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Manual drilling techniques can be of value in academic research and training environments, and are increasingly being promoted as a cost-effective way of providing water for drinking and irrigation purposes in developing communities throughout the world. The relatively low cost of manually drilled wells, compared to machine-drilled or hand-dug wells, as well as the relative portability of their equipment, make them an attractive water supply option when hydrogeological conditions are favorable. Those same qualities also make manually drilled wells useful in many academic research and training situations. The research consists of an assessment of percussion- jetting-rotation manual drilling, a low-cost hybrid method developed in Bolivia. The equipment set-up is assessed for relevance in academic field research, where collection of hydrogeological data is often limited by the expense of conventional machine drilling. The study also considers how manual drilling can be used to teach essential aspects of drilling concepts and groundwater science from a field perspective. Nine monitoring wells were installed at the University of South Florida Geological Park (USF GeoPark) using the manual percussion-jetting-rotation drilling method, up to a maximum depth of nine meters, through sands, clays, and thin layers of limestone. Drilling, well installation, and well development experiences were recorded. Geology was observed and logged during drilling. For training purposes, groundwater flow was determined between three wells. Hydraulic head was measured in each well, and hydraulic conductivity was measured in one well.
Author(s):
Monica Resto
School of Engineering
Mercer University
United States
Michael MacCarthy
School of Engineering
Mercer University
United States
Kenneth Trout
Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of South Florida
United States