FE-7

WATER LOWERING/DEWATERING
TECHNIQUES

Prepared by
Muhammad Usman Arshid
Ground Water
• Ground water: the water that lies beneath the
ground surface, filling the pore space between
grains in bodies of sediment and filling cracks and
gaps in all types of rock

• source of ground water is rain and snow that falls

to the ground a portion of which percolates down
into the ground to become ground water
 Porosity and Permeability
• Porosity: the percentage of rock or soil that
consists of voids or openings

• Permeability: the capacity of a rock to

transmit a fluid such as water or petroleum
through pores and fractures
The Water Table
• Saturated zone: the sub surface zone in which all
openings are filled with water
• Water table: the upper surface of the zone of
saturation
• Vadose zone: a subsurface zone in which openings
are generally unsaturated and filled partly with air
and partly with water; above the saturated zone
• capillary fringe: a transition zone with higher
moisture content at the base of the vadose zone just
above the water table
Ground Water Control
 Water can be classified by its relative position
to or within the ground.
 The Movement of Ground Water
• Ground water moves relatively slowly through
soil underground
• because it moves in response to differences in
water pressure and elevation, water within the
upper part of the saturated zone tends to move
downward following the slope of the water
table

Movement of ground water beneath a sloping water table in uniformly permeable

rock. Near the surface the ground water tends to flow parallel to the sloping water table
Movement of Ground Water
• factors affecting the flow of ground water:
• The slope of the water table - the steeper the
water table, the faster ground water moves
• Permeability - if rock pores are small and
poorly connected, water moves slowly; when
openings are large and well connected, the flow
of water is more rapid
 Effect of Water table
 A high water table means the water pressure
in the soil is high and that the soil is likely
to be correspondingly weaker. High water
pressure will also adversely affect the
stability of sloping ground and increase the
loading on a wall retaining the sloping
ground.
Effect of Water table
 If the building site is surrounded by areas of
higher ground, underground water will tend
to flow to the site. This may cause pressure
beneath a concrete floor slab or increased
moisture levels beneath a timber floor. It
can also cause water to be driven into
timber piles. In this situation, subsoil
drainage may be necessary.
Effects of Ground-Water Action
 Problems of water in the subsoil:

A high water table could cause flooding during
wet period.

Subsoil water can cause problems during
excavation works by its natural tendency to flow
into the voids created by the excavation
activities.

It can cause an unacceptable humidity level
around finished building and structures.
Effects of Ground-Water Action
• sinkholes: closed depressions found on land
surfaces underlain by limestone; they form
either by the collapse of a cave roof or by
solution as descending water enlarges a
crack in limestone

A collapse sinkhole that formed suddenly in Winter Trees grow in a sinkhole formed in limestone near
Park, Florida, in 1981 Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
Sinkhole in Winter Park, FL
 Collapse Sinkholes
Collapse sinkholes are the most dramatic; they form
with little warning and leave behind a deep, steeply
sided hole.  Collapse occurs because of the weakening of
the rock of the aquifer by erosion and is often triggered
by changes in water levels in the surficial and confined
aquifers.   

1                                                                     
 Stage 2

Stage 3
 DEFINITION OF DEWATERING

 Dewatering is the term for the control of groundwater

by pumping. On construction sites it may be known as
‘construction dewatering’.
The method is also used on mine sites –
‘mine dewatering’
 The process of dewatering can be defined as –
pumping from wells or sumps to temporarily lower
groundwater levels, to allow excavations to be made
in dry and stable conditions below natural
groundwater level
DEFINITION OF DEWATERING

As an alternative to groundwater control by pumping,

physical cut-off walls can be installed around a site to
exclude groundwater from the site

www.groundwaterinternational.com
 What is Dewatering?
 Normally dewatering process is done by
pumping or evaporation and is usually done
before excavation for footings or to
lower water table that might be causing
problems during excavations.

