Water-table drainage

LEARNING ELEMENT OBJECTIVE

When you have learned this learning element, you should be able to:
- describe in which cases water-table drainage is necessary.
DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTION
The function of water-table drainage is:
1. to intercept, collect and lead away any flow of subsurface water in the subgrade of the road;
2. to lower the water-table;
3. to drain water pockets.
Water-table drainage can consist of various types of ditches and canals, open or subsurface.
The design of these will vary from case to case, and it is the job of an engineer to design various types of water-table drainage.
Embankment (valley crossing)
The most common method used is to build the road on an embankment so that the road base is elevated above the ground water
and the zone of capillary rise.

Fig 16
The zone of capillary rise can be reduced by placing a layer of porous material like hard core, gravel, sand, etc. at the bottom of the
fill. Another, but rarely used method, is to place an impervious membrane (plastic sheets) on the existing ground before the fill is
made.
Drains (through swampy areas)
In order to lower a high water-table, drains are dug.

Fig 17
French drains
To drain water pockets French drains can be constructed.