WELL

FOUNDATIONS
 ORIGIN
Origin in India
have been used for hundreds of years.
Initially masonry wells sunk for
drinking water in ancient times
Later on same technique was used for
construction of foundation wells
Freely used during the Moghal period,
many Moghal monuments including the
Taj Mahal have got well foundations
The Moghal used well foundations for
bridges across major river also
 HISTORY

Used for Ganga Canal at Roorkee, in

the middle of 19th century
In 1937, largest size of caisson 29.6m
x 60.1m on San Francisco Oakland
bridge, California (USA) with sinking
depth of 73.8m was completed
In India the largest well used for
main towers of Howrah bridge having
a size of 24.8m x 53.5m with
maximum depth of sinking as 31.4m
below ground level
 HISTORY

On Rajendra Pul across the Ganga

at Mokamah double D wells were
used. The largest size was 16.3m
x 9.7m and 50.3m deep
On Mahanadi Bridge Pneumatic
sinking was done for the first time
up to a depth of 32m
 Well versus Pile
Wells have a large cross sectional area and
hence more bearing capacity of soil.
q=5.4 N2 B + 16(100+N2)D
Well are hollow and most of the material is
at periphery. This provides a large section
modulus.

Useful in controlling deflection against high horizontal
force
it is possible to sink a well through soil
having boulders, logs of wood, where Piles
can not be driven
 Well versus Pile
In case of wells, it is possible to visually
examine the strata through which sinking
is done and material on which it is finally
resting, hence the bearing capacity of a
well is certain. On other hand bearing
capacity of pile is generally uncertain
Concreting in the steining of wells is
done under dry conditions and the
quality of concrete is much better than in
case of cast in situ piles.
 Well versus Pile

Size of well foundation cannot be

reduced indefinitely and hence it
uneconomical to use well foundation
for very small loads, pile foundations
are more suitable.
 WELL
FOUNDATION
Top plug
 CUTTING EDGE

MS Angle
OR 60 LB
MS RAIL
Plate
Fillet Weld
WELL CURB
WELL STEINING
COMMON SHAPES
 CIRCULAR
Most commonly used
Advantages:
Strength, simplicity, ease in sinking, minimum
steining thickness due to minimum flexural stresses
It requires only one dredger for sinking
The distance of the cutting edge from the dredge hole
is uniform and the chances of tilting are minimum
Disadvantages:
Generally adopted for piers of single line railway
bridges
9 m is considered as the max. dia. Allowing cantilever
of 1m on either side, the maximum length of pier is
about 11 meters
It offer relatively less resistance against lateral
forces.
 Double D well
Advantages:
Long piers for multiple lines can be accommodated
greater lateral stability.
Simple shape
Easy to sink but greater effort than circular well
Disadvantages:-
Considerable bending moments in the straight portion
of steining.
Four square corners at either end of the partition wall
offer considerable resistance to sinking
Steining is relatively thick
More prone to tilt and shift due to unsymmetrical shape
and possible unequal dredging
 Double Octagonal
Advantages:
Free from short comings of double D
well
Blind corners are eliminated
Bending stresses in the steining are
also reduced considerably
Disadvantages:
Greater resistance against sinking on
account of increased surface area
Concreting in steining is more difficult
than in case of double D wells.
 Rectangular Wells
Advantages:
Can be adopted where the bridge is
designed for open foundations and a
change to well foundation , become
necessary. Rectangular well can be
designed exactly of the same size as of
open foundation
Generally adopted for depth up to 7.5m
Disadvantages:
Bending stresses in the steining are the
maximum.
 Twin Circular Well
Consist of two independent circular
wells placed very close to each other
with a common well cap. Has tendency
to tilt
If the depth of sinking is small say up to
7m, the clear space between the two wells
may be kept 0.6 to 1m to avoid tilting
For greater depth of sinking spacing of 2 to
3m may be necessary
Differential settlement may be there
during service
 Depth of wells
Decided by

