Installing Continuous Multi-Chamber Tubing Using Sonic Drilling

As a geologist, core is the first thing that comes to mind when talking about sonic drilling— continuous, near complete core recovery through almost any lithology. Sand to silt transitions can be logged on a centimeter scale if desired. Geologic contacts can be mapped with accuracy of less than one foot. In an environmental ground water assessment, it seems an awful shame to collect (and pay for) all of that detailed lithologic information, only to slam a continuous length of PVC screen through the saturated interval. Hours and hours of logging, discerning grain size, grading, clast type, etc., only to lump it all into one ground water sample.

Unlike continuous coring with hollow-stem auger, the core recovery is relatively undeformed and rarely incomplete.