TRIS Online Record

Printable View

Title	ROCK MELTING HOLDS PROMISE AS GEOLOGICAL PROBE, TUNNEL DRIVER
Accession No	00262225
Journal Title	Engineering News-Record Vol. 191 No. 17
Corp. Authors / Publisher	McGraw-Hill Companies, Incorporated
Publication Date	19731025
Description	p. 22-3; Photos(6)
Abstract	A method of melting is described in which a small bullet-shaped electrically heated device called a subterrene (consuming very little power) is used to melt anything from sand to granite, leaving behind a smooth glass-lined, self-supporting hole. It melts low density rock at a temperature of 2,500 F. A gas or liquid-cooled stem behind the molybdenum penetrator cools the liquid melt to a glass, which forms a lining for the hole. In hard, dense rock such as granite or gneiss, the penetrator and cooling unit are fitted to a hollow stem through which a gas flow removes the melt. The molten rock, when cooled by the gas, turns to an easily handled combination of glass particles and rock wool. Although much research must yet be done, the applications of the tool are many. An annular penetrator may be used to produce a glass encased core sample and a geoprospector could be developed that will produce 8-in-dia cores. By combining the geoprospector's annular penetrator with fracturing penetrators for hard rock and a conventional mechanical cutterhead for soft ground, a nuclear powered tunneling machine is envisioned. Use of the subterrene for geothermal steam wells is also foreseen. It could also be used for sinking water wells because the glass walls eliminate the need for casing.
TRT Terms	Cores (Specimens) ; Equipment ; Exploration ; Geological surveying ; Geophysical prospecting ; Geothermal resources ; Gneiss ; Granite ; Holes ; Nuclear energy ; Penetrants ; Probes (Measuring devices) ; Rock excavation ; Rocks ; Sand ; Steam ; Tunneling ; Wells
Other Terms	Core boring; Devices; Geological explorations; Geothermal energy; Gneisses; Penetration; Probing; Prospecting; Subsurface explorations
Subject Areas	H61 EXPLORATION - CLASSIFICATION (SOILS)
Availability	Find a library where document is available Order Document: http://worldcat.org/issn/08919526
TRIS Files	HRIS
Database	TRIS Online

TRIS is a bibliographic database funded by sponsors of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), primarily the state departments of transportation and selected federal transportation agencies. TRIS Online is hosted by the National Transportation Library under a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and TRB.