DEWATERING

SUBMITTED BY:
BHUMIKA MEHTA
IIIRD B
DEWATERING
DEWATERING IS THE REMOVAL OF WATER FROM SOLID MATERIAL OR SOIL
BY WET CLASSIFICATION, CENTRIFUGATION, FILTRATION, OR SIMILAR SOLID-
LIQUID SEPARATION PROCESSES, SUCH AS REMOVAL OF RESIDUAL LIQUID
FROM A FILTER CAKE BY A FILTER PRESS AS PART OF VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL
PROCESSES.
• CONSTRUCTION DEWATERING, UNWATERING, OR WATER CONTROL ARE
COMMON TERMS USED TO DESCRIBE REMOVAL OR DRAINING
GROUNDWATER OR SURFACE WATER FROM
A RIVERBED, CONSTRUCTION SITE, CAISSON, OR MINE SHAFT, BY
PUMPING OR EVAPORATION.
• ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE, THIS DEWATERING MAY BE IMPLEMENTED
BEFORE SUBSURFACE EXCAVATION FOR FOUNDATIONS, SHORING, OR
CELLAR SPACE TO LOWER THE WATER TABLE.
• THIS FREQUENTLY INVOLVES THE USE OF SUBMERSIBLE
"DEWATERING" PUMPS, CENTRIFUGAL ("TRASH") PUMPS, EDUCTORS,
OR APPLICATION OF VACUUM TO WELL POINTS. TO PREVENT SIGNIFICANT GROUNDWATER SEEPAGE INTO
THE EXCAVATION AND TO ENSURE STABILITY OF EXCAVATION
SIDE SLOPES AND BASE IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO LOWER
GROUNDWATER LEVELS IN ADVANCE OF EXCAVATION. THIS IS
KNOWN AS ‘PRE-DRAINAGE’.
PRE-DRAINAGE METHODS INCLUDE:
DEEP WELLS
WELLPOINTS
EDUCTORS
VACUUM WELLS
HORIZONTAL WELLS
OTHER SPECIALIST DEWATERING TECHNIQUES ARE ALSO
SOMETIMES USED:
RELIEF WELLS
ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE
SIPHON DRAINS
THE SELECTION OF THE DEWATERING TECHNIQUE OR
TECHNIQUES AT A PARTICULAR SITE OR COUNTRY WILL
DEPEND ON MANY FACTORS. GROUNDWATER
ENGINEERING’S TEAM HAS DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN
DEWATERING PROJECTS AROUND THE WORLD, AND WE
PROVIDE A COMPLETE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION SERVICE
TO CONTROL YOUR GROUNDWATER PROBLEMS.
DEWATERING METHODS DEWATERING PRECAUTIONS
DEWATERING ACTIVITIES MUST BE DONE PROPERLY TO AVOID ERODING THE SOIL ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. IT IS ALSO
1. OPEN SUMPS AND DITCHES IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE THE BEST LOCATION FOR DISCHARGE, EVEN WHEN YOU MIGHT BE FAR AWAY FROM WATER
2. WELL POINT SYSTEM BODIES OR CATCH BASINS.WHEN CHOOSING DISCHARGE AREAS FROM A DEWATERING PROCESS REMEMBER:
•WATER SHOULD NOT BE PUMPED DIRECTLY INTO SLOPES.
3. DEEP WELL SYSTEM •DEWATERING ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO A WOODED BUFFER, IF AVAILABLE.
•IT IS IMPORTANT TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION AND DISCONTINUE DEWATERING IF THE AREA SHOWS SIGNS OF
4. FREEZING PROCESS INSTABILITY OR EROSION.
•CHANNELS USED ON DEWATERING MUST BE STABLE AND BETTER IF THEY HAVE BEEN PROTECTED WITH GRASS OR
5. ELECTRO-OSMOSIS METHOD
VEGETATION.
6. EJECTOR(EDUCTOR) SYSTEM •YOU SHOULD AVOID DEWATERING UNDER HEAVY RAINS BECAUSE THE INFILTRATION RATE IS AT A MINIMUM AND WATER
WILL MOVE SLOWER OR JUST THE DEWATERING PROCESS WILL NOT FUNCTION.
•NEVER DISCHARGE WATER THAT HAS BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH OIL, GREASE, CHEMICAL PRODUCTS DIRECTLY. IN SUCH
INSTANCES, AN OIL/WATER SEPARATOR MAY BE NECESSARY.
PURPOSE OF DEWATERING
•ADDITIONAL PERMITS AND REQUIREMENTS MIGHT BE NEEDED FROM STATE, LOCAL, OR FEDERAL AGENCIES.
 DURING CONSTRUCTION STAGE:-
METHOD SUITABILITY
DRY EXCAVATION
 PROCEED EFFICIENTLY SUMP PUMPING GRAVEL OR WELL GRADED SANDY
 REDUCE LATERAL LOADs GRAVEL, PARTIALLY CEMENTED
MATERIAL , POROUS ROCK FORMATION
 IMPROVE CHARACTERISTICS OF FOUNDATION ETC
MATERIALS
WELL POINT SANDY SOIL
 INCREASE STABILITY OF SLOPES AND SIDE-HILL FILLS
SYSTEMS DRAWDOWN LIMIT 15 FT
PREVENT PIPING AND FROST HEAVING IN PAVEMENTS
EJECTOR SYSTEM FINE SAND CONDITION
 POST CONSTRUCTION STAGE :- DEWATER UP TO DEPTH OF 100 FT
 REDUCE UPLIFT PRESSURES ON BOTTOM SLABS GROUND GROUNDWATER CUTOFF, STABILIZATION
REDUCE LATERAL PRESSURES ON RETAINING FREEZING OF EARTH FOR TUNNEL EXCAVATION,
STRUCTURES ARREST LANDSLIDES AND TO STABILIZE
CONTROL EMBANKMENT SEEPAGE IN ALL DAMS MINESHAFTS
DEEP (BORED) ARTESIAN WATER
WELLS PUMPING CAPACITY (3000 TO 60,000
FACTORS CONTROLLING SELECTION GALLONS/MIN)
DEWATER UP TO DEPTH OF 300 FT
 NATURE AND PERMEABILITY OF GROUND
 GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS OF SOIL
 EXTENT OF AREA TO BE DEWATERED
 DEPTH OF WATER TABLE BELOW GROUND
LEVEL
 AMOUNT BY WHICH IT HAS TO BE LOWERED
 PROPOSED METHODS OF EXCAVATION AND
GROUND SUPPORT
 PROXIMITY OF EXISTING STRUCTURE
1. OPEN SUMP AND DITCHES

