The Advantages of Using Rotary Sonic Drilling in Construction

There are numerous drilling techniques available to use in construction, such as auger drilling, percussion drilling, and sonic drilling. It is the latter this post will focus on. Sonic drilling uses high-frequency vibrations to drill into rock and soil, and it commonly used when there is difficulty drilling or core samples need to be collected.

Rotary sonic drilling has a range of benefits that make is one of the most common drilling techniques to use, and it has gained popularity in industries other than construction, too. However, to understand why this is, it is essential to understand the advantages that sonic drilling offers. Thankfully, this post has outlined four of the main advantages sonic drilling has, and how these relate to construction.

Increase Worker Safety

The safety of workers on a construction site is paramount, and for good reason. This is an incredibly dangerous industry to work in. In fact, falls, slips, and trips were the cause of more than one-third of all construction deaths in 2021. Additionally, the use of some pieces of equipment, like drills, can be risky.

There is the risk of clothing and/or hair becoming entangled with the rotating drill bit, which may cause serious injuries. Drilling can even sometimes involve moving around equipment, and this may lead to slips and falls. However, the use of sonic drilling minimizes safety concerns, including falls, slips, and trips. This type of drilling also limits exposure to the machinery, and this will help to further reduce harm. 

Faster Than Conventional Drilling

As a fast and powerful method used in construction, sonic drilling will be much quicker than using conventional drilling methods. Sonic drilling has been shown to be roughly ten times faster than conventional drilling. This increased speed is the result of the drill’s high-frequency sonic head, which enables the drill to move with ease. It is also able to core continuously, and this is an aspect that conventional drills do not allow.

With its faster speeds, it can also be argued that sonic drilling will be the more economical option in comparison to conventional methods. This will benefit construction projects by not only saving time, but by also being more efficient.

Holes are Accurate and Straight

According to Highways Today, rotary sonic drilling has been found to achieve deviations of only one percent because of its accuracy and precision. This can even be accomplished at an angle, and samples can then be taken below existing infrastructure at almost all angles, including vertical and horizontal. With this, it can be used to perform geotechnical investigations, like for underground mines.

Due to the accuracy rotary sonic drilling provides, it is a common method to be used when working on projects like bridges and dams. It is often used for monitoring and repairing dams and levees. Sonic drilling will not damage the structural integrity of such structures. 

Less Waste is Produced

The amount of waste produced can be one of the most thought-about considerations when using a drilling technique. Most drilling techniques can have serious environmental impacts, with some ever contaminating the ecosystem. Not only that, but this will also end up with the collected samples’ integrity being spoiled. If this happens, then it could cause the drilling process to be prolonged to gather pristine samples. 

By using sonic drilling, though, investigative derived waste (IDW) can be lessened by up to 80%. This is why this type of drilling is so popular with environmentally sensitive projects. 

Rotary sonic drilling is a very beneficial drilling technique that has proven to be more successful than conventional methods in some respects. For those working in the construction industry, it is worth considering sonic drilling for relevant future projects.