System and method for logging soil properties in a borehole

Abstract

A system for logging soil properties in a borehole includes a borehole creating device and a logging tool deployed through an inner bore of the borehole creating device. The logging tool has a sensor component mounted on a sensor carrier, a packer for forcing the sensor carrier laterally into a wall of the borehole immediately below the lower end of the borehole creating device, and a locking structure for attaching the logging tool to the borehole creating device. The locking structure can be a plurality of spring locks that engage a corresponding groove in the borehole creating device. The locking structure couples the logging tool and the borehole creating device together with the sensor carrier protruding from a lower end of the borehole creating device. The logging tool is used to measure soil properties as the borehole creating device and the logging tool are raised together in the bore hole.

1 . A method of logging soil properties, comprising:
 inserting a borehole creating device into soil to a desired depth;   deploying a logging tool through an inner bore of said borehole creating device after said device is inserted into the soil; and   contacting soil below the lower end of said borehole creating device with said logging tool to measure at least one property of the soil.   
   
   
       2 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , further comprising attaching said logging tool to said borehole creating device upon deployment of the logging tool so that the logging tool protrudes from a lower end of said borehole creating device and can be used to measure at least one property of the soil as the borehole creating device and the logging tool are lifted together out of the soil. 
   
   
       3 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , further comprising forcing a sensor component of the logging tool laterally into a borehole wall created by insertion of said borehole creating device into the soil. 
   
   
       4 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , further comprising lifting said borehole creating device and said logging tool simultaneously so that the logging tool can be used to measure at least one property of the soil as the borehole creating device and the logging tool are lifted together out of the soil. 
   
   
       5 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , wherein said logging tool is used to measure at least one property of the soil using at least one of the following technologies: membrane sampling interface, electrical conductivity, gamma ray, video camera, accelerometers for geophysical measurements, geophones for geophysical measurements, hydraulic profiling via water injection, fluorescence detectors, and thermo conductivity. 
   
   
       6 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , further comprising injecting grout into a borehole below the logging tool as the logging tool is lifted out of the soil. 
   
   
       7 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , further comprising measuring a retraction force applied to at least a part of the logging tool as the logging tool is lifted out of the soil. 
   
   
       8 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , further comprising cutting and removing soil core samples when inserting said borehole creating device into the soil prior to deploying the logging tool. 
   
   
       9 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , further comprising using the logging tool to collect groundwater from the soil. 
   
   
       10 . The method of logging soil properties according to  claim 1 , wherein said logging tool is deployed into said borehole creating device to a lowered position after said borehole creating device is inserted into the soil, and further comprising raising said borehole creating device while maintaining the logging tool at its lowered position until the logging tool extends into a borehole below the lower end of said borehole creating device. 
   
   
       11 . A system for logging soil properties in a borehole, comprising:
 a borehole creating device adapted to be inserted into soil to a desired depth to form a borehole; and   a logging tool adapted to be deployed through an inner bore of said borehole creating device after said device is inserted into the soil, said logging tool comprising a sensor component for measuring at least one property of the soil below the lower end of said borehole creating device as said borehole creating device is lifted out of the borehole.   
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising means for attaching said logging tool to said borehole creating device with the logging tool protruding from a lower end of said borehole creating device, whereby the logging tool can be used to measure at least one property of the soil as the borehole creating device and the logging tool are lifted together out of the borehole. 
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said means for attaching said logging tool to said borehole creating device comprises a plurality of spring locks on the logging tool that engage with a corresponding groove in the borehole creating device. 
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said means for attaching said logging tool to said borehole creating device comprises a reduced inner diameter section on said borehole creating device that engages an enlarged outer diameter section on said logging tool when the sensor component of the logging tool protrudes from a lower end of said borehole creating device. 
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a means for forcing the sensor component of the logging tool laterally into a borehole wall created by insertion of said borehole creating device into the soil. 
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said forcing means comprises a bladder that expands upon application of fluid pressure. 
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said sensor component is secured to a blade that can be forced laterally into soil beyond a vertical face of the borehole wall. 
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 15 , further comprising means for injecting grout into the borehole below the logging tool as the logging tool and borehole creating device are lifted out of the soil. 
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising means for injecting grout into the borehole below the logging tool as the logging tool and borehole creating device are lifted out of the soil. 
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said sensor component comprises at least one of the following sensor technologies: membrane sampling interface, electrical conductivity, gamma ray, video camera, accelerometers for geophysical measurements, geophones for geophysical measurements, hydraulic profiling via water injection, fluorescence detectors, and thermo conductivity. 
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising means for measuring a retraction force applied to at least a part of the logging tool as the logging tool is lifted out of the soil. 
   
