matter how tight your space is, we have the equipment and experience to get the job done. Call (915) 479-7060 today to get started.

Pier drilling in El Paso is an important aspect of residential and commercial construction. In many instances, it’s the only way to build a foundation suitable enough to handle homes, businesses, and other structures. 

If you require pier drilling services for your residential or commercial construction site, El Paso Drilling is here to help. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more.

What is Pier Drilling? 

As the name implies, pier drilling is the act of drilling holes and filling them with concrete piers. Pier drilling in El Paso is used to build foundational supports or pillars for homes, businesses, and other structures. Drilled piers go by several other names, including caissons, and are one of the most tried and true ways to build a foundation. 

How Does Pier Drilling Work? 

El Paso pier drilling is performed by large-scale drilling companies. To get the job done, these companies use massive drills and augers to drill holes into the earth and then fill the holes with poured concrete. To give you a better idea of pier drilling, here’s how the process works. 

1. Your pier drilling professional will come to your construction site to determine how deep and wide the piers need to be, as well as how many you’ll need. 
2. They will then use an auger attached to an industrial drill and drill holes into the earth for the piers. 
3. The soil is removed, and, if necessary, the hole is drilled in a bell shape so it’s wider at the bottom, providing more base support. 
4. Once the hole is ready, a steel casing gets installed. 
5. Concrete is poured into the hole within the steel casing. 
6. It will take roughly one month for the concrete to harden enough for construction to continue. 

The holes for concrete piers can be anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of feet deep. They can also range from several inches to several feet in diameter, depending on your needs. 

When is Pier Drilling Necessary? 

Pier drilling, while becoming more and more common, is not always necessary. In most cases, pier drilling is used when the ground’s surface is too soft to support the foundation for a house or business. This could be because the ground is too loose or soggy or has too many inconsistencies to be reliable. 

In these instances, excavators will need to dig deep enough to find solid ground to support a foundation. However, digging the entire foundation that deep would be extremely expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, rather than dig deep for the entire foundation, pier drilling companies will drill strategic holes and fill them with concrete piers or pillars. Concrete piers are useful in the following instances: 

• Near water 
• For large buildings 
• On uneven surfaces 
• Areas with unstable earth 

Pier Drilling Services in El Paso

If pier drilling is the answer to your foundation problems, El Paso Drilling is ready to get started on your project. From new constructions for homes and businesses to foundation repairs, we can do it all! Call (915) 479-7060 today.

If you have a construction project in the works, investing in hole drilling is essential. Hole drilling is when you use commercial drilling equipment to perform core, rock, pier, or exploratory drilling. It’s a vital part of the construction process because it will tell you more about the ground that you’re building on, how stable it is, and more. 

Hole drilling is also necessary for installing micropiles when you need a stronger and sturdier foundation than with a typical construction project. At El Paso Drilling, our hole drills can reach up to 200 feet deep into the soil and install micropiles that can support hundreds of tons. Whether you need micropiles or not, however, hole drilling is a crucial step involved with any El Paso construction project. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more.

Understand Your Soil

The main reason that hole drilling is an integral part of El Paso construction is because soil in the Southwest is unpredictable. There are tons of different types of rock and soil that you might be building on, and what’s below the surface could be different from what’s on top of it. 

The only way you’ll know for sure is if you perform hole drilling in El Paso to retrieve soil samples so that you can send them off to a lab for testing. The results will tell you if you’re building your foundation on reliable soil or if you need to come up with Plan B. 

Find Underground Utilities 

Another reason hole drilling is important is because it will help you spot underground utilities before you dig into them. Underground utilities, such as water lines, electrical wires, gas pipes, and communication wires, don’t always show up on blueprints and schematics, depending on how old they are and who installed them. Therefore, if you know that there are utilities close by and you need to know their exact location, hole drilling is the way to go. 

Personal Safety 

In addition to saving you tons of money on costly repairs, hole drilling will also keep you and your workers safe and healthy. Accidentally digging into an electrical wire or gas line, for example, can be hazardous to whoever is doing the digging. Therefore, by digging holes to locate these utilities, you might very well be saving the lives of your workers. 

Build a Firmer Foundation 

If you dig a few test holes to retrieve core samples and discover that the soil is bad for several layers, you will need to come up with Plan B. In most cases, this means drilling micropiles that go hundreds of feet into the soil to ensure a solid and firm foundation. Micropiles can only be installed with professional El Paso hole drilling services, so contact us if you find yourself in this type of situation. 