Scour

Stability
 Normal scour

D = 0.473 (qf/f)1/3
IF
(a) Design flood continues for sufficient time
(b) River is flowing straight through
incoherent alluvium and are free to adjust
their width of flow and their depth with
equal ease and acquire an elliptical cross
section in the straight reaches
(c) The width of the river is not less than the
Lacys regime width i.e L= 4.85 Qf.
f is the silt factor = 1.76m
 Normal scour
Where the width is less than Laceys regime
width
dc/d = (w/wc)0.61
Type of bed Weighted mean dia of Value
materials particle (mm) of f
(i) Coarse 0.04 0.35
silt
(ii) Fine 0.08 0.50
sand 0.15 0.68
(iii) Medium 0.3 0.96
sand 0.5 1.24
(iv) Coarse 0.7 1.47
sand 1.0 1.76
2.0 2.49
 Local scour
Bridges are generally located on straight
reaches and even where the river is on curve
suitable guide bunds are provided to ensure
straight flow
Bridge pier cause obstruction to the normal flow
of the river. This causes additional local scour
The scour depends on the shape of the piers, its width,
the direction of flow the silt factor, the velocity and
depth of flow etc.
No rational formula has been evolved so far for
working out the additional scour round the pier
The normal practice on the Indian Railways is to
double the scour depth calculated by the Laceys
formula to arrive at the maximum scour depth below
H.F.L. i.e. local scour depth is taken as D
The depth calculated shall be increased as
indicated in next slide
 Local scour
Nature of the river Depth
of
scour
- In a straight reach 1.25D
- At the moderate bend conditions e.g. 1.5D
along apron of guide bund
- At a severe bend 1.75D
- At a right angle bend or at nose of piers 2.0 D
- In severe swirls e.g. against mole head 2.5 to
of a guide bund 2.75D
 Local scour
Lacey equations are valid for rivers
which are in regime and flow in
completely incoherent material
There conditions are satisfied in Indo-
Gangetic plains and southern rivers flowing
towards east coast
These conditions are not satisfies elsewhere
Scour depth should be ascertained in
other cases as per spring method given
in RDSO technical paper no. 153 River
training and control on guide bund
system
 Grip Length
The well should be sunk below the maximum
scour level to such a depth that
the bearing capacity of the soil is sufficient
resistance from the sides is sufficient to resist lateral
forces
As per Para 6.91 of Substructure Code, we
provide a grip length of 1/3 the maximum
scour depth below the HFL i.e. 2D/3
Well depth can be reduced if non-scourable
material is met with at a shallow depth,
however clay should not be considered as non-
scourable material.
 Grip Length
GALES TABLE

RIVER DESIGN GRIP

CLASS DISCHARGE LENGTH
(cumecs) (m)
A 7000-21000 15.25
B 21000- 16.8
42000
C 42000- 19.8
71000
 Grip Length

SPRINGS TABLE
DESIGN OF WELLS
 DESIGN OF WELL
Structural design
Well size and depth
Cutting edge
Curb
Steining
Bottom and top plug
Cap
Stability analysis (As per appendix in
sub-structure code)
 WELL SIZE AND DEPTH
Depends on size of piers ; max. 1
m overhang is taken
Proper founding level from bore log
and also satisfying depth of scour
and grip length criteria
Preliminary design based on
vertical and horizontal loads AND
bearing capacity
 CUTTING EDGE/CURB
It should cut through hard strata even
if as per bore log there is no rock
It should be able to stand on sloping
rock/boulder/tree trunk
It should be able to withstand
occasional blast forces
No detail design is possible
Typical old successful sections are followed
Steel plate or 60 lbs rail in cutting edge
and M 25 concrete with adequate
reinforcement in curb is used
 ZZ ZZ
Cutting Edge

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 STEINING
Thickness of steining should be such that
It should be possible to sink the well without
excessive kenteledge
The well do not get damaged during sinking
It should be possible to rectify tilts and shifts
without damaging the well
Stresses at various stages should be under
permissible limits
Resistance against sudden drop/sand blow
condition
M 15 with 0.12% bond reinforcement and
0.04% of ties are sufficient
 STEINING
Sinking Effort
= Wt of Well at the design depth Buoyancy in Kg
Surface area in Sq./m
Sinking effort required (as given in
ME Tech. Inst.)

