Engineering Properties of Expansive Soils and Core Challenges to Water Well Drilling Rig

Expansive soils, dominated by montmorillonite and illite, feature “20% swelling when wet and 15% shrinkage when dry,” posing three major threats to water well drilling rig operations:

 

  1. Borehole wall rheological failure:
    When water content rises, expansive soils become plastic-flowing, with borehole shrinkage at 5cm/h.
  2. Swelling-shrinkage cycle damage:
    Wet-dry alternation creates network cracks in the borehole wall, increasing collapse risk by 40%.
  3. Drill tool viscous resistance:
    Clay particles adsorb to drill pipes, making lifting resistance 3 times higher than in ordinary formations.water well drilling rigBx-300S-Type-Circulation-Expansion-Slide-Bar-Water-Well-Drilling-Rig