Contact El Paso Drilling For Hole Drilling Services in the Southwest 

If you need hole drilling services for your El Paso construction project, El Paso Drilling is ready to help. Whether you need utility locating, pier drilling, core drilling, or more, we’re the team to call. Call (915) 479-7060 today!

Prior to breaking ground on a construction site, there are many things that need to happen. For instance, it’s important to understand the chemistry and characteristics of the ground on which you’re building. It’s also important to know how solid the ground is and if there’s anything of consequence lying beneath it. The only way to gather this information and have peace of mind going into your construction project is to perform geotechnical drilling. 

If you require geotechnical drilling on your El Paso construction site, El Paso Drilling can help. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more about our services.

What is Geotechnical Drilling? 

Geotechnical drilling is the act of drilling small holes, also known as boreholes, into the earth. Geotechnical drilling is a complex process that’s performed by a geotechnical engineer using large-scale drilling equipment known as drill rigs. While the engineer may not perform the actual drilling, they are responsible for overseeing the project and examining the results.  

How Does the Geotechnical Drilling Process Work? 

The geotechnical drilling process is quite interesting. Here’s a quick look at how it works for construction projects. 

1. A residential or commercial contractor wants to break ground on a new building, parking lot, structure, or another type of project. 
2. They contact a drilling company capable of performing geotechnical drilling in El Paso and explain their project. 
3. The drilling company, led by experienced geotechnical drillers and engineers, brings their equipment to the site. 
4. They then drill a series of boreholes into the ground throughout the construction site. 
5. These samples of dirt and rock are then preserved and sent to a laboratory for testing. 
6. The lab will perform an in-depth examination of the samples and report their findings to the drilling company. 

Contact us to learn more about our process! 

Why is Geotechnical Drilling Necessary Before a Construction Project? 

Geotechnical drilling should be standard procedure for any construction project. The purpose of this procedure is to determine the integrity and contents of the soil on which you plan to build. Proceeding with a construction project without understanding the ground on which you’re building is dangerous and irresponsible. 

Because of how important geotechnical drilling is, it’s often required by local building codes and standards. However, even when it isn’t required by code or law, every responsible contractor should invest in geotechnical drilling. Here are some of the things that it can detect. 

• How loose or compact the soil is 
• How high the water content of the soil is 
• How permeable the soil is 
• The grain size of the soil 
• How rocky or stony the soil is and what kind of deposits there are 
• Whether or not there are any potential contaminants in the soil 

How Can Geotechnical Drilling Help You?

Depending on the findings of geotechnical drilling, you may need to alter your construction plans. If the soil is too unstable or hazardous, you won’t be able to build on top of it, and you’ll need to delay or halt your project. 

Contact El Paso Drilling For Geotechnical Drilling in El Paso 

If you require geotechnical drilling services in El Paso, El Paso Drilling can help. In addition to pier, hole, concrete, and other drilling services, we also offer geotechnical drilling for construction projects. We can help you have peace of mind and know that you’re building your structure on safe, solid ground. Call (915) 479-7060 to learn more!

Pier drilling is a commonly used drilling method in the construction industry. Contrary to its name, pier drilling isn’t used exclusively near water or to build docks, although that is a common application. Instead, El Paso builders can implement pier drilling for a wide range of construction uses. 

If you are looking for pier drilling services for your El Paso construction site, El Paso Drilling can help. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more!

What is Pier Drilling, and How Does It Work? 

Pier drilling in El Paso is when a drilling company uses an auger to drill narrow holes deep into the earth. It’s a method that’s often used in areas with unstable or unsolid ground. The goal is to drill deep enough into the earth until you reach solid ground, usually in the form of bedrock. 

Once the hole is drilled, the drilling company will then insert piers or columns into the holes. Since the pillars are resting on solid ground, they will form a firm foundation for a home or building that gets placed on top of them. Here’s a look at the overall pier drilling process. 

1. The auger drills as deep into the earth as necessary to reach solid ground. 
2. The auger is then removed to make way for piers. 
3. Before the pier is inserted, however, a support system in the form of a steel mesh cage gets inserted into the hole. 
4. Concrete then gets poured into the hole, where it hardens around the mesh support system and fills the hole. 
5. Once the concrete hardens, it forms a solid pier or column that can rise above the ground or be flush with the surface of the earth. 
6. You now have a solid foundation that’s built into the earth rather than sitting on top of shaky ground. 