 Construction dewatering is used on most

construction sites due to accumulated water in
trenches and excavations, places with
inadequate slope or due to high water table.
What is Dewatering?
 In construction projects, this water should
be removed to keep working as scheduled
or to provide a safe workplace.
Ground Water Control

 Control of ground water always referred to

temporary and permanent exclusion.

Temporary exclusion: lowering of the water table
and within the economic depth range upto 1500mm
using subsoil drainage methods, for deeper
treatment a pump or pumps are usually used.

Permanent exclusion: the insertion of an
impermeable barrier to stop the flow of water
within the ground.
Ground Water Control
Ground Water Control

 Temporary exclusion

Simple Sump Pumping

Jetted Sumps

Wellpoint Systems
 Insert design picture hereSock / Horizontal Well
Sump Pit / Rim Ditch

Well-point

Pump
Ground Water Control
 Simple Sump Pumping

Suitable for trench work and/or where small
volume of water are involved.
 Sump Pumping
• Water is collected in deeper parts of the excavation (called
sumps) and pumped away

• Simple and cheap method of dewatering in favorable ground

conditions

• Limited to use in relatively coarse soils or fissured rock – if

used in fine grained soils can lead to erosion and loss of
fines with the risk of resulting instability

• The sump takes up space within an excavation

• Can lead to water pollution problems due to silt-laden water

Ground Water Control

 Jetted Sumps

Almost the same with simple sump methods of
dewatering.

A borehole is formed in the subsoil by jetting a
metal tube into the ground by means of pressurised
water to a depth within the maximum suction lift of
the extract pump.

The metal tube is withdrawn to leave a void for
placing a disposable wellpoint and plastic suction
pipe.

The area surrounding the pipe is filled with coarse
sand as filtering media.
Ground Water Control
Ground Water Control
Ground Water Control

 Wellpoint systems

This is a method of lowering the water table to a
position below the formation level to give a dry
working area.

Jetting into the subsoil a series of wellpoints which
are connected to a common header pipe which then
connected to a vacuum pump.

Commonly use in trench excavation.

If the proposed formation level is below the suction
lift capacity of the pump a multi-stage system can be
employed.
www.groundwaterinternational.com
• A line or ring of small diameter shallow wells (called wellpoints)
installed at close spacing (1 to 3 m centres) around the excavation.

• Commonly used for dewatering of pipeline trenches

• Can be a very flexible and effective method of dewatering in sands or

sands and gravels

• Drawdown limited to 5 or 6 m below level of pump due to suction lift

limits

• Individual wellpoints may need to be carefully adjusted (“trimming”)

www.groundwaterinternational.com
 Wells are drilled at wide spacing (10 to 60 m between
wells) to form a ring around the outside of the
excavation

 An electric submersible pump is installed in each well.

Drawdown limited only by well depth and soil
stratification

 Effective in a wide range of ground conditions, sands,

gravels, fissured rocks

www.groundwaterinternational.com
Ground Water Control

 Permanent exclusion

Grouting Methods

Thin Grouted Membranes

Attached Piling

Diaphragm Wall

Precast Concrete Diaphragm Walls

Ground Freezing Techniques
Ground Water Control

 Thin Grouted Membranes


Work as permanent curtain or cut-off non
structural walls or barriers inserted in the ground
to enclose the proposed excavation area.

Suitable for silts and sands and can be installed
rapidly but they must be adequately supported
by earth on both sides.

The only limitation is the depth to which the
formers can be driven and extracted.
Ground Water Control
Ground Water Control
 Attached Piling

Forms a permanent structural wall of
interlocking bored piles.

Alternate piles are bored and cast by traditional
methods after which the interlocking piles are
bored using a special auger or cutter.

Suitable for most types of subsoil and has the
main advantages of being economical on small
and confined sites.
Ground Water Control

 Contiguous Piling

To ensure a complete interlock of all piles over
the entire length may be difficult therefore the
exposed face of the piles is usually covered
with a mesh or similar fabric and face with
rendering or sprayed concrete.

Suitable for structures such as basements, road
underpasses and underground car parks.
Ground Water Control

 Diaphragm Wall

Are structural concrete walls which can be cast in-
situ or using pre-cast concrete methods.