   
       22 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said borehole creating device comprises a plurality of probe rods attachable together end to end, and an expendable point located at a lower end of a lowermost one of the probe rods to facilitate driving the probe rods into soil. 
   
   
       23 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said borehole creating device comprises a plurality of probe rods attachable together end to end, and a cutting shoe located at a lower end of a lowermost one of the probe rods to cut soil core samples as the probe rods are driven into soil. 
   
   
       24 . The system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a means for allowing groundwater to enter the logging tool and for pumping the groundwater to the surface for collection. 
   
   
       25 . A tool assembly for logging soil properties in a borehole, comprising:
 a logging sensor carrier;   a packer for forcing the sensor carrier laterally into a borehole wall; and   a locking structure adapted to engage a corresponding structure on a borehole creating device upon deploying the tool assembly through an inner bore of the borehole creating device until the logging sensor carrier protrudes from a lower end of the borehole creating device.   
   
   
       26 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , wherein said locking structure comprises a plurality of spring locks adapted to engage with a corresponding groove in the borehole creating device. 
   
   
       27 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , wherein said packer comprises a packer protection blade and a bladder located between the packer protection blade and the logging sensor carrier, said bladder being expandable upon application of fluid pressure to force the sensor carrier laterally into the borehole wall. 
   
   
       28 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , wherein said logging sensor carrier comprises a blade that can be forced laterally into soil beyond a vertical face of the borehole wall. 
   
   
       29 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , wherein said logging sensor carrier comprises an intake opening for allowing groundwater to pass into the carrier, and a pump for pumping the groundwater to the surface for collection. 
   
   
       30 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , further comprising a tubing system for injecting grout below the logging sensor carrier as the tool assembly is raised in the borehole. 
   
   
       31 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , further comprising a sensor component carried by the logging sensor carrier, said sensor component comprising at least one of the following sensor technologies: membrane sampling interface, electrical conductivity, gamma ray, video camera, accelerometers for geophysical measurements, geophones for geophysical measurements, hydraulic profiling via water injection, fluorescence detectors, and thermo conductivity. 
   
   
       32 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , further comprising a retraction force measuring device associated with the logging sensor carrier for measuring a retraction force required to raise the logging sensor carrier in the borehole. 
   
   
       33 . The tool assembly according to  claim 25 , further comprising a push rod assembly for pushing the tool assembly through an inner bore of a borehole creating device after the borehole creating device is used to create the borehole. 
   
   
       34 . A sensor carrier for logging soil properties in a borehole, comprising:
 means for attaching the sensor carrier to a borehole creating device;   an outer face arranged to be forced laterally into soil beyond a vertical face of the borehole; and   a first sensor component carried by said sensor carrier and exposed on said outer face.   
   
   
       35 . The sensor carrier according to  claim 34 , wherein said sensor carrier has a plurality of bores spaced along a length thereof for receiving a plurality of sensor components, and a series of grooves located on an inner face for accommodating a means for communicating with said sensor components. 
   
   
       36 . The sensor carrier according to  claim 34 , wherein said sensor carrier has a tapered upper end that serves as a leading edge when the sensor carrier is used for logging soil properties in a borehole. 
   
   
       37 . The sensor carrier according to  claim 34 , wherein said sensor carrier has a first sensor bore for carrying a first sensor component, and a second sensor bore for carrying a second sensor component. 
   
   
       38 . The sensor carrier according to  claim 37 , wherein said sensor carrier has a third sensor bore for carrying a third sensor component. 
   
   
       39 . The sensor carrier according to  claim 38 , wherein said first sensor component is an electrical conductivity sensing array, said second sensor component is a membrane sampling interface, and said third sensor component is a hydraulic profiling port. 
   
   
       40 . The sensor carrier according to  claim 34 , wherein said means for attaching the sensor carrier to a borehole creating device is arranged to allow the outer face of the sensor carrier to move beyond an outer wall of the borehole creating device upon deployment through an end of the borehole creating device.