Stiff and soft clay 0.73 to 2.93 t/m2
Clay 4.88 to 19.53 t/m2

Very soft clay 1.23 to 3.42 t/m2

Dense Sand 3.42 to 6.84 t/m2

Dense gravel 4.88 to 9.76 t/m2

For alluvium deposits, minimum sinking effort
required is of the order of 5t/m2
STEINING

WL

BL
STEINING
STEINING

Appxo Values of F
 STEINING
THUMB RULES
For circular shaped wells CC
T=K(D/10+H/100) IRC-21
K=1.0 for sandy strata
K=1.1 for soft clay strata
K=1.25 for hard clay strata
T=D/4 RAILWAY PRACTICE
Minimum Thickness = 1m Railway Practice
Minimum Thickness = 500mm IRC Practice
 STEINING
THUMB RULES
For Rectangular or double D-shaped
Wells of CC
T = K(H/100 + L/10)
K = 1.1 for sandy & soft clay strata
= 1.15 for hard clay strata where
D = external diameter of well
L = Longer side of the rectangular well or
the distance for a double D shaped well
H = Full depth to which the well is designed
to be sunk below the bed
 CONSTRUCTION
STEPS
LAYOUT
FABRICATION OF CUTTING EDGE
WELL CURB,CONSTRUCTION AND
PITCHING
CONSTRUCTION OF STEINING
MAKING OF ISLAND IF REQUIRED
WELL SINKING
PLUGGING,SAND FILLING AND
CASTING OF WELL CAP
 LAYOUT
Accuracy of prime
importance
Should always be
cross checked by at
least two independent
surveys
Permanent theodolite
stations with the base
line on the bank will
be established to
mark reference points
 CUTTING EDGE
MS cutting edge is made from
structural steel sections
It shall weight not less than 40 kg per
m Length
It should have proper anchoring into
well curb
 MS Angle or 60 lb
MS
rail
Plate

Fillet Weld

Section of Cutting Edge

 Holes for
Anchoring
into well
curb

Cutting Edge Plan

Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge
 MAKING OF ISLAND
Construction of an Island on which the
well curb can be assembled as on dry
bed
possible for water depth of 6m and
velocity < 1 m/sec
or use of floating caisson which can be
towed in to position and grounded by
pouring concrete become necessary
 SAND ISLAND

DIMENSION OF SAND ISLAND >3 TIMES DIA OF

WELL
Sand Island
 WELL CURB
May be precast or cast in situ
The formwork on outer face & inner face of
the curb may be removed within 24 hours &
72 hours respectively
All concreting in well curb should be done in
one continuous operation.
It should offer minimum resistance to sinking
The slope to the vertical of the inner faces of
the curb shall be not more that 30 degree
(24 degrees used in jogigopa bridge). In
sandy strata it may be up to 45 degree
 WELL CURB
An offset on the outside (about 50mm)
should be provided to ease sinking
The curb shall be of reinforced
concrete (M-25) with a minimum
reinforcement of 70kg/m3 excluding
bond rods
In case blasting is anticipated the inner
face of the curbs shall be protected by
steel plates
Fabrication of Well Curb
Well Curb Reinforcement
Well Curb Reinforcement
 WELL CURB
Centre of the well curb should be
carefully marked.
If the site of the pier is dry, the
curb should be assembled on
wooden blocks or sand bags
placed at intervals of about 1.5m
If the river is full of water, the curb
is generally pitched at about 15cm
above the water level.
 STEINING
RCC well curb should be allowed to
set for at least one week before
sinking is started.
The chances of tilting increases
considerably if the well is made top
heavy by raising the steining too
high in the first stance.
The best course is to sink the well curb
alone after allowing it setting time
without raising the stening over it. .
 STEINING
The steining may be raised by about
1.5m at a time and sinking done after
allowing at least 24 hrs of setting time
once the well has acquired a grip of
about 6m in sand, the steining can be
raised about 3m at a time
0.12% of bond reinforcement with
0.04% 0f ties shall be sufficient
M 15 grade concrete is sufficient
Check for tension in concrete
 STEINING
Construction joints should be as
shown below. It should not be at the
location of laps.
Well Steining
FORM WORK FOR 4.5M
LIFT
 WELL SINKING

