SECTION 1700 – WELL FOUNDATION

Page No.
1701 SCOPE 17-1
1702 GENERAL 17-1
1703 CUTTING EDGE AND CURB 17-1
1704 STENING 17-1
1705 SINKING 17-2
1706 BOTTOM PLUGGING 17-4
1707 SAND FILLING 17-4
1708 TOP PLUG 17-5
1709 MEASUREMENT 17-5
1717 PAYMENT 17-5
SECTION 1700 – WELL FOUNDATION

1701. SCOPE

This work shall consist of construction of well, taking it down to the indicated
levels, plugging the bottom and top including filling inside of the well in
accordance with the details shown on the Drawing or as approved by the
Engineer.

When the Drawing do not include details of the ground tests made on or near the
centre line of wells the Contractor shall carry out at his own expense one
bore/drill holes per well with penetration test (or similar approved tests). The
depth to which the bore/drill holes tests are carried out shall be determined by the
Engineer. A bore/drill hole log and a record of the tests and bagged or bottled
samples of material shall be supplied to the Engineer for determining foundation
depth of the wells.

1702. GENERAL

The well curb shall be of reinforced cement concrete. The well steining shall be
of plain or reinforced cement concrete as indicated on the Drawing. The
Specifications for plain and reinforced cement concrete, steel reinforcement and
structural steel work and cutting edge shall be as given in the relevant sections of
these Specification

1703. CUTTING EDGE AND CURB

The dimension and shape of the cutting edge and curb shall be strictly in
conformity to Drawing or as directed by the Engineer. The well curb shall be
placed truly in position and level. It may be precast or cast-in-situ, if it is cast in
situ, all concreting in the well curb shall be done in one continuous operation.
The well curb shall be allowed to set for at least 7 days before sinking is started.

When the curb is to be laid in dry beds, the site shall be excavated upto 300 mm
above the sub-soil water level before the cutting edge is placed.

For well which are to be pitched in water, an earthen/sand island where possible,
shall be constructed and curb shall be placed or cast on this island. In case of any
deep or fast flowing water where an island may not be possible to construct the
curb may be precast, floated and lowered in its final position with the help of
necessary equipment.

For wells going through bouldery strata requiring use of explosives as an aid for
well sinking, the entire inside surface of the well curb and steining upto a
minimum height of 1 metre above the well curb, shall be protected by a 6 mm
thick mild steel plate which shall be suitably stiffened.
 The cutting edge shall be designed by the Contractor to the satisfaction of the
Engineer, if otherwise not specified in the contract.

1704. STEINING

The dimensions and shape of the well steining shall strictly conform to those
shown on the Drawing.

The steining of the well shall be built in one straight line form bottom to top, the
worked being checked carefully with the aid of straight edges of lengths approved
by the Engineer. Steining built in the first stage shall not be more than 2 metres
and in subsequent stages it shall not exceed the diameter of the well or the depth
of well sunk below the adjoining bed level at a time. As far as possible, the stages
of work shall not be kept at the location of joints in the vertical steining bars.

The height of steining shall be calibrated by at least 4 gauges on the outer

periphery and at centre lines of the well drawn at right angle to each other. The
gauge shall be marked each in the form of a 100 mm wide strip painted on the
well, with every 500 mm mark shown in black paint. The gauges shall start with
zero at the bottom of the cutting edge. Marking of the gauges shall be done
carefully with a steel tape.

After sinking of a stage is complete all damaged portions of steining at top of the
previous stage shall be properly repaired before constructing the next stage.

1705. SINKING

(1) General

The well shall be maintain in plumb and in the correct position during
sinking and immediate steps shall be taken to remedy any deviations. The
well shall be sunk by excavating material uniformly form inside the dredge
hole. Sinking or loading of the well with kentledge shall be commenced
only after the steining has been cured for at least 48 hours or as specified in
the approved Drawing. The Contractor shall supply all grabs, water jetting
equipment, pumps, diving gear and other equipment required for the sinking
and founding of the wells and shall allow the Engineer and his nominees for
the use of diving suit and apparatus for inspection purpose. Details of the
equipment to be used in construction of the well shall be submitted to the
Engineer for approval within 28 days of the award of the contract.

(2) Kentledge or Sinking Load

Kentledge shall be placed in an orderly and safe manner and in such a way
that it does not interfere with the excavation of the material from inside the
dredge hole and also does not in any way damage the steining of the well.
(3) Dewatering of Well

Normally dewatering of well shall not be permitted as a means for sinking

the well. It also shall never b e resorted to if there in any danger of sand-
blowing under the well. If permitted, dewatering shall be carried out from
points outside the well. Dewatering form within a well being excavated
shall not be allowed other than in rock. Measures of controlling the effects
of dewatering shall be adopted. When dewatering is permitted, adequate
standby pumps shall be available at any time during well excavation in case
of break down.

(4) Water Jetting

Water jetting may be employed for well sinking wherever necessary.

(5) Use of Explosives

Explosives shall not be generally used as an aid for well sinking. However,
in case where explosives are to be used, they shall be of mild charges and
prior approval of the Engineer shall be obtained. Blasting of any sort shall
only be done in the presence of Engineer and not before the
concrete/masonry in the steining has hardened sufficiently and is more than
7 days old.

If blasting has been used for setting the well after it has reached the design
foundation level, normally 24 hours shall be allowed to lapse before the
bottom plug is laid.

The charges shall be exploded well below the cutting edge by making a
sump so as to avoid chances on any damages to the curb or to the steining of
the well.

All prevalent laws concerning handling, storing and using of explosives

shall be strictly followed.

(6) Precautions during Sinking

The Contractor shall submit to the Engineer at least 28 days prior to the
commencement of well sinking construction proposals to ensure safety of
persons working on or liable to enter into the well excavation.

