Sonic

Foundex’s sonic drilling fleet uses a high‑frequency rotary head to reduce friction on the drill string and alter the structure of the subsurface materials. Unconsolidated material is liquefied, allowing the drill string to advance, while rock is fractured and vibrated away from the cutting edge of the bit. This process enables a core barrel to be advanced and recover relatively undisturbed samples, even in challenging subsurface conditions.

To maintain borehole stability and facilitate instrument installation, casing is advanced over the core barrel during drilling. One of the key advantages of sonic drilling is its ability to operate with minimal water flush or drilling fluids, making it well suited for sensitive formations, environmentally constrained sites, and projects requiring clean sample recovery.

Foundex operates a diverse sonic drilling fleet designed to support a wide range of access conditions and project requirements. This includes a Boart Longyear LS‑600 tracked sonic rig, a TerraSonic TSi‑150 truck‑mounted unit, and a custom designed and built Desco CS‑150 compact tracked sonic.

Foundex’s sonic drilling systems can also be equipped with a range of sampling and in‑situ testing tools, including:

Standard Penetration Test (SPT) hammers
In‑situ vane shear testing
Packer testing systems
Bedrock coring heads
Cone Penetration Test (CPT) tooling
Other specialty sampling equipment

With multiple sonic platforms and the ability to match equipment selection to site access, investigation depth, and sampling requirements, Foundex applies sonic drilling as a core investigation method across a wide range of projects. High‑quality sample recovery, adaptable deployment, and experienced field execution allow Foundex’s sonic drilling services to support reliable subsurface characterization across a wide range of project applications.