Penetration rate prediction for diamond bit drilling by adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system and multiple regressions

a r t i c l e i n f o In many mining, civil, and petroleum engineering applications diamond bit drilling is widely used due to high penetration rate, core recovery and its ability to drill with less deviation. Recently, many research have been conducted to estimate the penetration rate of diamond drilling which can be considered as one of the most important parameters in project planning and cost estimation of the operation. A database covering the rock properties and the machine operational parameters collected from seven different drilling sites in Turkey is constructed. Construction of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system and the multiple regression models for predicting the penetration rate of diamond drilling is described. In the models, rock properties such as the uniaxial compressive strength, the rock quality designation, and the equipment operational parameters like bit load and bit rotation are considered. Although the prediction performance of multiple regression models is high, the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference model exhibits better performance based on the comparison of performance indicators. By using the models, penetration rate of diamond bit drilling can be predicted effectively. Although drilling is an expensive operation, it is still widely used in different engineering applications, since it is the most reliable and the safest way for the identification and exploration of the deep natural resources. Diamond drilling is the most widely used drilling method in many mining, civil, and petroleum engineering practices due to its higher penetration rate, core recovery, low deviation and greater precision. The role of diamond drilling can be different depending on the purpose of engineering practice. In mining engineering, diamond drilling is dominantly used for mineral exploration and gathering geotechnical information. Civil engineers use diamond drilling for construction purposes and gathering geotechnical information. In petroleum engineering diamond drilling is used for oil and gas exploration. Proper and optimum drilling performance leads to reduced costs in the overall project body (Lummus, 1970; Estes, 1973; Singh et al., 2009). Drilling performance is optimized with increase in the penetration rate while decreasing the bit wear. Many researchers tried to establish a link between penetration rate of diamond drill and rock properties. Paone and Madson (1966) carried out a laboratory test program for correlating the penetration rate with rock properties, and reported that penetration rate well correlated with the uniaxial compressive and tensile strength of the rock. Howarth et al. (1986) found strong correlation between the …