Photo By Brittany Scruggs | Dallas Spencer, the lead driller and crew chief with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers'...... read more read more
FORT WORTH, Texas - Before a single foundation is poured or a building takes shape, the ground beneath must be understood. That is where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Fort Worth District drill crew comes in. Their soil sampling is the invisible safeguard that prevents costly failures, dangerous collapses, and public mistrust - the kind of instability seen in the famously tilted Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Amid the rhythmic hum of drilling machinery and shifting layers of soil, a three-man crew quietly collects samples that determine whether infrastructure will stand strong or falter. Each soil sample provides critical data to ensure “Building Strong” isn’t just a motto, but the foundation of how projects succeed across the district’s diverse terrain.
Lead driller Dallas Spencer, senior driller Chris Bean and senior field geologist Joel Webster, all part of the Engineering and Construction Division’s Geotechnical Branch, bring a combined 39 years of USACE experience to every site they touch.
“Our purpose is to get the highest quality soil samples so they can be analyzed and tested for the design of our buildings or other infrastructure,” Spencer said.
Each day begins with preparation and vigilance. Spencer leads a morning safety briefing before any drilling begins, then the crew inspects the site and verifies the safety of the rig. They work with precision utilizing a Gus Pech GP-1300 Brat Series truck-mounted drill rig and a 2,000-gallon capacity water truck to extract soil and rock samples at varying depths, building a clear picture of what lies beneath.
On rare occasions, unusual formations are found forcing the crew to adapt mid-drill switching from standard polycrystalline diamond compact bits to hardened diamond tips designed for dense rock. The crew’s combined experience and previously captured subterranean imagery guide these decisions.
The crew recalled a memorable assignment at DFW National Cemetery, where they encountered a crystalline formation deep below the surface. Webster identified it as septarian limestone, a rare geological surprise that broke through the monotony with a moment of wonder.
“We’ve drilled across North Texas and parts of Louisiana, but hitting septarian limestone beneath the National Cemetery was something special,” Webster said. “Most days, we know what we’re up against, but it’s those rare, unexpected formations that remind us why we do this.”
The importance of their work becomes clear when considering what could happen if soil sampling were skipped. Without this critical step, buildings, towers, or runways could crack, tilt, or even collapse as unstable soils shift beneath them. Projects might stall for months and spiral into costly redesigns if unexpected conditions are discovered too late. In the worst cases, lives could be endangered by sudden infrastructure failures. And when communities see foundations failing, confidence in future projects erodes just as quickly as the soil beneath them.
Despite their impact, the crew’s work is largely invisible. Their office isn’t a cubicle; it is the open terrain, the shifting soil, and the often-unforgiving elements. They drill beneath the surface to build trust above it, which proves critical when building on water-reactive soils and clay shales common across Texas and Louisiana.
The crew spends upward of 270 days a year in the field, often away from home and loved ones. The demanding schedule tests their endurance but also builds trust and camaraderie unique to field teams. Small moments of laughter and shared stories help them through the toughest days. While the work is fulfilling, they take comfort when family members can lodge nearby. For Bean, those visits restore balance and make the grind worth it.
“We’re on 10 days, off for four, so we’re gone a lot. The fact that my family can visit me in some locations means everything,” Bean said. “That break in the grind and having my wife and kids close changes the whole deployment.”
Whether it’s Fort Worth, Texas or Pisa, Italy, soil sampling ensures the world’s most recognizable landmarks and critical infrastructure, whether at home or abroad, remain safe and reliable. Layer by layer, core by core, the Fort Worth District drill crew embodies the district’s role as the Cornerstone of the Southwest, safeguarding what is built upon it for generations to come.
| Date Taken: | 12.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.01.2025 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 552409 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 5 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Under the Surface, Above the Standard: The Fort Worth District Drill Crew, by Brittany Scruggs, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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