Contact us to learn more about our pier drilling process in El Paso or to receive a free quote! 

How Does Pier Drilling Get Used in El Paso Construction? 

Pier drilling is one of the best ways to ensure you have a solid foundation where it was previously thought impossible. As such, it’s used in a number of ways in the El Paso construction industry. 

Skyscrapers 

One of the most common uses for pier drilling is in the construction of skyscrapers. The reason for this is that piers and columns do a better job of equally spreading load distribution than other foundations. Because skyscrapers are some of the heaviest and tallest buildings on earth, they need a firm foundation with equal weight distribution. 

Piers and Docks 

One of the more obvious uses for pier drilling is in the construction of piers and docks. It’s also a good option for building bridges because you can drill deep into the water until you reach solid ground. 

Oil Platforms 

A vast majority of oil platforms are built on or near the water, which makes pier drilling an excellent option. 

Hospitals 

As with skyscrapers, hospitals are tall, heavy buildings that require a firm foundation and equal weight distribution. 

Lighthouses 

Lighthouses typically aren’t as big or heavy as hospitals or skyscrapers, but they require a firm foundation just the same. Additionally, lighthouses are located near the water, where the soil is unstable and soft. As such, they’re at risk of collapsing if they aren’t built on top of piers. 

Residential Properties 

Finally, pier drilling is a great option for houses, barns, and other residential buildings, depending on the construction site. Houses built near the water, on a steep slope, or near the mountains often require an alternative to traditional foundations, and pier drilling is a popular option. 

If you think that pier drilling is the right option for your El Paso construction project, contact us online or call (915) 479-7060. We offer the best drilling services in the Southwest and can handle jobs of any scope or size.

Whether you’re building a home, installing power poles, or doing other construction projects, there’s a good chance you’ll need to drill a hole or two into the ground. Hole drilling is a very common aspect of construction in El Paso, and it’s also one of the most difficult if you don’t have the right equipment. While there are some instances when hole drilling is an obvious need, there are others where it’s less obvious. We will explore some of the most common applications for hole drilling so that you can make arrangements should the need arise. 

If you require hole drilling services for your construction project, El Paso Drilling is here to help. Contact us online or call (915) 588-7321 to learn more about our services.

7 Common Applications for Hole Drilling 

Here are seven of the most common instances when hole drilling is necessary. 

Low-Clearance Hole Drilling 

Most hole drilling happens in wide open spaces where there’s plenty of room above and around the drilling site. However, although less common, there are plenty of instances when holes need to get drilled in low-clearance sites. This includes beneath bridges, overpasses, and in other tight spaces. Low-clearance drilling is more difficult than other forms of hole drilling and requires special equipment that not all excavation companies have. 

Concrete Hole Drilling 

Drilling holes into concrete isn’t just dirty and noisy, it’s also extremely difficult and requires special equipment. As such, concrete drilling is a task that should be left to experienced professionals with the right tools for the job. 

Pier Hole Drilling 

Anytime you’re constructing a house or building on an elevated foundation, pier drilling is a valuable commodity. Pier drilling is a precise science that takes years of training and experience to perfect. Contact us to learn more about our pier drilling services at El Paso Drilling. 

Rock Hole Drilling 

El Paso is home to some of the hardest and rockiest soil in the southwest. Sandstone, granite, bedrock, dry rock, and more are all found in our soil. Ordinary drills won’t be enough to penetrate these materials, and you’ll require special rock drills if you don’t want your construction project to suddenly stop. 

Cluster Hole Drilling 

Cluster hole drilling is another specialized form requiring specific tools and techniques. El Paso Drilling has cluster drills capable of drilling holes of all shapes, sizes, and depths to meet your needs. 

Micropile Hole Drilling 

Some El Paso construction projects require a deeper or stronger foundation than others. In these instances, you’ll likely need micropiles to hold your project together. However, micropiles require special drilling techniques and tools in order to be done properly and to reach the desired depths. We can dig our micropiles up to 200 feet beneath the earth’s surface and make them capable of supporting up to 200 tons. 