THIS IS THE MOST COMMON AND ECONOMICAL METHOD OF

DEWATERING AS GRAVITY IS THE MAIN PLAYING FORCE. SUMP IS
CREATED IN THE EXCAVATED AREA INTO WHICH THE
SURROUNDING WATER CONVERGES AND ACCUMULATES
FACILITATING EASY DISCHARGE OF WATER THROUGH ROBUST
SOLID HANDLING PUMPS.

SUMP PUMPING
 WHAT IS SUMP?
 SLOPE
 PUMP
 FINES
 LINED
ITS APPLICATION IS HOWEVER CONFINED TO THE AREAS WHERE SOIL IS
EITHER GRAVELLY OR SANDY. SINCE THE BOTTOM OF THE SUMP IS
SITUATED AT A LEVEL LOWER THAN THAT OF THE EXCAVATION BOTTOM,
IT WILL ABRIDGE THE SEEPAGE WAY ALONG WHICH GROUNDWATER
FROM OUTSIDE SEEPS INTO THE EXCAVATION ZONE AND AS A RESULT
THE EXIT GRADIENT OF THE SUMP BOTTOM WILL BE LARGER THAN
THAT ON THE EXCAVATION SURFACE.
IF THE EXCAVATION AREA IS LARGE, SEVERAL SUMPS MAY BE PLACED
ALONG THE LONGER SIDE OR SIMPLY USE A LONG NARROW SUMP
WHICH IS CALLED A DITCH.
ADVANTAGES OF OPEN SUMP AND DITCHES
 WIDELY USED METHOD
 MOST ECONOMICAL METHOD FOR INSTALLATION AND
MAINTENANCE
 CAN BE APPLIED FOR MOST SOIL AND ROCK CONDITIONS
 MOST APPROPRIATE WHERE BOULDERS OR MASSIVE
OBSTRUCTIONS ARE MET WITH IN THE GROUND