Suitable for most subsoil and their installation
generates only a small amount of vibration and noise.

The high cost of these walls makes them uneconomic
unless they can be incorporated into the finished
structure.

Normally use for basements, underground carparks
and similar structures.
Ground Water Control

 Pre-cast Concrete Diaphragm Wall


Have some applications with in-situ concrete diaphragm
walls.

Lack in design flexibility.

The panel or post panel units are installed in a trench
filled with a special mixture of bentonite and cement with
a retarder to control the setting time.

This mixtures ensures that the joints between the wall
components are effectively sealed.
Ground Water Control

 Grouting Methods

Are used to form a curtain or cut-off wall in
high permeability soils where pumping
methods could be uneconomic.

The curtain walls formed by grouting methods
are non-structural therefore adequate earth
support will be required and in some cases this
will be a distance of at least 4m from the face
of proposed excavation.
Ground Water Control

 Grouting Methods

Grout mixtures are injected into the soil by pumping the
grout at high pressure through special injection pipes
inserted in the ground.

The pattern and spacing of the injection pipes will
depend on the grout type and soil conditions.

Grout types:
• Cement grouts
• Chemical grouts
• Resin grouts
Ground Water Control

 Ground Freezing Techniques


Suitable for all types of saturated soils and rock
and for soils with a moisture content in excess
of 8% of the voids.

The basic principle is to insert into the ground a
series of freezing tubes to form an ice wall thus
creating an impermeable barrier.

Takes time to develop and the initial costs are
high.
Ground Water Control
 Ground Freezing Techniques

The freezing tubes can be installed vertically for
conventional excavations and horizontally for
tunneling works.

Normally using magnesium chloride and
calcium chloride with a temperature of -15 to
-25 degree Celsius which takes 10 to 17 days to
form an ice wall 1m thick.

Liquid nitrogen could be used as the freezing
medium to reduce the initial freezing period if
the extra cost can be justified.
Less commonly used dewatering techniques

• Horizontal wellpoints
• Relief wells
 Perforated drainage pipe, typically laid sub-horizontally
by specialist trenching machine and surrounded by
gravel filter media
 Used to dewater for pipeline trenches or to drain large
shallow excavations
 Pumped by wellpointing pumps. Drawdown limited to 5
or 6 m below level of pump due to suction lift limits
Dewatering?
 Normally, builders tend to use water
pumps to dewater these areas but are not
paying attention to the place where water
discharge, causing erosion and other
problems. It is important to follow best
management practices when water is being
pumped to lakes, wetlands or directly to
storm sewer inlets.
Dewatering Precautions
• Dewatering activities must be done properly to avoid
eroding the soil on the construction site. It is also important
to choose the best location for discharge, even when you
might be far away from water bodies or catch basins. There
are multiple dewatering products that can be used to remove
sediment from the pumped water, such as dewatering bags.
When choosing discharge areas from a dewatering process
remember that:
• Water should not be pumped directly into slopes.
• Dewatering activities should be directed to a wooded buffer,
if available.
• Pay special attention and discontinue dewatering if the area
shows signs of instability or erosion.
Dewatering Precautions
• Channels used on dewatering must be stable
and better if they have been protected with
grass or vegetation.
• 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.
Dewatering Precautions
• Never discharge water that has been
contaminated with oil, grease, chemical
products directly. In such instances an
oil/water separator may be necessary.
• Additional permits and requirements might
be needed from state, local or federal
agencies.
 Dewatering Bags
• Dewatering bags are made of durable geo textile
fabric used to filter water by removing sediments.
Dewatering bags are used on dredging operations,
construction sites or places with high water table
near the shoreline. These bags should be sized
accordingly based on the pump flow rate and type
of sediment. When using dewatering bags avoid
multiple pipe discharges as it may cause the filter
bag to fail. Remember to manage water runoff
properly by guiding it to the nearest storm inlet.
Sediment Trap Floating Turbidity Barrier

Porta Dam Aqua Barrier

THE END