What Does
Soil Conditioning Mean?
Soil conditioning is the process of adding material to the soil to change its physical properties. Certain products, called soil conditioning agents, are commonly used in the trenchless construction industry. Other soil conditioning methods and materials are used in fields such as agriculture and landscaping.
Trenchlesspedia Explains Soil Conditioning
Soil quality is a major factor in any drilling operation. Before any equipment is brought to the site, it may be necessary to do geological and environmental studies, including the study of soil samples. The choice of excavation method will depend on the type of soil to be drilled or tunneled. This is especially important in softer soils, where earth pressure balance tunnel boring machines or slurry tunnel boring machines will need to maintain strict controls on soil excavation.
The study of the flow of materials, called rhealogy, extends beyond their mere composition. Questions about viscosity, which relates to the stress and strain in the liquid, must be answered before selecting the proper mixture. Soil conditioning agents such as bentonite and marconite are used in drilling mud to facilitate the extraction and disposal of excavated material.