4 Things That Prospective Homeowners Must Bear in Mind During Rock Drilling

Construction & Contractors Blog

In the construction industry, rock drilling is becoming more common as prospective homeowners shift towards outlying areas with rocky terrain. There are different reasons for constructing in such terrain; sometimes discerning homeowners desire picturesque locations in rocky areas, and sometimes the homeowners are discouraged by the expensive, limited space in urban areas. However, before you erect a structure on the rocky ground, you have to use sophisticated equipment to drill the rock formation. This article reviews some aspects that prospective homeowners must bear in mind during rock drilling.

Understand Rock Type and Properties -- Rocks are composed of different materials with varying characteristics. Diverse rock types behave differently when pressure and temperature are applied, especially during drilling. For instance, carbonate rocks tend to become plastic when moderate force is exerted, while granite is brittle. Furthermore, microcavity, porosity and density are some of the rock properties that should be considered before any rock boring is conducted.  A better understanding of the rock type and features, which can be achieved through a geological survey, can help potential homeowners to accomplish rock drilling promptly and at a significantly lower cost.  

Understand Your Rock Drilling Options -- There are many factors to bear in mind when choosing a suitable drilling method. If your site is covered by large rocks that go deep into the ground, a drilling rig is appropriate to reduce the drilling cost per metre. There are several types of rigs for different applications, such as tophammer,  tunnel rigs and breaking drill rigs.    

Plan for Speed -- A drilling rig needs to be positioned correctly, especially the boom, before any drilling can begin. Therefore, the rate at which the equipment can be aligned will determine its overall efficiency. Also, the rock-penetration speed coupled with hole-flushing capability is of the essence during rock boring in a construction project. Therefore, a rig that can penetrate a hard rock surface at blistering speeds is recommended.

Remember to Plan Adequate -- A drill plan is critical during rock boring because it guides the drill operator without the need for costly and impractical steering corrections. Notably, it might prove challenging to make such adjustments when drilling through a rocky surface. Therefore, you could end up wasting time and money if you don't have a solid drill plan, especially in cases where you are forced to pull the rig out of a misdirected bore. Industry experts recommend the use of a terrain mapper that shows the gradient of a land. Moreover, a bore planner is ideal for plotting bores while factoring underground utilities and surface terrain. 

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3 July 2018

How I Constructed My New Home

Hello and welcome to my construction blog. My name is David and I would like to tell you about the process of designing and building a new home from the ground up. I had always dreamed of building my own home and last year, that dream became a reality. I had been saving money for many years so I could afford to buy the materials and employ the contractors needed to construct my home. I learnt so much during the process, I decided to start this blog. It was a wonderful day when the final piece of my home was put into place and I am now very happy.