148
Fig. 9.11 Drilling unconsolidated Coastal Plain deposits with a hydraulic drill rig. Drilling proceeds incrementally by adding 4 ft. (1.2 m) rods as a 4 ft. (1.2 m) core barrel with a cutting shoe is
pushed down into the ground. (a) A core barrel full of sediment has been removed from the rod
assembly and is made ready for opening. (b) 4 ft. (1.2 m) plastic tube holding the sediment core is
pulled from the core barrel, after unscrewing the cutting shoe from the core barrel. (c) The cutting
shoe and core catcher is removed from the plastic tube. (d) A closeup shows how the plastic core
catcher (white plastic) is positioned relative to the cutting shoe; these are filled with sediment
which broke off from the core in the plastic tube. Upward projecting plastic fingers on the catcher
keep sediment from falling downward and out of the barrel assembly when the core is being
extracted from the ground. (e) An extruded core tube and sediment removed from cutting shoe and
core catcher await processing; field processing includes cutting open the core, washing it, photographing it, and describing it. (f) Getting ready for the next ‘run’. (Images by K.M. Farrell)
K. M. Farrell
Fig. 9.11 Drilling unconsolidated Coastal Plain deposits with a hydraulic drill rig. Drilling proceeds incrementally by adding 4 ft. (1.2 m) rods as a 4 ft. (1.2 m) core barrel with a cutting shoe is
pushed down into the ground. (a) A core barrel full of sediment has been removed from the rod
assembly and is made ready for opening. (b) 4 ft. (1.2 m) plastic tube holding the sediment core is
pulled from the core barrel, after unscrewing the cutting shoe from the core barrel. (c) The cutting
shoe and core catcher is removed from the plastic tube. (d) A closeup shows how the plastic core
catcher (white plastic) is positioned relative to the cutting shoe; these are filled with sediment
which broke off from the core in the plastic tube. Upward projecting plastic fingers on the catcher
keep sediment from falling downward and out of the barrel assembly when the core is being
extracted from the ground. (e) An extruded core tube and sediment removed from cutting shoe and
core catcher await processing; field processing includes cutting open the core, washing it, photographing it, and describing it. (f) Getting ready for the next ‘run’. (Images by K.M. Farrell)
K. M. Farrell