Dewatering

Dewatering means modifying the ground by lowering the water table, redirecting seepage,
or simply reducing its water content.
PURPOSES:
 To provide dry working area such as in excavation for building foundations, dams,
tunnels etc
 To stabilize constructed or natural slopes
 To reduce lateral pressures on foundations or retaining structures
 To increase the bearing capacity of foundation
 To prevent liquefaction
 To prevent surface erosion
 To prevent or reduce damage due to frost heave.

METHODS OF DEWATERING SYSTEMS • Open sumps and ditches • Well point system • Deep
well drainage • Vacuum dewatering systems • Dewatering by electro- osmosis

Open sumps and ditches

Water is collected in sumps or ditches and then removed by pumping. • Sump is made
below the ground level of excavation at one or more corners or sides • To prevent standing
water on the floor of excavation, a ditch is cut around excavation, falling towards the sump.
• Water from slopes falls into sump by gravity and then it is pumped out from the sump.

Most cheapest and common dewatering method. This method is suitable in: • Shallow
excavation • In well-graded soil or in rock • In permeable soils on impermeable strata.

Advantages
 Economical: Low cost for installation and maintenance, suitable for most soil and
rock types.
 Handles Obstructions: Effective in areas with boulders or underground obstacles.
 Shallow Water Table Lowering: Best for small depth reductions (up to 8m below
pump level).
 Limitations: Not recommended for areas with steep slopes.

Disadvantages
  Slope Collapse Risk: Can cause slope failure, leading to hazardous situations.
 Stability Issues: In open excavations, sumps and ditches may reduce base stability.

Well Point System

 Structure: Small well screens (50–80 mm diameter, 0.3–1m length).
 Material: Made of brass or stainless steel, with closed or self-jetting ends.
 Maintenance: Must be kept operational for a long time.
Working
 Water Flow: Water drawn through the screens enters the space between the gauze
and outside of the riser pipe • From riser pipe to holes drilled in the bottom of this
pipe and then reaches the surface
 Installation: Well points are jetted into the ground.
 Capacity: A 50 mm riser can handle 10 liters per minute.
 Spacing (depends on soil type):
o Fine to coarse sand: 0.75–1 m
o Silty sand (low permeability): 1.5 m
o Highly permeable gravel: 0.3 m
 Usage: A common dewatering method for sites with shallow water-bearing strata.

Advantages
  Fast Installation: Quick setup process.
 Cost-Effective: Simple and inexpensive equipment.
 Filtered Water: Water carries little to no particles.
 Ground Stability: Less risk of ground subsidence compared to open sumps.
Disadvantages
 Suction Limitation: Restricted by suction lift.
 Depth Limitation: Can lower water up to 6m, beyond which air enters the system.
 Efficiency Loss: Air leakage reduces pumping efficiency.
 Unsuitable Soil: Cannot be installed in large gravel, cobbles, or boulders.

Multistage Well Point System

 Multiple Stages: Installed in two or more levels.
 Deep Dewatering: No depth limit, but requires a wide excavation at the surface.
Well Points in Braced Excavation
 Placement: Positioned near the toes of sheet piles.
 Purpose:
o Lowers water between sheet pile rows.
o Prevents soil from becoming unstable (quick condition).
o Reduces hydrostatic pressure on sheet piles.

Vacuum Dewatering System

 Best for Fine-Grained Soils: Works well in silts and fine sands with low permeability
(0.1 to 10×10⁻³ mm/s).
 System Components: Uses well points, riser pipes, and filter sand around the pipe.
 Sealed Top Layer: The hole is capped with an impervious material to prevent air
entry.
 Vacuum Pumping: Creates negative pressure, improving water flow to the well
points.
 Works in Layered Soil: Suitable for stratified soils with permeability (k) of 0.1 to
10×10⁻⁴ cm/s.
 Depth Limitation: Can lower water level by 3 to 6 meters
Deep Well Drainage
 System: Uses deep wells and pumps placed outside the construction zone.
 Function: Lowers the water table to the required depth.
 Spacing: 0.8m to 8m, depending on water table level, permeability, and depth.
 Best for:
o Pervious soil formations (like sand and gravel).
o Deep dewatering needs or artesian pressure control.
 Combination: Can be used with well point systems for efficient groundwater
lowering.

Deep Well Drainage - Installation Process

 Borehole Drilling: A cased borehole (200-300mm larger) than the well casing is
drilled.
 Well Casing: The inner well casing is inserted after borehole completion.
 Perforated Screen: Installed to allow water flow, with a 3-5m sump at the bottom
for fine material collection.
 Filter Material: Graded material is added between the well casing and borehole.
 Outer Casing Removal: Withdrawn in stages as filter material is placed.
 Backfilling: Space above the screen is filled with available material.
 Water Surge Process: Promotes water flow through the filter and removes fines.
 Pump Installation: A submersible pump is added after cleaning unwanted fines.
 Heavy Equipment Needed: Required for difficult soil conditions like boulders and
rocks.
 Cost: High compared to other methods due to specialized equipment.

