It's used where site-specific conditions allow it, typically in firmer ground above the water table, but cased or duplex drilling is more common in Houston than in drier inland markets.
Open-hole drilling uses grout itself as the drilling fluid instead of a temporary steel casing. The grout's density holds the borehole wall in place and flushes cuttings out as the hole advances, skipping the separate step of installing and later withdrawing a casing.
In Houston, whether that works depends heavily on groundwater depth and how saturated the clay is at a given site, since a hole below the water table in loose or highly saturated ground is far more likely to need a casing to keep from collapsing before the grout sets. Where a hole reaches a firmer, less saturated zone above the water table, open-hole drilling remains a faster, lower-cost option. GSI's Houston drilling work includes:
It's used where site-specific conditions allow it, typically in firmer ground above the water table, but cased or duplex drilling is more common in Houston than in drier inland markets.
Cased drilling, which is more frequently required in Houston's saturated ground, generally costs more than open-hole drilling elsewhere, since it involves installing and withdrawing casing material.
Yes. Our PE-licensed engineers specify the method by zone based on confirmed subsurface conditions, and every design meets IBC and Texas Building Code requirements.
We switch to a cased or duplex method for that section immediately, since continuing open-hole through saturated, unstable ground would risk the borehole collapsing.
Yes, in pockets of firmer ground above the water table, though it's less universally applicable in Houston than in cities with deeper groundwater and less saturated soil.
We confirm groundwater depth and soil saturation with test borings before drilling begins, rather than assuming a single method fits every site in the region.
Our engineers design the anchor, nail, or pile installation to account for groundwater conditions regardless of drilling method, so performance is verified either way.
Yes. It's common for different zones of the same site to call for different methods depending on where groundwater and soil conditions change.
Assuming open-hole drilling will work in Houston's saturated ground risks a collapsed borehole and a stalled project. Call (855) 599-5217 to get a Houston drilling assessment from a licensed engineer.
