As a result of those trials, Socotec has now become one of the only UK ground investigation contractors with this latest DIALOG Version 5 system fitted to its modern fleet of rotary drilling rigs.

As Jean Lutz's latest partner, Socotec has recently invested and installed the DIALOG Version 5 system - providing the versatility to accommodate a wide range of ground investigations.

The system has only been available to the geotechnical industry since 2018, but DIALOG can be adapted to suit multiple applications to display real-time information both digitally and graphically on the screen.

In addition to recording rotation speed, borehole depth and down thrust pressure, the DIALOG Version 5 DPR system also records other parameters including drill head rotation torque, drilling fluid pressure, penetration rate and holdback pressure, as well as other parameters upon request.

Once data has been collected from the drilling rig's calibrated sensors, it is downloaded and inputted into the Jean Lutz EXEPF processing software, providing a comprehensive report used to aid the design of infrastructure projects including tunnelling, major cuts or other deep excavations.

Clare Chapman, operations director, Ground Investigation, Socotec, commented: "We've made considerable investment in the latest technology manufactured by Jean Lutz, and we will continue to work with Jean Lutz on future upgrades to the system. Delivering high-quality geotechnical data and being at the forefront of the ground investigation industry is paramount to our business, and the investment in the latest DPR equipment means that we can offer an even more comprehensive profile of the strata and the ground properties as part of our ground investigation service."

Anne Lutz from Jean Lutz added: "Socotec has been an important partner for Jean Lutz, using the MWD equipment on prestigious infrastructure construction sites which is characterised by its high flexibility in terms of any software improvement or changes."

Socotec currently has six rotary drilling rigs using the Jean Lutz DIALOG system on a major infrastructure project, recording parameters in line with project specification and BS EN ISO 22476-15:2016 (Measuring While Drilling).