Core Drilling Access Over Water

Floating pontoon and scaffold access for concrete core drilling, structural sampling and testing beneath bridges and structures across the UK.

Floating Access for Core Drilling & Structural Sampling

FPS Pontoon Hire provides modular floating access platforms for specialist contractors carrying out concrete core drilling, core sampling and structural testing where the workface cannot be reached safely from land.

FPS can provide UK-wide delivery, installation, hire and removal, with edge protection, scaffold access, work boats, safety boats and temporary works support available where required.

Typical Applications

• Bridge soffits, beams, piers and abutments
• Concrete core sampling and intrusive testing
• Pontoon-supported scaffold towers
• Operated short-duration access
• Restricted bankside and over-water locations

Planning, Stability & Water Safety

Platform size, working loads, positioning, restraint, access and water-safety controls are reviewed for the proposed activity. More complex arrangements can be supported by temporary works design and stability calculations.

Working Space Around the Drilling Rig

Core drilling from a floating platform needs space for more than the drill itself. The deck is planned around operative positions, water supply and slurry handling, cores and sample boxes, generators or power packs, tools and a safe route on and off the platform.

Where the core position is at height, the pontoon can provide a base for a suitable scaffold tower so the rig can be set against the soffit, beam or pier face. Tower footprint, height, loads and restraint are assessed together with the pontoon. See our Floating Pontoon Scaffold Tower Hire page.

Holding Position While Drilling

Accurate coring depends on the platform staying where it is while the drill is running. Restraint can use ropes to the structure or bank, spud arrangements or other project-specific methods, selected around water depth, flow, changing levels and navigation. Where several core locations are needed, the platform can be repositioned between them where the site allows.

Slurry, Water & Environmental Controls

Wet coring produces slurry and cutting water that should not enter the watercourse. The platform can provide a base for containment such as trays, sheeting or collection equipment, with the method agreed in the drilling contractor’s RAMS and environmental controls.

Information We Need

• Structure location, drawings or photographs
• Core positions and required working height
• Drill type, weight and any scaffold requirement
• Number of operatives and equipment on the platform
• Water depth, flow and access or launch points
• Programme and number of coring locations

FPS supplies the floating access, positioning and agreed water-safety equipment; the core drilling and testing are carried out by the appointed specialist contractor.