DISADVANTAGES OF OPEN SUMP AND DITCHES

 DUE TO MORE FLOW OF GW TOWARDS EXCAVATION RISK OF COLLAPSE
OF SIDES OCCURS.
IN OPEN OR TIMBERED EXCAVATIONS THERE IS RISK OF INSTABILITY OF
THE BASE DUE TO SEEPAGE TOWARDS PUMPING SUMP.
NOTE:- GREATEST DEPTH TO WHICH THE WATER TABLE CAN BE LOWERED
BY THIS METHOD IS ABOUT 8 M BELOW THE PUMP.
2.WELLPOINT SYSTEM
• WELLPOINTS ARE SMALL-DIAMETER (ABOUT 50 MM) TUBES WITH SLOTS NEAR THE BOTTOM THAT ARE  PERFORATED WELL
INSERTED INTO THE GROUND FROM WHICH WATER IS DRAWN BY A VACUUM GENERATED BY A  MATERIAL
DEWATERING PUMP.  SANDY
• WELLPOINTS ARE TYPICALLY INSTALLED AT CLOSE CENTERS IN A LINE ALONG OR AROUND THE EDGE OF  FOOT – ORIFICE
AN EXCAVATION. AS A VACUUM IS LIMITED TO 0 BAR, THE HEIGHT TO WHICH WATER CAN BE DRAWN  SERIES OF CLOSELY PLACED
IS LIMITED TO ABOUT 6 METERS (IN PRACTICE).  DIMENSION
• WELLPOINTS CAN BE INSTALLED IN STAGES, WITH THE FIRST REDUCING THE WATER LEVEL BY UP TO  SPACING
FIVE METERS, AND A SECOND STAGE, INSTALLED AT A LOWER LEVEL, LOWERING IT FURTHER.THE  CONSTRUCTION STEPS
WATER TRICKLING BETWEEN THE DEEP WELLS MAY BE COLLECTED BY A SINGLE ROW OF WELL POINT
AT THE TOE. WELL POINT SYSTEM(SPACING)
• THIS METHOD ENSURES A MUCH THICKER WIDTH FREE FROM SEEPAGE FORCES. SOIL SPACING
• WELLPOINT SPEARS ARE GENERALLY USED TO DRAW OUT GROUNDWATER IN SANDY SOIL CONDITIONS
AND ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE IN CLAY OR ROCK CONDITIONS.
SILTY SAND 1.5-2.0
• OPEN PUMPS ARE SOMETIMES EMPLOYED INSTEAD OF SPEARS IF THE GROUND CONDITIONS CONTAIN
SIGNIFICANT CLAY OR ROCK CONTENT. SANDY GRAVEL 1.0-1.5

FINE TO COARSE GRAVEL 0.5-1.0

WELL POINT ARRANGEMENT

SINGLE STAGE WELL-POINT SYSTEM

MULTI - STAGE WELL POINT SYSTEM

CONFIGURATION OF A WELL POINT

ADVANTAGES OF WELL POINT SYSTEM

 INSTALLATION IS VERY RAPID
 REQUIRES REASONABLY SIMPLE AND LESS COSTLY EQUIPMENT
 WATER IS FILTERED HENCE NOT CARRIES SOIL PARTICLES.
 THERE IS LESS DANGER OF SUBSIDENCE OF THE SURROUNDING GROUND THAN
WITH OPEN-SUMP PUMPING

DISADVANTAGES OF WELL POINT SYSTEM

 A LOWERING OF ABOUT 6 M IS POSSIBLE, BEYOND WHICH EXCESSIVE AIR
REQUIRED, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF PUMPING EFFICIENCY.
IF LARGE GRAVEL, STIFF CLAY OR SOIL CONTAINING BOULDERS IS AVAILABLE THEN
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL WELL POINTS.
3.EDUCTOR WELL
A HIGH PRESSURE SUPPLY MAIN FEEDS WATER THROUGH A VENTURI-TUBE JUST
ABOVE THE WELL-SCREEN, CREATING A REDUCTION IN PRESSURE WHICH DRAWS
WATER THROUGH THE RISER PIPE.
THE HIGH PRESSURE MAIN FEEDS OFF THE RETURN WATER. THE BIGGEST
ADVANTAGE OF USING THE EDUCTOR SYSTEM IS, THE WATER TABLE CAN BE
LOWERED FROM DEPTHS OF 10-45 M IF MULTIPLE PUMPS ARE OPERATED FROM A
SINGLE PUMP STATION. THIS METHOD THEREFORE BECOMES ECONOMICALLY
COMPETITIVE AT DEPTH IN SOILS OF LOW PERMEABILITY.
PUMP0000
 VACUUM / EJECTOR
 CONTROL PORE PRESSURE
 FINE SOIL
 EXTRACT GW , GENERATE
VACUUM
 DRAINAGE SYSTEM
 WORKING