Sinking of well can be done

by two methods
Open sinking of wells (COMMONLY
USED IN India)

Pneumatic sink wells

 Hoists/Crane

WELL SINKING USING CRANE &

GRAB
DREDGING OPERATION FOR WELL
Grabs or Dredgers

Dimensions of Bells dredgers

 Grabs or Dredgers
The grabs works satisfactorily in sand,
silt and soft clay
It is unable to bite in stiff clay, kankar
and soft rock.
For stiff clay, a modified grab is used, a
large number of iron bars are used to make
a cage, instead of mild steel plates, which
enable water to escape form the grab
Chisels are used to loosen material, if
required and then it is taken out with grab
 CHISELS

Straight Chisel Fan Chisel

 CHISELS

Under cutting chisel

WELL SINKING
Forces acting
during sinking
through non-
cohesive soil
 WELL SINKING
The submerged weight of the well
is balanced by the skin friction and the
reaction of the soil
Weight should be sufficient or kentelege is
required.
In cohesion less soil, quantity of sand extracted
may be two to three times the volume
displaced by the well. The ratio may be higher
for light wells having insufficient sinking effort.
The saving affected by keeping the thickness of
steining small, not only slow down the progress
of the work but it be off set by the increased
cost of dredging.
Breaking hard strata by chiselling for sinking
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
When the wells are to be sunk close to each
other and the distances between them is not
greater than the diameter of the wells, they
should be sunk alternately i.e. one sunk 1/2 the
diameter in advance of the other.
When two parallel rows of wells have to be
sunk with centre of each at about 1 meter
apart, one row should be sunk before the other.
It is also advisable to sink the alternate wells in
a row in preference to sinking them one after
the other.
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE

While sinking wells joined together,

excavation in both the dredge holes
should be carried out simultaneously.
The sinking of number of wells
commenced in one season should be
such that they can be sunk to at least
66% of their depth before the seasonal
flood.
Wells not reaching this stage before rains
should be protected e.g., by provision of
temporary cap, sand filling etc.
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE

