Prototype Drill for Core Sampling Fine-Grained Perennially Frozen Ground

• Main Authors: Brockett,B E, Lawson,D E
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1985
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Machinery and Tools; *AUGERS; *DRILLS; *PERMAFROST; *CORE SAMPLING; CORES; FIELD TESTS; GRAIN SIZE; DEPTH; FREEZING; HOLES(OPENINGS); SELF CONTAINED; TRANSPORTABLE; LIGHTWEIGHT; TRACKED VEHICLES; SEDIMENTS; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; CUTTERS; AIR TRANSPORTABLE EQUIPMENT; WINCHES; PETROGRAPHY; TUNGSTEN CARBIDES; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA152388; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA152388

An expensive drill has been modified to provide researchers with the ability to auger an open hole or to acquire continuous, undisturbed 76-mm-diam core samples of a variety of perennially frozen materials that are suitable for chemical and petrographic analysis. It was developed by field testing in support of research from 1980 to 1983. Operation of the drill is based mainly on using a minimum of power to cut through frozen ground with tungsten carbide cutters on a CRREL coring auger. The ice content, temperature and grain size of the frozen sediments are important variables determining the sampling depth. Perennially frozen sediments with temperatures in the range of -0.5 C to -8.5 C have been continuously cored with this drill. Drilling and sampling are most efficiently conducted when ambient air temperatures are below freezing and the active layer is frozen. The self-contained lightweight drill is readily transportable off-road by helicopter or tracked vehicle, or by towing over roads. It is locally self-mobile by use of a winch. Total cost of the drill and modifications is estimated at approximately $10,000.