Electro Osmosis
Electro Osmosis - Working Principle
 External Electrical Force: Applied across soil-water interface, causing water
movement.
 Charge Interaction:
 o Soil particles have a negative charge.
o Positive ions (cations) gather near soil surfaces.
 Electromotive Force Effect:
o Cations + water molecules move toward the cathode.
o Anode repels water, pushing it toward the cathode.
 Water Removal:
o Cathode is designed as a well where water accumulates.
o Water is then pumped out to reduce moisture.
Explanation
1. Why It Works
o Fine soil particles (like clay) naturally have a negative charge.
o Positive ions (e.g., sodium, calcium) gather around these particles.
o Applying electricity forces cations + water to move toward the cathode.
2. Electrodes' Role
o Anode (+): Repels water molecules.
o Cathode (-): Attracts cations + water, collecting it in a well.
3. Practical Use
o Used when traditional dewatering (wells/pumps) is ineffective, especially in
low-permeability soils (clay, silt).
o Improves soil stability by removing excess water.

Electro Osmotic Flow Equation

 Formula: Qe=keieA
Ke= electro osmotic permeability cm/sec
 Permeability & Flow Dependence:
o Hydraulic flow is affected by soil voids and grain size.
o Smaller grains (clay, silt) → Lower permeability.
o Larger grains (sand, gravel) → Higher permeability.
Electrodes Used
 Anode (Positive Electrode)
 o Old metal pipes (25–50 mm dia) commonly used.
o Can be installed singly or in small groups.
o Corrosion occurs within a few weeks.
o Must be replaced when current drops below 30%.
 Cathode (Negative Electrode)
o Two types of arrangements:
1. Separate well close to cathode.
2. Cathode & well combined into one unit.

DESIGN STEPS FOR DEWATERING SYSTEMS

1.Subsoil investigation- It is done to know the characteristics of soils adjacent and beneath
the excavation. Grain size distribution and permeability are the two important factors
determined from the soil investigation.
2.Source and water table details-
Seepage Source: Depends on geology, nearby water bodies, soil permeability, and
drawdown level. Impact of Streams: Streams near a well act as line sources of seepage, with
influence depending on distance from the well. Radius of Influence (R):
Estimated using Sichardt’s equation:
 C' = 0.9 (for gravity flow)
H = Natural water table depth
hw = Water head at the well
Water Table Considerations:
 The initial water table elevation helps determine the first stage of well points/wells.
 To maintain dry excavation conditions, the water table should be kept 1-2m below
the excavation depth.

3.Distance of well points /wells from source of seepage

If the actual radius of influence is large compared with the radius of the well, only an
approximate estimation of R may be sufficient. • An accurate estimation of L should be made
for a particular dewatering system , since the discharge is inversely proportional to the value
L.
Means- _If R is much larger than the well, an approximate value of R is enough since minor
errors won’t impact the system much.
_Accurate calculation of L is crucial because it directly affects the pumping efficiency and
number of wells required.

4.Effective Well Radius (rw)-

_Without a Filter:
 If no gravel or sand filter is used, rw = ½ × outside diameter of the well screen.
_With a Filter:
 If a gravel or sand filter surrounds the well screen, rw = ½ × outside diameter of the
filter.
_Natural Filter Formation:
 If no artificial filter is used but a natural filter forms due to surging, rw will be larger
than ½ of the screen diameter.
5. Discharge Computations-
6. Design of filters
7. Design and selection of well screens-
Design of wells and well points must ensure that there will be little resistance to water
flowing through the screen and riser pipe • Prevent infiltration of sand during pumping, and
resist corrosion by water and soil • Commercially available well points are of brass, stainless
steel screens mounted over galvenized, tin dipped.
Slot width less than or equal to D70 • Hole dia or width D80
8.Well point in deep excavation-
If the water table could not be lowered more than 6m or if a deep excavation has to made ,
it is advantages to use multistage well point system • The lowest header of the multistage
system should be located not more than about 4.5 m above sub grade.
9. Selection of pumps and accessories
10. Bored walls-
• Design is similar to well point system. • Deep wells are usually 15 to 45 cm diameter with
screens of 6 to 22.5 m length. • Effectively used upto a depth of 7.5 . • Surface pumps are
used with suction pipes extending into the well.
11. Control of surface water
• In laying out a dewatering system, proper steps should be taken to control surface water so
as to prevent flooding results in failure of the system • Uncontrolled run off cause serious
erosion of slopes