AUGER

This method is fast and economical, using simple, light, flexible and inexpensive instruments for large to
small holes. It is very suitable for soft to stiff cohesive soils and also can be used to determine ground
water table. Soil removed by this is disturbed but it is better than wash boring, percussion or rotary
drilling.

This method of boring is not suitable for very hard or cemented soils, very soft soils, as then the flow
into the hole can occur. This method is also not suitable for fully saturated cohesionless soil.

Auger boring can be defined as a method of boring beneath the earth’s surface by means of a jack and a
bore. It works by simultaneously jacking the casing pipe while the rotating augers remove the excavated
soil.

In trenchless technology, auger boring is widely used for installing pipes under railway lines, highways
and levies, where settlement is an issue.

Auger boring is also known as dry boring because unlike other methods of boring, no slurry is generated.

During auger boring, a cutting head with a slightly larger diameter than the casing pipe excavates the
soil just in front of the casing. The helical rotating auger blades carry the soil back to the machine where
it is removed either by hand or machine. The auger boring machine runs along a track which is aligned
with the casing pipe where it has to be installed. After the machine finishes the assigned track, the
machine is disconnected and the auger assembly is brought back to the starting point where a new
casing segment is welded to the previously installed casing. The process is continued until the entire
pipeline is completed.

Auger boring is cost-effective and less time-consuming. A good understanding of soil conditions where
auger boring is to be carried out is essential while designing these projects, so geotechnical reports and
investigations are indispensable.

WASH BORING

Wash boring is a fast and simple method for advancing holes in all types of soils. Boulders and rock
cannot be penetrated by this method. The method consists of first driving a casing through which a
hollow drilled rod with a sharp chisel or chopping bit at the lower end is inserted. Water is forced under
pressure through the dril rod which is alternativety raised and dropped, and also rotated. The resulting
chopping and jetting action of the bit and water disintegrates the soil. The cuttings are forced upto the
ground surface in the form of soil-water slurry through the annular space between the drill rod and the
casing. The change in soil stratification could be guessed from the rate of progress and colour of wash
water. The samples recovered from the wash water are almost valueless for interpreting the correct
geo-technical properties of soil.

It is a popular method due to the use of limited equipments. The advantage of this is the use of
inexpensive and easily portable handling and drilling equipments. Here first an open hole is formed on
the ground so that the soil sampling or rock drilling operation can be done below the hole. The hole is
advanced by chopping and twisting action of the light bit. Cutting is done by forced water and water jet
under pressure through the rods operated inside the hole.

In India the “Dheki” operation is used, i.e., a pipe of 5cm diameter is held vertically and filled with water
using horizontal lever arrangement and by the process of suction and application of pressure, soil slurry
comes out of the tube and pipe goes down. This can be done upto a depth of 8m –10m (excluding the
depth of hole already formed beforehand).

Just by noting the change of colour of soil coming out with the change of soil character can be identified
by any experienced person. It gives completely disturbed sample and is not suitable for very soft soil,
fine to medium grained cohesionless soil and in cemented soil.

ROTARY DRILLING

Rotary boring or rotay drilling is a very fast method of advancing hole in both rocks and soils. A . drill bit,
fixed to the lower end of the drill rods, is rotated by a suitable chuck, and is always kept in firm contact
with the bottom of the hole. A drilling mud, usually a water solution of bentonite, with or without other
admixtures, is continuously forced down to the hollow dril rods. The mud returning upwards brings the
cuttings to the surface. The method is also known as mud rotary drilling and the hole usually requires no
casing.

Rotary core barrels, provided with commercial diamond-studded bits or a steel bit with shots, are also
used for rotary drilhng and simultaneously obtaining the rock cores or samples. The method is them also
known as core boring or core drilling. Water 15 circulated down drill rods during boring.

Rotary drilling method of boring is useful in case of highly resistant strata. It is related to finding out the
rock strata and also to access the quality of rocks from cracks, fissures and joints. It can conveniently be
used in sands and silts also. Here, the bore holes are advanced in depth by rotary percussion method
which is similar to wash boring technique. A heavy string of the drill rod is used for choking action. The
broken rock or soil fragments are removed by circulating water or drilling mud pumped through the drill
rods and bit up through the bore hole from which it is collected in a settling tank for recirculation. If the
depth is small and the soil stable, water alone can be used. However, drilling fluids are useful as they
serve to stabilize the bore hole.

Drilling mud is slurry of bentonite in water. The drilling fluid causes stabilizing effect to the bore hole
partly due to higher specific gravity as compared with water and partly due to formation of mud cake on
the sides of the hole. As the stabilizing effect is imparted by these drilling fluids no casing is required if
drilling fluid is used.
This method is suitable for boring holes of diameter 10cm, or more preferably 15 to20cm in most of the
rocks. It is uneconomical for holes less than 10cm diameter. The depth of various strata can be detected
by inspection of cuttings.