Tendency to dump all the dredged

material close to the well and only on
one side is wrong and may cause
appreciable difference of pressure.
In case of abutment where there is
high bank on one side, dig the pit of
sufficiently larger sizes leaving about
6-8 meters clear distance round the
well.
POINTS OF
IMPORTANCE
Very often the sinking is obstructed by
stray boulders or rock or by logs of wood.
Resistance to sinking increases suddenly and
the well starts tilting.
overcome the obstruction by loading the well
on that side and carrying out heavy dredging
on that side.
The obstruction either rolls into the dredge
hole or the cutting edge is able to cut it.
If the method does not succeed, the
obstruction is removed by sending divers or
by using explosives
 POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
Dewatering can also be done with
advantage when there is an obstruction
under the cutting edge.
Dewatering should not be done unless the
well has a grip of at least 9 meters in sand.
Even when the grip is more than 9 meters,
tilting of the well should be watched
continuously while dewatering it,
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
For sinking in clay
Steining should be made as thick as
possible
excavation can be carried out much more
conveniently and speedily by dewatering
it completely once it has gone into clay
by 1 to 1.5m
If a small sand blow is noticed a large
number of sand bags, scrap gunny bags
and branches of trees full of green leaves
are heaped.
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
For sinking in clay
In stiff clay, some times well does not
sink even if earth is fully removed and
wells dewatered, In such cases blasting is
used below the cutting edge in order to
shake the well.
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
For sinking in rock
Open sinking is not possible in hard rock
except at shallow depth of 2 to 2.5m.
Possible in soft rock
Holes can be drilled with jack hammers
and explosives used freely to cut the
rock.
Electric detonation is generally done as it
is safer and effective.
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
Cracks due to explosives or bad
construction
Running horizontally
not so serious may develop during the
process of rectifying tilts.
to be cement grouted, holes may have
to be driven through steining in order
to reach the cracks.
POINTS OF IMPORTANCE
Cracks running vertically
Very serious, may develop during sinking
by excessive water pressure caused by
the wrong use of gelignite charges.
It may be necessary to fill the well with
concrete up to the height of the cracks.
POINTS OF
IMPORTANCE
Quick Sand Conditions
May occur when fine sand/ silt
underlie an impervious layer of
clay and there is considerable
hydraulic pressure below clay
layer.
As soon as the layers of clay is
pierced through, a steep
hydraulic gradient is
established, creating incipient
motion
It has no shear strength in this
state and allows the well to
sink into it without offering any
resistance.
POINTS OF
IMPORTANCE
Quick Sand Conditions
Wells known to have sunk suddenly by
5 or 6 meters
It become extremely difficult to raise the
steining height up to the water surface
Raising of steining to a considerable height
should be done when the cutting edge is
well within the clay layer
Raising of water level inside the well
No dewatering
A coffer dam may be raised on the steining
and water level raised inside the well.
 TILTS AND SHIFTS
Precaution to avoid tilts
and shifts
(a) The outer surface of the well curb and
steining must be regular and smooth
(b) The radius of the curb is kept about 25mm
to 40mm larger than the outside radius of
the well steining.
(c) Dredging should be done carefully
 TILTS AND SHIFTS
Tilt and shift should be
measured daily
RECORD THE TILT & SHIFT
ALONG THE TWO
PERPENDICULAR AXIS
PAINT MARK ON STEINING
GAUGE MARKING ON STEINING
 TILTS AND SHIFTS
(Correction)

Eccentri
c
loading
 TILTS AND SHIFTS
(Correction)

Eccentri
c
loading
 TILTS AND SHIFTS
(Correction)

Packing low
side of well
 TILTS AND SHIFTS
A tilt of 1 in 100 and shift of D/40,
subject to a maximum of 150 mm is
taken into account in the design of well
foundation as per railway practice
As per IRC, Tilt 1in 80 and shift 150
mm is permissible.
If greater tilt and shifts occur, their
effect on bearing pressure on soil,
steining stresses, change in span etc.
should be examined.
Pneumatic Sinking of
wells
Required when open sinking cannot be
done and complete dewatering is also
not possible either due to sand blowing
or due to the inflow of water being so
heavy that pumping becomes
prohibitive in cost.
Pneumatic sinking is 5 to 6 times costlier
In India wells are so designed that open
sinking is carried out to the extent possible
The depth to which pneumatic sinking may
be done without undue risk to the lives of
the men may be taken as 33m
Pneumatic Sinking of
wells
Pneumatic sinking is done by fixing covers on
the dredge holes and pumping air into them so
that the compressed air pushes out all the
water up to the level of the cutting edge.
Men are then sent inside the well to carry out
excavation
Air locks are fitted to the wells to enable the
men and materials to move from inside to
outside of the wells and vice versa
Separate shafts are provided for the movement
of buckets full of materials and ladders for the
men
PNEUMATIC SINKING

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
FOR WORKING
UNDER COMPRESSED AIR
IS:4188
 AVERAGE RATE OF
SINKING
STRATA MEDIUM SIZE LARGE SIZE
WELL (cm) WELL (cm)
SANDY 60-90 50-60

