Auger Boring For Soil Exploration- Method, Advantages & Disadvantages

In the soil Investigation when the depth of exploration is very large, in such conditions we use the boring method for the exploration.

The method of boring soil mainly depends on the characteristics of the soil and the purpose of boring. Here is the 5 boring method of soil exploration:

1. Auger Boring
2. Wash Boring
3. Rotary Drilling
4. Percussion Drilling
5. Core Boring

In this article, we are going to talk about only the auger boring. Let’s dive into the auger boring method for soil exploration.

Auger Boring

The auger boring has a cross-wish handle at the top of the augers for turning and having a central tapered feed screw.

Here is a question that arises, the auger boring is used in which type of soil? The answer is that the auger boring is used for cohesive and other soft soils above the water table.

The second question that arises, is whether the auger boring is most suitable for which type of work. The answer is that auger boring is most suitable for small-depth exploration works like highways, railways, and airfield subsurface investigations.

The Auger Boring For Soil Exploration are two types one is operated manually and the other one is operated mechanically.

1. Manual Auger Boring
2. Mechanical Auger Boring

Manual Auger Boring

The manual auger boring is operated by hand and is suitable for soft soils.

With the help of manual auger boring, the hole is created 15 to 20 cm in diameter up to a depth of 3 to 6 meters.

The process of auger boring to creating a hole with the manual auger boring is done by turning the cross-arm manually and at the same time applying the thrust in the downward direction.

When the auger is filled with the soil, then the auger is taken out. The soil sample is collected by using Post-hole Auger by simply putting it into the hole.

Mechanical Auger Boring

Mechanical auger boring is used in the case of hard layers of soil up to a depth of 12 meters.

The mechanical auger boring is operated with the help of power.

In the mechanical auger boring, a continuous flight auger is used for making the hole.

In the continuous flight auger, the cuttings rise to the surface through the spiral and we can collect the soil sample by simply inserting the sampler.

More Read- Wash Boring Method Of Soil Exploration-Procedure, Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages Of Auger Boring

Here are the following advantages of auger boring:

1- The investigations through Auger boring become quite rapid and economical.

2- It is suitable for shallow foundations.

3- It is used for soft cohesive soils.

4- We can collect the soil sample by simply placing the sampler into the hole.

More Read- Methods Of Boring For Soil Sampling For Soil Investigation

Disadvantages Of Auger Boring

Here are the following disadvantages of auger boring:

1- The auger boring method is not suitable for cobbles, boulders, or other obstructions that prevent the drilling of the borehole.

2- The main disadvantage of auger boring is that the soil samples are highly disturbed.

3- In the auger boring, it is difficult to locate the exact changes in the soil strata.

4- The auger boring becomes an expensive and slow process for soil that cannot stand unsupported, especially for sandy soils below the water table.

5- In a continuous flight auger, It becomes difficult to find out the depth from which the cutting coming on the ground.

More Read- Site Or Soil Exploration- Purposes, Stages, Depth Of Exploration

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)