Cofferdams

Civil Engineering Practice (CE-203)

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology, Taxila, Pakistan
Cofferdams
 A cofferdam is a temporary structure designed to keep water
and/or soil out of the excavation in which a bridge pier or other
structure is built.
 When construction must take place below the water level, a
cofferdam is built to give workers a dry work environment. Sheet
piling is driven around the work site, seal concrete is placed into
the bottom to prevent water from seeping in from underneath
the sheet piling, and the water is pumped out.
 The word "cofferdam" comes from "coffer" meaning box, in other
words a dam in the shape of a box.
Use of Cofferdam
 For dam construction, two cofferdams are usually built, one
upstream and one downstream of the proposed dam, after an
alternative diversion tunnel or channel has been provided for the
river flow to bypass the dam foundation area.
 These cofferdams are typically a conventional embankment dam
of both earth and rock fill, but concrete or some sheet piling also
may be used.
 Typically, upon completion of the dam and associated structures,
the downstream coffer is removed and the upstream coffer is
flooded as the diversion is closed and the reservoir begins to fill.
Use of Cofferdam
 Dependent upon the geography of a dam site, in some
applications, a "U"-shaped cofferdam is used in the construction
of one half of a dam.
 When complete, the cofferdam is removed and a similar one is
created on the opposite side of the river for the construction of
the dam's other half.
Types of Cofferdams

Considering the material used in their construction, cofferdams

may be divided into the following categories.
1. Earthen cofferdam
2. Rock-fill cofferdam
3. Single-walled cofferdam
4. Double-walled cofferdam
5. Crib cofferdam
6. Cellular cofferdam (Circular or diaphragm type)
Types of Cofferdams
1. Earthen Cofferdam
Types of Cofferdams
1. Earthen Cofferdam
 It essentially consists of an earthen embankment built around
the area to be enclosed. It is constructed in places where the
depth of water is not much, say 13 to 18 in. and the velocity of the
current is very low.
 As a precautionary measure, the earth bank is carried about one
meter above the water level. The top width of the bank should
not be less than 1 in. and the side slopes in a vary from 1 : 1 to 1 :
2. The earth embankment should be built from a mixture of clay
and sand or clay and gravel.
 If the estimated quantity of clay is not easily obtainable, the
banks may be constructed with a central clay wall with slopes of
sand on either side.
Types of Cofferdams
1. Earthen Cofferdam
 In order to prevent the embankment from scouring due to the
action of water, side slopes of the bank on water side should be
pitched with rubble boulders. If the current of water is such that
there is a danger of the earthen embankment getting washed
away, canvas bags half filled with material of embankment
(mixture of clay, sand or gravel) are stacked one over the other to
form the embankment.
 After the work of construction of cofferdam is over, the water
from the enclosed area is pumped out so as to leave a dry surface
inside. Excavations can then be performed to the required depth
and the work of construction of foundations carried out.
Types of Cofferdams
2. Rock Fill Cofferdam
 If the depth of water to be retained by the embankment of
cofferdam that is of order of 18 to 30 in., stone or rubble is used
for the embankment.
 This construction is adopted only if the stone is easily available
in the nearby areas. The stones are assembled in the required
shape of the embankment and the voids are partially filled with
earth and stone-chips. The side slope on the water side is
protected by pitching.
Types of Cofferdams
3. Single-Walled Coffer Dam
Types of Cofferdams
3. Single-Walled Coffer Dam
 This type of cofferdam is used in places where the area to be
enclosed is very small and the depth of water is more, say 4.5 to 6
m.
 Timber piles known as guide piles are first driven deep into the
firm ground below the river bed. Depending upon the velocity of
the current of the water in the river, the centre to centre spacing
of the piles may vary between 1.8 to 4 m. Longitudinal runners
called wales are then bolted to the guide piles at suitable
distance apart.
Types of Cofferdams
3. Single-Walled Coffer Dam
 Steel or wooden sheet piles are then driven into the river bed
along the wales and are secured to the wales by bolts.
 The sheets on the two faces arc braced by trussed arrangement of
struts. This helps in increasing the stability of walls against the
water pressure.
 Half-filled bags of sand stacked on the inside and the outside
faces of the sheets help in increasing the stability of cofferdam.
 After the cofferdam is constructed, the water in the enclosed area
is pumped out and the construction work is taken up.
Types of Cofferdams
4. Double-Walled Cofferdam
Types of Cofferdams
4. Double-Walled Cofferdam
 Its construction is same as that of a single-walled cofferdam except
that in place of one wall, a pair of walls with a gap in between is
used all along the boundary of the space to be enclosed. This type
of cofferdam can be used in depth of water up to 12 m.
 As the depth of water increases, the wall should be made wider in
order to make it stable against overturning and sliding. The
distance between the two walls depends upon the depth of water.
The thickness of wall should be equal to the depth of water up to 3
m.
 For greater depths of water, the thickness of wall should be 3 m.
plus ½ the depth of water in excess of 3 m. At their top, the two
faces of the walls are connected by steel rods spaced at close
intervals. To prevent the leakage from the ground below, the sheet
piles are driven to a good depth in the bed.
Types of Cofferdams
5. Crib Cofferdam
Types of Cofferdams
5. Crib Cofferdam
 A crib is a framework of horizontal timbers installed in alternate
courses to form pockets which can be filled with earth or stones.
 The length and breadth of each crib depend upon the depth of
water and the current of flow.
 The framework of the cofferdam (made from, logs of wood) is
prepared on ground and then floated to the site where the
cofferdam is to be constructed.
 The layers of sand and the other loose material overlying the
impervious hard bed is dredged out.
Types of Cofferdams
5. Crib Cofferdam
 Crib is then sunk to the position, the bottom of each crib is given
a shape to fit in the variation in the surface of bed rock.
 The space inside the crib is then filled with stone or any other
material, so as to make it stable against sliding and overturning.
Timber or steel sheet piles are then driven around the crib.
Types of Cofferdams
6. Cellular Cofferdam
This type of cofferdam is mostly used for de-watering large areas
in places where the depth of water may be of the order of 18 to 21
m.
Cellular cofferdams are mostly used during the construction of
marine structures like dams, locks, wharves etc.
Cellular cofferdam is made by driving straight web steel sheet
piles, arranged to from a series of inter-connected cells.
The cells are constructed in various shapes and styles to suit the
requirements of site.
Finally the cells are filled with clay, sand or gravel to make them
stable against the various forces to which they are likely to be
subjected to.
Types of Cofferdams
6. Cellular Cofferdam
The two common shapes of the cellular cofferdam are:
i. Circular type cellular cofferdam
ii. Diaphragm type cellular cofferdam
Types of Cofferdams
6. Cellular Cofferdam
i. Circular Type
Types of Cofferdams
6. Cellular Cofferdam (Circular Type)
 The circular type of cellular cofferdam has the advantage that
each cell may be filled completely to the top before starting the
construction of the next cell without causing any distortion to
the shell of the cofferdam.
 Thus, when one cell is completely filled up it can be used for
placing crane or other equipment required for the construction
of other cells.
 In addition, each cell acts as a self-supporting independent unit
and in case one of the cells collapses due to scour or interlock
damage or some other reason, it does not produce any adverse
effect on the neighboring cells it is found that the interlock
stresses reach their maximum permissible value when the
diameter of cell is about 21 meter.
Types of Cofferdams
6. Cellular Cofferdam
ii. Diaphragm Type
Types of Cofferdams
6. Cellular Cofferdam (Diaphragm Type)
 This consists of a series of diaphragm of steel sheet piles
connected as shown in the figure.
 The straight diaphragm wails are connected to each other by
steel piles arranged in the form of arches on either sides.
 The radius of the connecting arcs is generally made equal to the
distance between the straight diaphragm walls. With this
arrangement, the tension in the arcs and cross wails remain
equal.
 After the cells are driven to the required depth, they are filled
with earth, sand, gravel or other filling material.
Advantages of Cofferdam
 Performing work over water has always been more difficult and
costly than performing the same work on land.
 When the work is performed below water, the difficulties and
cost difference can increase geometrically with the depth at
which the work is performed.
 The key to performing marine construction work efficiently is to
minimize work over water, and perform as much of the work as
possible on land.
Advantages of Cofferdam