CLAYEY 40-50 30-40

ROCKY 10-75 10-75

PNEUMATIC 15-25 15-25

 PLUGGING
Bottom Plug
Desirable to give a spherical shape
Desirable to have a good idea of the
shape of the dredging pit either by
probing or by sending divers.
The top of the bottom plug shall be
kept 300mm above the top edge of
the inclined face of the curb
Under dry condition concrete mix
shall generally be 1:3:6
SHAPE OF DREDGING
PITS
SHAPE OF DREDGING
PITS
SHAPE OF DREDGING
PITS
SHAPE OF DREDGING
PITS

Wells on steep rock

BOTTOM PLUGGING USING TREMIE
 SAND FILLING
Sand filling does not add to any structural
strength
Only adds to increase weight to provide stability.
Reduce the tensile forces developed at the base
caused by bending moments.
It partly counters the stresses induced in the
steining due to the soil and hydraulic pressure
acting on the well from outside.
Concrete filling in place of sand may be resorted
to if well is not very deep or if steining got
cracked or damaged.
 TOP PLUG

A 300 mm thick plug of cc 1:3:6

Stepping is done in the steining
concrete to give a proper bearing to the
top plug.
Top plugging
 WELL CAP

Transmits the load from the pier to the

stening.
This is designed as two way RCC slab.
Bottom of well cap is preferably kept at
low water level or up to 300 mm above
the low water level. (As per M.E.s
Technical letter dated 8.6.05 it is to be
kept at same level).
 CAISSONS
In case where the velocity of water in the river
is high making it difficult to construct either
an island or cofferdam to construct a well,
caisson type construction has been used.
The caisson is pre cast at the shore with the
bottom which is generally provided with
openings which are plugged, and toed to the
required position by tugs and then plugs are
removed to permit the caisson to reach the
bottom of the ocean bed.
Sinkng can also be by concreting in pockets
 CAISSONS

Example of caisson foundation in

India are the Ganga bridge at
Mokameh, Brahmaputra bridge in
Assam and the Mahanadi Bridge at
Cuttak
STABILITY ANALYSIS
As per IRC 45:1972
Same provisions given in SSC
Comprises of
Elastic Theory
Gives soil pressure on sides and under base
Ultimate soil resistance
FOS at ultimate failure
 STABILITY ANALYSIS
ELASTIC THEORY FOR WELLS
SURROUNDED BY NON-COHESIVE
SOIL
Valid for grip > 0.5 times width

STEP 1
DETERMINE W,H AND M UNDER COMBINATION
OF NORMAL LOADS WITHOUT WIND AND
SEISMIC LOADS ASSUMING THE MINIMUM GRIP
LENGTH
W = Downward load, H= Horz. Force at scour level
M= Moment about base including due to tilt and shift
STABILITY ANALYSIS

,
STABILITY ANALYSIS
 STABILITY ANALYSIS

Where
STABILITY ANALYSIS
STABILITY ANALYSIS
ULTIMATE ANALYSIS

Ing self
ULTIMATE ANALYSIS
ULTIMATE ANALYSIS
ULTIMATE ANALYSIS
ULTIMATE ANALYSIS

CHECK FOR
THESE
COMBINATION
S WITH GIVEN
LOAD FACTOR
ULTIMATE ANALYSIS
WELLS ON COHESIVE
SOIL
 References

IRS BRIDGE SUBSTRUCTURE CODE

BRIDGE MANUAL(417-432)
MANUAL ON THE DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION OF WELL AND PILE
FOUNDATIONS ISSUED BY RDSO
IRC-45-1972
IRC-21
IRC-78
Wells and cassions by Vijay Singh
THANKS
 GANGA BRIDGE AT
MUNGHER

Double D wells of
plan dimensions
18:0 m X 11.0 m:
A