Vibratory (Sonic) Rotary Drilling

 

The core technology of Resonance Technology Pty Ltd has been applied to both resonant pile driving and resonant drilling, by the Canadian company Resonance Technology International.  Examples of the Vibro Rotary Drill (traditionally called "Sonic", because of the relatively high frequencies involved) can be seen on the RTI Website" www.resonancetechnology.ca

 

A vibratory drill head works by sending high frequency resonant vibrations down the drill string to the drill bit, while the operator controls these frequencies to suit the specific conditions of the soil/rock geology. The frequency is generally between 50 and 120 hertz (cycles per second) and can be varied by the operator.

 

Resonance magnifies the amplitude of the drill bit, which fluidises the soil particles at the bit face, allowing for fast and easy penetration through most geological formations, including hard rock. An internal spring system isolates these vibrational forces from the rest of the drill rig.