Below some of the advantages of cofferdams are listed:

a. Allow excavation and construction of structures in otherwise
poor environment.
b. Provides safe environment to work.
c. Steel sheet piles are easily installed and removed.
d. Materials can typically be reused on other projects.
e. Contractors typically have design responsibility.
Cofferdam Components

Main components of the cofferdams are the following:

1. Sheet Piles
2. Bracing Frame
3. Concrete Seal
Cofferdam Components

Typical Cofferdam without seal or piles

Cofferdam Components

Typical Cofferdam with seal and piles

Cofferdam Components
1. Sheet Piling
 Sheet piling is a manufactured construction product with a
mechanical connection “interlock” at both ends of the section.
These mechanical connections interlock with one another to
form a continuous wall of sheeting.
 Sheet pile applications are typically designed to create a rigid
barrier for earth and water, while resisting the lateral pressures
of those bending forces.
 The shape or geometry of a section lends to the structural
strength. In addition, the soil in which the section is driven has
numerous mechanical properties that can affect the
performance.
Cofferdam Components
2. Bracing Frame
 The typical cofferdam, such as a bridge pier, consists of sheet
piles set around a bracing frame and driven into the soil
sufficiently far to develop vertical and lateral support and to cut
off the flow of soil and, in some cases the flow of water.
 The structure inside may be founded directly on rock or firm soil
or may require pile foundations. In the latter case, these
generally extend well below the cofferdam.
Cofferdam Components
3. Concrete Seal
 Inside excavation is usually done using clam shell buckets. In
order to dewater the cofferdam, the bottom must be stable and
able to resist hydrostatic uplift.
 Placement of an underwater concrete seal course is the fastest
and most common method.
 An underwater concrete seal course may then be placed prior to
dewatering in order to seal off the water, resist its pressure, and
also to act as a slab to brace against the inward movement of the
sheet piles in order to mobilize their resistance to uplift under
the hydrostatic pressure .