Utility Hole Drilling

Because of how cost-effective and safe it is to put utilities underground, it’s becoming a very common practice in El Paso and the surrounding area. Whether you’re digging utilities for phone, internet, or television lines, gas, water, or electrical lines, utility hole drilling will be necessary. Safe and quality utility hole drilling will protect your utilities from freezing temperatures, burrowing animals, and other potential hazards. 

Who to Contact for All Your El Paso Hole Drilling Needs

If you require any of the above forms of hole drilling in El Paso, look no further than El Paso Drilling. We’re an industry leader when it comes to hole drilling in El Paso and the surrounding area. No matter your needs, we always have the tools and experience to get the job done.  Contact us online or call (915) 588-7321 to schedule an appointment or to learn more about our El Paso hole drilling services.

Unless you’re well-acquainted with the drilling and mining industry, you may not know what geotechnical drilling is. Despite its name, geotechnical drilling includes many different drilling methods and is used for a wide variety of purposes. Depending on your situation and needs, there’s a good chance you could use geotechnical drilling services, and you don’t even realize it. 

If you require drilling services in El Paso, you’ve come to the right place. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more. 

What is Geotechnical Drilling? 

Geotechnical drilling, also known as geotechnical boring, is a simple yet complicated process. Simply put, it’s an exploratory method where you drill holes periodically around a specific area to determine what’s beneath the surface. Geotechnical drilling aims to get a better picture of the soil, consistency, and underground terrain. 

While geotechnical drilling is most commonly used as a construction tool to determine the soundness and quality of a construction site, it’s used for many different things. This article will explore those purposes and help you know if you need to enlist geotechnical drilling services. 

Reasons Geotechnical Drilling is Important 

You need to first drill into the soil to know its quality. This is extremely important if you’re building a house, constructing a roadway, or doing anything else where the ground supports tons of weight. Here are some of the things you can detect with geotechnical drilling. 

• Color, consistency, density, and other important details about the soil 
• Strata depth of soil and surrounding rocks 
• How much water is in the soil 
• What type of drilling and foundation methods you’ll need to implement 
• Whether or not the site is suitable for your purposes 
• The difficulty and feasibility of your project 

For these reasons and many more, geotechnical drilling is extremely important. Contact us to find out if you require geotechnical drilling services in El Paso.  

Common Uses for Geotechnical Drilling in El Paso

Because of how valuable geotechnical drilling is, it’s used for several El Paso projects and professions. Here are some of the most common. 

• The construction of a home or business 

The main use for geotechnical drilling in El Paso is in the construction industry. Before you can set the foundation of a home or business, you first have to know if you’re building on solid, reliable soil. The only way to determine that is if you drill into the soil and determine its quality. 

• Roads 

Whether discussing a dirt road or a highway with a dirt foundation, geotechnical drilling is vital. This will determine whether or not your road is prone to cracking and if it’s capable of supporting road traffic. 

• Bridges 

While modern bridges aren’t made of soil, it serves as their foundation. The combined weight of a bridge and the vehicles that travel atop it is staggering. As such, knowing the quality of your foundation soil is paramount. 

• Dams 

As with levees and other water-related barriers, geotechnical drilling is essential for ensuring the quality and integrity of the soil in and around dams. Dams that use or are built upon soil of poor quality are bound to fail and should be built elsewhere. However, you won’t know that your dam is in jeopardy unless you dig deeper and inspect the integrity of your soil. 

• Tunnels 

By definition, tunnels are burrowed through the ground. If the ground through which they’re burrowed isn’t stable enough to prevent cave-ins, you’ll need to build your tunnel elsewhere. 

• Levees 

A large component of levees consists of soil and rock. Therefore, it’s extremely important that levees are constructed in areas with strong, feasible soil if you want to avoid flooding and disasters. 

Who to Contact for All Your El Paso Geotechnical Drilling Needs

Whether you’re building a home, bridge, dam, or anything else where understanding soil quality is important, contact us online or call (915) 479-7060. We’re an industry leader in El Paso and want to help you today!

When it comes to construction in El Paso, there are many different forms of drilling. Depending on the work you’re doing and your goals, you may use one or more of these drilling techniques. For instance, if you need to drill neat, cylindrical holes into any type of surface, core drilling might be the right method. If you want to know more about core drilling and whether or not it’s right for you, you’ve come to the right place.  

If you need drilling services in El Paso, El Paso Drilling can help. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more.

What is Core Drilling? 

Core drilling is a particular form of drilling where you use a hollow, cylindrical drill bit and a powerful drilling tool. Core drilling aims to drill perfectly round holes where the core, or center, gets removed by the bit. Here’s how it works. 

