Location:
Iuka, Ms
Equipment:
StraightLine® 4.0 RockEye Air Hammer System on a Vermeer® 24×40 Series II , coupled with an Atlas Copco 1,000cfm x 350 psi compressor.
The Challenge:
The job called for the installation of over 15 miles of fiber optic cable conduit. Most of the job was handled by conventional drilling methods. However, several sections passed through extremely hard rock, including limestone, iron rock and flint. Steering was a significant concern, as the bore path was planned to run parallel to existing fiber/phone lines. The terrain of the bore site, located near Iuka, Mississippi, added further complication, with steep valleys and creeks requiring nimble steering.
The Outcome:
The rock encountered proved to be no match for the RockEye hammer, with performance averaging approximately 10 feet every seven minutes. In the first two days of drilling, the crew completed 750 feet of the project. The crew was extremely impressed with the production rates and the control of the hammer. The rock bores–totaling well over 3,000 feet–is on schedule to complete drilling and pull-back in six days.