Notes on Core Logging c. Fragments of core – i.e.

not full cylindrical sides

(based on Rock Core Logging for Engineering Purposes by Paul d. Additional materials that may have been lost from
Maconochie, GeoTek Solutions Pty Ltd) previous core runs:
i. Core stump left from previous run
Objective: To provide an accurate and comprehensive record ii. Material dropped from core barrel during its
of the geological conditions encountered together with other previous withdrawal
relevant information obtained during drilling iii. Cuttings that settled when circulation of drilling
fluid was stopped
A. Requirements of a borehole log
a. Basic information Core materials may also have been lost by erosion of soft,
i. Project name and geographical location friable, or intensely fractured zones resulting in a reduction in
ii. Location in coordinates (include datum) length/diameter of the core. The eroded material may be
iii. Name of driller, contractor, logger, etc. entirely removed by the flushing system as chips
iv. Relevant dates
b. Drilling method and progress Note the total core recovery (TCR) and the solid core
i. Machine recovery (SCR)
ii. Core barrel and bit
iii. Core sizes and changes, use of casing, use of D. Rock Quality Designation
drilling fluids ∑ 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑠 > 10𝑐𝑚
iv. Rates of penetration 𝑅𝑄𝐷 = 𝑥 100
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑢𝑛
v. Groundwater observations while the hole is being
drilled including standing water levels and water Deere’s classification of rock quality
losses RQD (%) Description of rock quality
c. Description of Type and Condition of Encountered 0-25 Very poor
Material 25-50 Poor
i. Rock type 50-75 Fair
ii. Rock strength 75-90 Good
90-100 Excellent
iii. Weathering
iv. Defects
v. Structures E. Fracture Frequency – count and record the number of
d. Pictorial log fractures for each meter interval of core and record the
value as a number or graph of fractures per meter
B. Rock substance description
Classification of Core Breakage
a. Rock type (search for geothermal)
Classification Description
b. Color – must be described in moist condition; color
Solid core One stick
intensity may be described as pale (not light), dark,
Solid core sticks Most sticks >200mm long
or mottled; borderline colors should be described as Broken core Most pieces 60mm-200mm
combinations like ‘red-brown’ not ‘reddish brown’ long
c. Grain size (applicable in sedimentary deposits ?) Very broken core Most pieces 20mm-60mm
Classification mm long
Boulders >200 Fragmented core Most pieces <20mm long
Cobbles 60-200 Disced core Core broken into short flat
Coarse Gravel 20-60 discs
Medium Gravel 6-20
Fine Gravel 2-6 F. Rock strength classification
Coarse Sand 0.6-2 a. Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) – done in a
Medium Sand 0.2-0.6
laboratory
Fine Sand 0.06-0.2
b. Point Load Strength – performed at the drill site as
Silt, clay <0.06
the core is being recovered
c. Field assessment
d. Texture and fabric (structure) – arrangement of grains
Code Strength UCS Field Criteria
or crystals; can provide information such as the ff: Classification (MPa)
i. Sedimentary rocks – depositional conditions R1 Extremely low <1 May be broken by hand and
ii. Igneous rocks – rates of cooling strength remolded ti a material with
iii. Metamorphic rocks – stress conditions soil properties
R2 Very low 1-5 Very weak rock; crumbles
C. Core Recovery Measurements – normally a run will extend strength under a single firm hammer
for the full length of the core (usually 3m); the driller may blow; can be peeled with a
knife.
terminate a core run short of the full barrel length
R3 Low strength 5-10 Moderately weak rock.
Breaks under a single firm
The materials that pass up into the core barrel may be hammer blow. Scored with
divided into four parts: a knife (but not peeled);
a. Sticks - solid core pieces 100mm or more in length Core 50mm diameter x
b. Pieces – solid core less than 100mm in length
 150mm long breaks by Code Classification Description
Hand HW Highly Shows considerable change in appearance
R4 Medium 10-25 Moderately strong rock; Weathered and loss in strength. Material is still a rock
strength breaks under 1 to 3 but normally very weak.
hammer blows; can be MW Moderately Visible change in appearance but no
scratched (but not scored) Weathered significant loss in strength
with a knife; core 50mm Source: AS1726-1981
diameter x 300mm long is
very hard to break by hand.
