Well Point System

Well Point
A Well Point is also known by the term Drive point. Well Point is a well of
small diameter that is used for dewatering.

Parts consisting in a Well Point are a shallow shaft, a dewatering pump to

draw water, a riser pipe that connects the Well Point to the surface, and a
small well that fills up.

The diameter of a riser pipe is around 38 to 50 mm. It has slots or

openings at the bottom that enables water to be drawn up using the
pump.

The size of the slots or openings in the riser pipe is determined by the
relative grain size of the material used for the water-bearing formation.
The opening in the riser pipe should be large enough to allow water to
enter the tube, but it should be small enough to keep the water-bearing
formation in place. The riser pipe of a Well Point is often connected
through a flexbow to a common header main pipe.

The flexbow incorporated in the riser pipe acts as an adjustable valve which
serves two purposes, firstly it controls the flow of water and air entering
the Well Point system, and secondly it allows others to have a clear view of
what is being pimped.

The common header main pipe of the riser pipe is then connected to the
well point dewatering system. Well Points are very versatile and it can be
used for a wide range of applications like shallow foundation and trench
works.

Well Point may be installed in parallel for particularly long pipeline

trenches with the help of special trenching machines. Well Point can be
used for irrigation purpose of small to medium size fields like residential
gardens.
If sufficient water is not yielded from one well for running the irrigating
system them a second well point can be installed and connected with the
first one which will help them function as one system.

As an alternative for boreholes Well Point can also be used around

the perimeter of excavations, which will act as a means of lowering and
controlling groundwater levels.

Well Point is more cost and time-efficient than a borehole in cases where
shallower depth is required. A Well Point can be installed very quickly in an
appropriate ground condition.

While the installation process of Well Point traditional drilling techniques

such as jetting or auguring is typically used. Large quantities of water
cannot be yielded from Well Point, typically we can get around 5
gallons of water per minute.

There is also a general limit of 5 to 6 m in height over which water can be

drawn in Well Point as the vacuum is limited in practice to 0 bars. The
second set of Well Point can be installed at a lower level for the
requirement of greater depts.

Well Points are capable of dealing with water from very low flows in silty
sands as well as from large flows in coarse sands and gravel.
What Is Well Point System?

Well Point system can be used to lower the groundwater levels of

an excavation site in order to provide stable working conditions. Well Point
system is mainly suited for a shallow foundation, trench work and
dewatering utility.

A Well Point system consists of several closely spaced shallow wells of

small diameter. The components of a Well Point are connected to common
header main pipe and water is pumped with a high-efficiency vacuum
dewatering pump.

Further stages of Well Point system are required for drawdown when it
exceeds 15 feet and installed at successively lower levels as excavation
proceeds.
Types of Well Point System
There are mainly two types of Well Point system which are

• Single-Stage Well Point System.

• Multi-Stage Well Point System.
1. Single-Stage Well Point System.

In a single Well Point system the well point consists of a pipe about 1 m
long and 50 mm in diameter. In order to prevent clogging of the pipe,
the perforations are covered with a screen.

A jetting nozzle is provided at the lower end. The jetting nozzle also acts as
a drive point. During the installation process of the well point, a ball valve
is provided near the lower end which allows the water to flow only in one
direction.

At the bottom end of the well point a riser pipe having the same diameter
as the well point is connected. At the ground level, the riser pipes are
connected to a horizontal pipe also known as header pipe.
Then the pumping unit is connected to the header pipe. The spaces
between well points are 0.6 to 1.5 m. Water is jetted through the riser
pipes in the downward direction during the installation of well point at the
required depth.

Till the excavation work is complete the installed pump work continuously
to regulate the water level.

2. Multi-Stage Well Point System.

Multi-stage well point systems are used if excavation exceeds 4.5 m and
there is failure due to slope. In Multi-stage well point systems the well
points are installed in stages.

At the first installation stage, the well point is installed at a depth of

around 4.5 m and put into action till the water table is lowered by about
4.5 m.
Then the surrounding area is excavated up to the depth of 4.5 m. Then in
the second installation stage well points are installed in the area which is
already excavated.

In this stage the water table is furthered lower by another 4.5 m.

Well Point Dewatering System

In excavation sites a simple yet efficient method of lowering the water

table is using well point dewatering. In a well point dewatering system,
there are many series of shallow wells also known as well points, which are
installed at a predetermined depth and at appropriate spacing all around
the excavation site.

All the series of well points are connected to the surface through a riser
pipe, and which in turn is connected to the common header main pipe
through a flexbow.

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The flexbow which is incorporated in the header pipe acts as an adjustable

push-fit valve which allows the control of water and air entering the well
point system. This is known as trimming and it gives a clear view of what is
being pumped.

