As part of the redevelopment of Bo’ness Harbour, Raeburn Drilling & Geotechnical carried out an investigation of the ground conditions at the site. In particular, samples of the harbour bed had to be recovered for geotechnical and geochemical analyses. This was achieved by positioning a standard cable percussion rig on a platform cantilevered out over the harbour wall.
	The operation comprised placing two 5 tonne concrete kentledge blocks close to the harbour wall before lifting the platform into position between the blocks using a 40 tonne crane. The kentledge beam was inserted through the concrete blocks and across the platform with the assistance of a wheeled excavator. The crane could then release the platform and additional kentledge blocks were added to the end of the platform before the drilling rig was lifted into position. A safety barrier was fixed around the edge of the platform.
Drilling operations proceeded as normal, with the boreholes taken to depths of up to 20m below the harbour bed.