ADVANTAGES OF EDUCTOR WELL

 THEY ARE FLEXIBLE IN LEVEL AND LAYOUT
 STABLE IN OPERATION
 ABLE TO RUN DRY WITHOUT DAMAGE
 NOT LIMITED BY DEPTH. ALSO EFFECTIVE
TO GREATER DEPTHS
 BEST IN LOW-YIELDING WELLS
 ENERGY INTENSIVE
 VENTURI IN BASE OF WELL CREATES
VACUUM
4.DEEP WELL
• A DEEP WELL TYPICALLY CONSISTS OF A BOREHOLES FITTED WITH A SLOTTED LINER
AND AN ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE PUMP. AS WATER IS PUMPED FROM A DEEP WELL,
A HYDRAULIC GRADIENT IS FORMED AND WATER FLOWS INTO THE WELL FORMING
A CONE OF DEPRESSION AROUND THE WELL IN WHICH THERE IS LITTLE OR NO
WATER REMAINING IN THE PORE SPACES OF THE SURROUNDING SOIL. THE
AMOUNT OF DRAWDOWN THAT A WELL CAN ACHIEVE IS LIMITED ONLY BY THE
SIZE OF THE FISH PUMP.
• DEEP WELLS CAN BE INSTALLED IN A RING AROUND AN EXCAVATION TO LOWER
THE WATER LEVEL AND MAINTAIN A SAFE, DRY SITE. SEVERAL EQUATIONS CAN BE
USED TO DESIGN DEEP WELL DEWATERING SYSTEMS, HOWEVER MANY OF THESE
ARE BASED ON EMPIRICAL DATA AND OCCASIONALLY FAIL.
GREATER THAN 8M
PUMP
CASINGS OF DIAMETER FITTING TO WELLS ARE INSTALLED IN ORDER TO RETAIN
SIZE
THE WELLS. ADDITIONALLY, WELL SCREENS AND FILTERS (BETWEEN SIDEWALLS
PERFORATED AS WELL AS IMPERFORATED PIPE - MATERIAL
AND CASING) ARE USED WHICH SERVE AS A FILTERING DEVICE THEREFORE NOT
SUITABILITY
LETTING THE UNWANTED SEDIMENTS ENTER INTO THE WELL.
ARTESIAN WATER
THE WATER THUS ACCUMULATED IS PUMPED OUT USING A SUBMERSIBLE
CHANCE OF SETTLEMENT
PUMP OR A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP. IT IS PRUDENT TO ASSESS GROUND-
 PUMPING CAPACITY (3000 TO 60,000 GALLONS/MIN)
PERMEABILITY CONDITIONS BEFOREHAND SINCE THE WHOLE PROCESS OF
ACCUMULATION AND PUMPING TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME. THIS MAY CAUSE
SETTLEMENT IN THE NEARBY AREAS AND HENCE A DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE
MIGHT NEED TO BE ADOPTED.
5.GROUND FREEZING

6. ELECTRO-OSMOSIS PROCESS
PIPES PRIOR TO FREEZING

FOLLOWING INITIATION OF FREEZE

FIGURE – FORMATION OF FROZEN
EARTH BARRIER IN DIFFERENT
SOILS

CLOSURE OF FROZEN EARTH WALL

COMPLETE FROZEN EARTH WALL

7. HORIZONTAL DRAINAGE
THE INSTALLATION OF HORIZONTAL DEWATERING SYSTEMS IS
RELATIVELY EASY. A TRENCHER INSTALLS AN UNPERFORATED PIPE
FOLLOWED BY A SYNTHETIC OR ORGANIC WRAPPED PERFORATED
PIPE. THE DRAIN LENGTH IS DETERMINED BY THE DRAIN
DIAMETER, SOILCONDITIONS AND THE WATER TABLE. IN GENERAL
DRAIN LENGTHS OF 50 METERS IS COMMON. AFTER INSTALLATION
OF THE DRAINPIPE A PUMP IS CONNECTED TO THE DRAIN. AFTER
THE WATER TABLE HAS BEEN LOWERED, THE INTENDED
CONSTRUCTION CAN START. AFTER THE CONSTRUCTION IS
FINISHED THE PUMPS ARE STOPPED, AND THE WATER TABLE WILL
RISE AGAIN. INSTALLATION DEPTHS UP TO 6 METERS ARE
COMMON.

FREEZING PROCESS