Notwithstanding guard rails and toe boards shall be provided around the top
of well excavation at all times.

When the wells have to sunk close to each other and distance between them
is not greater than the diameter of wells, sinking shall be taken up on all
wells and they shall be sunk alternately so that sinking of all wells proceeds
uniformly and together.
 In sinking dump-bell or double-D shaped wells, the excavation in both the
dredge holes should be carried out simultaneously and equally to facilitate
even sinking.

All wells on which sinking is in progress shall be sunk to sufficient depth

below the designed scour level before the start of seasonal floods. Further,
they shall be temporarily filled and plugged before the onset on the floods so
that they do not suffer any tilt or shift.

All necessary precautions shall be taken against any possible damage to the
foundations of existing structures in the vicinity of the wells, prior to
commencement of dredging from inside the well.

The dredged material shall not be allowed to accumulate over the well. It
shall be dumped, as far way from the well as possible, and then it shall be
simultaneously removed to a safer place.

In case the river stream flows along one edge of the well being sunk, the
dredged material shall not be dumped on the dry side of the bank but on the
side on which the river current flows.

Very deep sump shall not be below the well curb, as it entails risk of
jumping (sudden sinking) of the well; normally the depth of sump shall not
exceed 3.0 metres below the level of the cutting edge unless otherwise
specifically permitted by the Engineer.

In case a well sinks suddenly and with a jerk, the steining of the well shall
be examined to the satisfaction of the Engineer to see that no damage has
occurred to it.

(7) Tilts and Shifts

Tilt and shift of each well shall be measured regularly during the entire
sinking operation. Observations to this effect shall be taken at each stage of
casting of the steining. Simultaneously as the sinking proceeds, necessary
corrective measures be taken to contain the tilts and shifts within the
permissible limits.

Unless otherwise specified the tilt of any well shall not exceed 1 in 80 and
the shift shall not be more than 150 mm.

1706. BOTTOM PLUGGING

Before bottom plugging is resorted to, the Contractor shall take from the bottom
of the excavation an undisturbed soil or sample (in the form of a core 3 m long
and at least 70 mm diameter). In case the soil encountered is inferior to that
adopted in design, the well shall be redesigned by the Engineer adopting the soil
properties actually encountered and the founding level of the well duly revised.
 Each well, after being sunk to its final position shall be insured that the whole
steining has not developed cracks for its entire length. The sum shall be checked
that it is uniform. If required, it shall be made uniform by resuming minor
excavation in the dredge hole.

Before commencing bottom plugging, all the loose material from the bottom of
the well shall be removed and the depth of the bulb so formed more than 1/6th
diameter of the well shall be filled up with sand and then with concrete.

The concrete mix used in bottom plug shall have a minimum cement content of
330 kg/m3 and a slump of about 150 mm to permit easy flow of concrete through
tremie to fill up all cavities.

Concrete for the plug shall be laid by ‘Tremie Pipe’ method by skip boxes or any
other method if stipulated in the contract. Concrete shall be laid evenly inside the
well.

Least disturbance shall be caused to the water inside the well while laying
concrete in the bottom plug where concreting is placed under the water this shall
be carried out in accordance with Clause 2007.

Concreting shall be done in one continuous operation till dredge hole is filled upto
the required height and thereafter sounding shall be taken or other approved
method of measurement shall be applied to ensure that the concrete has been laid
to the required height.

Concrete as laid shall not be disturbed in any way for at least 14 days.

In order to check any rise in the level of the bottom plug, sounding should be
taken at the close of concreting and for 3 days thereafter once every day.

1707. SAND FILLING

When the bottom plugging is approved by the Engineer the well shall be filled
with sand. A minimum of 3 days after the bottom plug has been laid shall elapse
before the well is filled with sand.

Before filling with sand, the height of the bottom plug shall be verified.

Sand to be filled shall be clean and free from earth, clay clods, roots and boulders.

1708. TOP PLUG

After filling the sand upto the required height, top plug shall be laid over it. The
thickness of this plug and the cement concrete mix to be used shall be as indicated
on the Drawing.
1709. MEASUREMENT

Cutting edge shall be measured in tonnes inclusive of its connections. For

computation of weight the specific gravity of steel shall be adopted 7.85 tonne per
cubic metre.

Concrete for bottom plug shall be measured in cubic metre as per actual
consumption of cement, sand and aggregate.

Concrete for curb, well steining and top plugging shall be measured in cubic
metre as specified in Clause 2917.

Reinforcement used in the well shall be measured in tonne as specified in Clause

2017.

Formwork shall be measured in square metre inclusive of struts, sports,

scaffolding etc. necessary as to complete the item as specified in Section 1800.

Sand filling shall be measured in cubic metre.

Boring/drilling shall be measured in running metres as specified in Section 3000.

Well sinking shall be measured in linear metres as described below.

From 0 m upto 3 m
From 3 m upto 6 m
From 6 m upto 9 m
From 9 m upto 12 m
From 12 m upto 15 m
From 15 m upto 18 m
Below 18 m at the rate of each metre.

The depth of measurement shall be started considering level of the bottom of

cutting edge as zero.

1710. PAYMENT

Cutting edge, concrete for bottom plugging, various classes of concrete for curb,
well steining and top plugging, reinforcement, sand filling, formwork and
boring/drilling shall be paid at their respective contract unit rates.

The well sinking shall be paid as per contract unit rate for different depths.

The contract rate shall be the full and the final compensation to the Contractor as
per Clause 112 and also include cost of formation of island, dewatering,
excavation, bailing out materials, providing, placing and removal of kentledge
and other operations including incidental costs necessary to complete the item as
per this Specification.