I. Slaking – can be evaluated using the Godfrey Slaking
R5 High strength 25-50 Medium strength rock.
Grade during logging by adding small lumps (5mm to
Breaks under 3 to 5
hammer blows; hard to 20mm) to a container of clear water and observing the
scratch with a knife but reaction over a period of 5 minutes.
steel leaves mark on core; Code Classification Description
Can be scratched with G0 No slaking No visible action. Water remains clear
tungsten tipped scratch G1 Edge fall off Water remains clear. No further action after
too; hard sound when hit only initial spall-off around knock points and
with a hammer; intact core edges
cannot be broken by hand G2 Slow surface Water remains clear. Slight to mild surface
R6 Very high 50- High strength rock; breaks slaking and edge slake-off within 3min. Surface
strength 100 under 1 hammer blow if appears slightly softened and swollen
resting on solid surface; sometimes. No further action.
cannot be scratched by G3 Medium Spall-off and slake to a fissile flake pile,
knife; can be scratched with Slaking, No tabular and sheet-like. Little or no visible
difficulty by tungsten colloid swelling. No colloidal cloud. Core of original
tipped scratch tool; Dull specimen often preserved as a series of
ringing sound when hit with upstanding flakes.
hammer G4 Rapid slaking, Immediate slake-down to a shapeless pile of
R7 Extremely high >100 Very high strength rock; no colloid smallish flakes with some swelling and
strength Difficult to break with a moderate flocculation to some areas. No
hammer even if resting on a colloidal cloud.
solid surface (observe G5 Rapid slaking, Fast slake-down to a shapeless pile of
safety precautions to avoid some colloid smallish flakes with some swelling and
injury from shards);Bright moderate flocculation to some areas. No
ringing sound when hit by colloidal cloud.
hammer G6 Rapid slaking, Rapid and violent slake-down and swelling
Source: CoalLog manual 2012 swelling, thick with much effervescence. Marked swelling
colloid and gel-like flocculation with quite a thick
G. Soil strength/density – depends whether the soil is colloidal fluid
G7 Extremely Extremely rapid and often violent break-up
cohesive (clayey) or cohesionless (sandy)
rapid slaking, to a swollen amorphous pile of jelly-like
gelled, thick consistency with rapid colloidal cloud
H. Weathering colloid spread.
Code Classification Description
Source: Godfrey Slaking Grade
W Weathered Degree of weathering not assessed
RS Residual Soil Soil developed on extremely weathered
rock, with texture and fabric no longer
J. Defects (Tectonic Structure)
evident. Large reduction in density. Only Information should be recorded about:
used when a reasonable geological a. The type of defect
inference that the soil is derived in situ from b. The spacing of defects
the weathering of rock, and has not been c. Interface properties of defect
transported or reworked in any manner. d. Orientation
XW Extremely Original rock texture and structure evident
weathered but decomposed to a friable or plastic
1) Rock defect types
condition. Can be remolded and classified as
Common Classification Description
soil.
Symbol
DW Distinctly Original rock material strength changed by
PA Parting A defect parallel or subparallel to a
weathered weathering. Highly discolored, usually iron
layered arrangement of mineral grains
staining. Porosity may be increased or
or micro-fractures which has caused
decreased.
planar anisotropy in the rock substance
SW Slightly Original rock slightly discolored but little or
BP Bedding The separation between bedding units,
weathered no strength change from fresh rock. Usually
plane parting and is a critical surface observation
penetrative weathering along defect
when assessing bedding structure
surfaces
JN Joint Joints in rock are defined as fractures
FS Fresh stained Rock is fresh and unchanged from original
where there is no measurable slip
except for mm wide staining along some
displacement. Difference styles of joint
joints
can form due to different deformational
FR Fresh rock Rock shows no sign of decomposition and
events. The common cause is
staining. No change from original condition.
extensional straining beyond a material
Source: AS1726-1993 limit.
