A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INSTALLING GEOTHERMAL HEAT EXCHANGERS, ENERGY PILES, CONCRETE PILES, MICROPILES, AND ANCHORS USING A SONIC DRILL AND A REMOVABLE OR RETRIEVABLE DRILL BIT

摘要

There is provided a method for drilling a cased hole and installing a micropile. A sonic drilling ap-paratus is positioned at a desired location. The sonic drilling apparatus includes a rotating and vibrating appara-tus for rotating and vibrating a drill string into the ground. A retrievable drill bit is operatively connected to the drill string. The cased hole is drilled to a desired depth by rotat-ing and vibrating the drill string into the ground. The re-trievable drill bit is retrieved from the cased hole following the drilling of the cased hole to the desired depth. A mi-cropile is lowered into the cased hole following the re-trieval of the retrievable drill bit. Grouting material may be discharged into the cased hole before or after the drill string is removed from the ground. In another embodi-ment, a removable drill bit may be used in place of the re-trievable drill bit.