DEWATERING

DEWATERING
PURPOSE

PROBLEMS OF UNSTABLE GROUND DUE TO

GROUND WATER FLOW METHODS OF DEWATERING

DEWATERING PRINCIPLES

PROBLEMS DUE TO WATER FLOW

Instability of an excavation due to a) Surface flow b) Ground water flow c) Base flow A high water table could cause flooding during wet periods It can cause an unacceptable humidity level around finished building and structures

CONTROL OF GROUND WATER

DEWATERING METHODS

Ancient methods
Constructing ditches and dikes Sheeting combined with pumping from sumps Pumping from deep sheeted sumps dug outside the working area

Recent methods
Well points

Deep wells
Vertical sand drains combined with deep wells

Horizontal drainage system connected to a deep

well or a gravity collection pipe

Electro osmosis method

Suitable for trench excavation and where small volumes of water are involved

SIMPLE SUMP METHOD OF DEWATERING

SIMPLE SUMP PUMPI NG

SUMPS AND DITCHES

SUITABLITY Suitable for small excavations especially in dense, well graded , cemented soils Easier and economical PROBLEMS Causes sloughing of lower part of ground Chances of developing springs, which can cause erosion and subsidence of adjacent ground surface

Well point systems

Consists of small well screens with riser pipes and a common header pipe connected to a pump.

This is the most common method for dewatering in

construction A combined vacuum & centrifugal pump is generally used Number of well points depend on the permeability and the time available to effect drawdown If depth of excavation is more multistorage well point is used

 Typical spacing for various soils and approximate time required

soil type Silty sand Typical spacing 1.5 to 2.0m Time in days 7 - 21

Clean fine to coarse sand and sandy gravel Fine to coarse gravel

1.0 - 1.5m

3 - 10

0.5 - 1.0m

1-2