Evaluation of Three Stanley Hydraulic Rock Drills for Use by Divers

摘要

Rock drills are often used in underwater construction projects to produce holes for installation of rock bolts or grouted fasteners and for placement of excavation explosive. Pneumatic rotary-percussion drills were originally used by the Navy underwater construction teams (UCTs), but were found to produce problems in the areas of operation, reliability, and diver safety. Three commercially available hydraulic powered rock drills were selected for testing and evaluation with the objective of establishing their operating characteristics and suitability for use by Navy UCT's. This report provides technical descriptions of the drills, describes the test and evaluation program and reports on the results, and addresses the hazard and safety aspects associated with the use of each device.