Sampling Techniques TSF

[Tinus_Grobler]

Good day

We need to conduct sampling on a Tailings Storage Facility.
Can anyone recommend a simple and effective way to sample from the facility. From experience, rotary core drilling and using Shelby tubes are not ideal. Ideally we need to sample at a depth of 3-5m.
I understand that sonic drilling may be a solution, however I am concerned that this may lead to instability problems.
Can anyone advise?

Thanks in advance

 

[EireChch]

Why would sonic drilling lead to instability? And what type of instability do you mean.

We have sampled very soft sea bed "mud" using a Mazier sampler. It is a triple tube sampler (pvc lining, thin walled sampler and then core barrel) that is rotary driven. The thin walled sampler extrudes (via a spring) ahead of the core barrel. Inevitably, there will be some degree of remoulding in very soft soils with any sampling technique so this is something to be considered.

I would recommend that as soon as you withdraw the Mazier you lay it down and cut the lining and log and sample the soil as is. The reason is that sometimes you may not get 100% recovery and handling and transporting the lining too much can result in remoulding of the soft/loose material and loss of accurate stratification.

 

[fattdad]

What's the end game? Strength, compressibility, stress history, etc.?

Have you ever tried a cone or dilatometer?

f-d

ípapß gordo ainÆt no madre flaca!

 

[oldestguy]

Hell, dig a test pit or two.