1. Core drilling requires a round bit with a hollow center where the outer edges of the bit are covered with sharp teeth. 
2. In most cases, these teeth are either diamond or carbide coated depending on the type of surface you’re drilling into. 
3. Because the center of the bit is hollow, it will spin up to the full depth of the bit. 
4. When you stop drilling and remove the bit, it will remove the core or center. 
5. Core drilling bits come in many different sizes so that you can drill holes of any size. 

Contact us for a hands-on demonstration and to learn more about the effectiveness of core drilling. 

When is Core Drilling Used in El Paso? 

Because of how precise core drilling is, it’s a great option for many different industries, including the following:

• HVAC technicians and plumbers use core drilling to make holes for pipes and vents. 
• Phone and internet lines 
• Holes for sprinkler systems and utility pipes 
• Gas and oil pipelines 
• Underground utilities 
• Tunnels and manholes 
• Parking garages and utility holes 

Core drilling is primarily used in the construction and science industries. Scientists and researchers will use core drilling to remove samples inside of surfaces if they want to leave the sample undamaged. Core drilling is a valuable tool whether you’re an HVAC technician, plumber, or manual laborer. 

Core drilling is especially handy on larger projects, including underground infrastructure and utilities. The drill bits used on commercial core drills are large enough for pier drilling, tunnels, pipelines, micro piles, and many other practices. Core drilling bits are also powerful enough to drill through concrete, rock, or anything else that stands in your way. 

Different Types of Core Drilling 

In general, there are two different types of core drilling that you might use depending on your needs. 

• Wet Drilling 

Wet core drilling is where water or another lubricant is added to the tip of the core drill to make for faster and more powerful drilling. It’s great for going through harder surfaces such as rock, concrete, and brick. 

• Dry Drilling

Dry core drilling works the same way and uses the same tools as wet drills but without water or lubricant. Dry core drilling is ideal for softer surfaces such as dirt, wood, drywall, and other non-rocky surfaces. 

Advantages of Core Drilling Versus Other Forms of Drilling

• Less mess and noise. 
• Wet drilling allows for less dust, smoke, and debris. 
• The best way to preserve the core of whatever you’re drilling into. 
• Perfect for taking samples. 
• Very safe and affordable 

Who to Contact for All Your El Paso Core Drilling Needs

Whether you need core drilling on a large or small scale, you might be better off contacting us at El Paso Drilling than doing the work yourself. Core drilling is a meticulous process, and it’s best left to professionals who do it for a living. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 for a complete list of our core drilling services and to schedule a consultation! 

Micropiling is one of the latest and greatest innovations in the El Paso drilling industry. It serves many purposes and can be used as a standalone method or in conjunction with other tools. Below we will explain the process and go over the many benefits of micropiling.

 Contact El Paso Drilling online or call (915) 479-7060 to learn more and find out if micropiles are right for you. 

What is Micropiling?

In case you aren’t familiar with the process, micropiling is a process where holes are drilled into the ground and steel rods of various diameters are installed, providing support to foundations, retaining walls, and other barriers. 

Benefits of Micropiles Versus Other Support Methods

You Can Micropile Through Any Obstruction 

Using micropiles, you can quickly drill through any obstruction, no matter how tough it is. The drills that install micropiles are extremely powerful, and nothing can stand in their way. 

Because it can go through anything, it’s important to hire a hole drilling team in El Paso that knows what they’re doing. The last thing you want to do is drill a micropile through a plumbing or utility pipe and get saddled with costly repairs. 

Limited Vibration 

Despite how powerful micropile drills are, they cause minimal vibration to the surrounding area. Minimizing vibration is essential if you are working around an existing foundation and don’t want to cause further damage. It’s also important if you live in a populated area and don’t want to be a nuisance or cause damage to your nearby properties. 

Great for Areas with Limited Space 

If you’re drilling in a low-access or clearance area, micro piling is an excellent option. The machinery that gets used is sizable but compact, which makes it great for reinforcing foundations in old basements. 

Reduces the Need for Deep Foundations 

Because of how micro piling uses the earth around your foundation for extra support, you don’t need as deep of a foundation. Through a process known as skin friction, micropiles will transfer most of the weight of your home or business to the soil around the foundation. It does this using the steel rod of the micropile as well as the cement grout that gets poured in around it. 