S Shear Any surface that shows the  Roughness
characteristic signs of shearing but no  Coating or infilling
measure of the amount of shear slip
must be described as a shear. A shear
4) Structure orientation – record strike and dip with
may be a discrete local surface formed
consistent reference point (e.g. wrt coreaxis)
by differential compaction, a subsidiary
slip surface within a fault zone, or a
principal displacement surface with an K. Logging of Groundwater Conditions
actual (but not measurable)
displacement of tens of meters. Code Observations
Sz Sheared zone A zone with roughly parallel planar NM No observations made
boundaries of rock substance TW Traces of water encountered
containing closely spaced, usually FW Water level falling
slickensided joints RW Water level rising
Z Bedding Bedding surface shears occur in NW No water encountered
surface shear sedimentary rock sequences for many L1 Circulation loss minor (<30%)
reasons. They are extremely important L2 Circulation loss major (30%-80%)
in geotechnical terms, since they often L3 Circulation loss complete (>80%)
control the stability of excavations. M1 Water make minor (<0.2 l/s)
Bedding surface shears formed by
M2 Water make significant (0.2-2 l/s)
flexural slip are generally more extensive
M3 Water make major (>2 l/s)
and weaker than bedding surface shears
formed by differential compaction.
FA Fault A fault surface, by definition, can only be L. Taking and Caring for Core Samples
described if the relative slip Samples need to be taken as soon as the core has been
displacement is actually measurable. A extruded from the slits and certainly within 15 minutes
surface that has obviously undergone otherwise irreversible drying out will occur.
relative displacement (shearing) of
unmeasurable extent is described as a If you can’t take the samples for testing within two minutes of
shear
the core being extruded from the splits then identify where
Cz Crushed zone A zone with roughly parallel planar
samples will be taken from and cover the area with a wet cloth
boundaries of rock substance
composed of disorientated, usually
until the sample is ready to be taken
angular, fragments of rock that may be
clay silt, sand or gravel sized.  Add a little free moisture to the sample before
A Microfault Microfault can only be used to describe sealing it
a defect where very small-scale relative  Wrap the sample in cling film – the cling film will be
displacements are observed in close contact with the sample and will help to
CE Cleat Cleat is a small-scale fracture within reinforce it but it can breathe
coal, often with infilling, that has very
 Wrap the wrapped sample in catering grade
limited surface extent. When discrete
aluminum foil – this stiffens the sample and provides
fracture surfaces in coal are larger than
about 30mm they should be described further sealing against moisture migration
as joints rather than cleats.  Wrap gray duct tape around the sample. This
I Intrusive This can only be interpreted if the provides additional sealing and protection and
contact geologist can establish from provides a good surface on which to write the sample
observation that an intrusion occurred. details using permanent marking pen
Sedimentary dykes form intrusive  If the sample is delicate or will be transported for
contacts. long distance, reinforce the wrapped sample with
VN Vein Is a defect formed by separation and
appropriately sized split PVC pipe. Duct tape the
infilling. Often, it is not possible to tell if
whole assembly including the ends so that the
the infilling was immediate, or followed
some time after the original separation. sample cannot slide out.
Pressure solution effects may produce Notes:
veins that are difficult to interpret.  Aluminum foil is very useful for holding together
samples that include a geological defect such as
2) Spacing of defects shear whose strength you wish to determine
Definition Tectonic Structure Spacing  While in the field, samples must be protected as best
Extremely widely spaced >2m as possible from heat and should be taken back to
Very widely spaced 600mm – 2m the office each night
Widely spaced 200mm – 600mm  In the office, samples should not be kept for
Moderately spaced 60mm – 200mm extended periods in an air-conditioned office as the
Closely spaced 20mm – 60mm air has a low humidity and there is a tendency that
Extremely closely spaced 6mm – 20mm
the samples will dry out
Continuous spaced <6mm
 The samples must be transported to the laboratory
for testing as quickly as possible. Use a core tray to
3) Interface properties – thickness – openness –
provide protection to the samples and pack them so
measured in millimeters normal to the plane of the
they will not move and become damaged.
discontinuity.
M. Core Photographs – must be photographed in the field

Guidelines:
 Photograph one box per photograph
 If the core is dirty, wash it before photographing it
 Take photographs in natural light between 9am and
3pm unless it can be corrected for white balance. This
will reduce the risk of getting distinct orange casts in
your images
 Arrange the core boxes so that sun comes from
about the same angle. This will:
o Give a consistent appearance to the
photographs
o Keep the body shadow out of the
photographs
o Minimize shadows due to the core tray
dividers
 Photograph the core wet, if possible, to highlight
some features
 Position yourself so that you reduce the converging
verticals effect

N. Field Logging Sheet