Although micropiling is sometimes expensive, you end up saving money on excavation and concrete costs that would have been needed for a deeper foundation. 

Serves Multiple Purposes

One of the best things about micropiling is that it isn’t a one-trick pony. You can use it to support foundations on new El Paso homes and businesses, but you can also use it to support foundations on existing homes. While the drilling method utilized for existing foundations is slightly different and more time-consuming, it’s much better than starting over from scratch. 

You can also use micropiles to support excavation walls and retaining walls. 

They Can Handle Massive Load Capacities 

Micropiles are sort of like the ants of the drilling industry. While they look small on the outside and not capable of performing as advertised, they’re just the opposite. When done correctly, micropiles can support compressive capacity loads of well over 200 tons and sometimes more than 500 tons. 

The reason for its versatility is that you can use rods and holes of different sizes to accommodate loads of all weight classes. 

Who to Call for Micropiles in El Paso

Whether you think micropiles are suitable for your construction project or need more information about the micropiling, look no further than El Paso Drilling. We’re an industry leader in micropiles and are proud to be known as the best commercial drilling team in El Paso. In addition to micropiles, we also specialize in pier, rock, concrete, low-clearance, and hole drilling. Contact us online or call (915) 479-7060 to schedule an appointment today!

When it comes to commercial construction, you know that every step of the process is crucial to the success of a project. Before the building process can even begin, it’s necessary to ensure that the land is suitable for construction by using a technique known as geotechnical drilling. 

In this article, we’ll explore more about this process and show you how the El Paso Drilling team can help provide you with crucial information about your construction site to make your next project a success.

What is Geotechnical Drilling?

Geotechnical drilling is a type of investigative drilling that provides data about soil quality and contents to design and monitor the construction of buildings, dams, bridges, roadways, or other infrastructure sites. This drilling is an important part of the construction process as the information gleaned from these studies helps project managers and engineers determine the supporting characteristics of the soil, which in turn provides insight into the type of materials needed for the project, appropriate depth for installation of pilings, whether or not the angle of the ground will affect building conditions, and more.

Geotechnical Drilling Techniques

When it comes to geotechnical drilling, there are a variety of techniques involved in this delicate process, which is why this part of the construction process should always be left to the professionals. The five types of geotechnical drilling technologies include:

• Sonic drilling
• Hollow stem or solid stem auger drilling 
• Rotary drilling
• Direct push
• Coring

Let’s take a look at each of these drilling technologies more closely to see what information each technique can bring to your next construction project.

Sonic Drilling

Sonic drilling is an advanced geotechnical drilling technique that is ideal for deep and shallow drilling applications and can be utilized with any type of soil for nearly any project. This low-impact technique involves the use of specialized equipment that utilizes high-frequency, resonant energy to rotate and vibrate the drill to provide an efficient collection of soil samples while maximizing crew safety.

Auger Drilling

Auger drilling is an eco-friendly, proven geotechnical drilling technology that has a wide range of uses, including soil sampling, installation of data collection instruments, subsurface improvements, and more. This type of drilling involves the use of either hollow stem or solid stem cutter heads that are used to obtain soil samples using split spoon samplers. This type of drilling is the ideal choice for environmental sampling because there are no additives used in the drilling process.

Rotary Drilling

As one of the more basic drilling techniques available, rotary drilling involves the use of a sharp, rotating drill bit coupled that uses impact force to drill through layers of substrate. There are several unique varieties of rotary drilling, which include:

• Air rotary
• Mud rotary
• Dual rotary
• Reverse circulation rotary

This type of geotechnical drilling is ideal for projects requiring an increased depth as this method is typically more robust than other alternative methods.

Direct Push Drilling

Direct push technology involves the use of a hydraulic hammer to advance the drill through ground layers in an effort to perform soil, groundwater, and vapor surveys or monitor wells. This type of drilling is often used in the collection of multiple samples as direct push drilling can reach deeper depths with a lower impact on the environment than some other types of drilling.

Coring

Diamond core drilling is a technique most commonly used in the mining industry as an approved method for working with cemented or hard rock environments. This technique involves the rotation of diamond-impregnated steel into the ground while applying downward pressure to collect rock core samples for analysis.

El Paso Geotechnical Drilling

If you’re looking for more information on geotechnical drilling for your next project, contact our team in El Paso, Texas, to learn more about our services.