The header pipe of the well point system is connected to the well point
dewatering pump, which pumps the water and discharges it to the
designated point.
PVC Well Point System

PVC well points are economical well points which are used when a jet rod
or punch casing reused in a well point system. The well point riser can be
pulled and reused because an inside slip coupling is used.

In order to create a well point screen which allows maximum water flow
with minimum passage of fine material, precision slotting of PVC plastic
pipes is used. This PVC plastic screen is self-cleaned by reverse flushing
during jetting.
The PVC well point screen totally eliminates clogging due to corrosion or
deterioration by electrolytic action. Maximum drawdown can be achieved
by using an optional inner tube.

Installation of Well point System

Well Point Installation

High pressure jetting pumps are used in the installation process of self
jetting well points and placing tubes that are used in disposable well
points.

The jetting pump most commonly used in well point system supplies water
via the jetting hoses at a rate of about 20 L/s and at a pressure of 6 to 8
bar.
A standard 63 mm fire hose is usually connected to the flexible jetting
hoses with instantaneous male and female connectors. For heavy-duty uses
like hole puncher and pile jetting, other more powerful jetting pumps and
hoses are often used.

Well Point for Shallow Well

In good condition water can be drawn from the maximum depth of 25
inches in a shallow well. The well point that is used in a shallow well is
generally not used for a good source of potable water.

A shallow well is often exposed to hazards like pollution from fertilizers and
animal wastes and sometimes becomes dry wells. If a well point is to be
used for a source of potable water, one should refer to their applicable
local well and plumbing codes.To ensure if the water is safe for drinking,
regular testing should be necessary.

Application of Well Point System

At the following construction or project sites well point system can be
adopted,

• Hydro projects
• Water supply projects
• Land reclamation projects
• Canal construction
• Structures for thermal power plant with not too deep
foundations
• Underground tank construction
• Bridge construction
• Excavation of foundations for building
• Basement construction
• Laying of deep sewer lines
• Tunnel work
• Construction of subways
Advantages of Well point System
1. Followings are the unique benefits of well point system due
to which this method is commonly more preferable over other
dewatering methods;
2. Groundwater Management: The main purpose of any
dewatering practice is to draw down the water table below
the working platform and maintain the depressed level for the
duration of the dewatering period.
3. Area of Application: Well point system is usually most
efficient to cover more land area than other as this system
cover more area with a constant capacity of 100 m3/h of
water, air or water, and air mixture is discharged against a
head of 20 meters.
4. Design Criteria: Well point system gives you a different
method to adopt and selection of the most efficient
method for your particular job or site.
5. Technical Background: Dewatering is commonly required
on-site when excavations are to extend beyond the subsoil
water table. For shallow excavations (up to 4m) wellpoint
dewatering is often the most effective method to achieve an
adequate drawdown in permeable soils. (i.e. sand, clayey
sand, etc.)
6. Quick Deploy: Well-point systems can be placed on the
project site very efficiently and effectively to reduce the
downtime of the construction project.
7. Less Cost: The system of wellpoint method and dewatering
equipment can be taken on lease for short and long periods,
and individually, to serve the builder’s dewatering
requirements.
8. More Effective: At construction projects where deep
well dewatering is not required, a wellpoint dewatering
system is an effective and economical way to reduce the level
of the water table to the required excavation level.
Disadvantages of Well
point System
Followings are some cons of well point system:

1. It is essential to continue pumping once it has started until

the excavation is complete. If it is stopped in between, it
may prove to be tragic.
2. In the case of ground consisting of stiff clay, gravel, or
boulders, well points are installed in drilled holes,
which increases the installation cost.
3. Wellpoint dewatering system is suitable for lowering water
table by 5 to 6 meters only. For deeper excavations, where
the water table is to be lowered for a greater depth caisson
method required for that particular site.
 Well Point
A Well Point is a piece of pipe that has openings large enough to allow
water to enter but also small enough to keep the water-bearing formation
in place. The well point is then drove into the ground, passing the soil and
clay until it has reached water bearing gravel and sand.

Types of Well Foundation

• Circular Well: These are more commonly used shape is
circular, as it has high structural strength and is convenient in
sinking.
• Double-D Wells: They are generally used for the piers and
abutments of bridges which are too long to be
accommodated on a circular well of 9 m diameter.
• Double Octagonal Wells: These are better than the double-D
wells in many respects. The square corners are eliminated and
bending stresses are considerably reduced.
• Twin-Circular Wells: These are two independent wells placed,
very close to each other and having a common well cap. the
wells are sunk simultaneously.
• Rectangular Wells: They are generally used for bridge
foundations having depth up to 7-8 m. for large foundations,
double-rectangular wells are used.
Wellpoint Installation
Well points are installed using conventional jetting methods, which involve
pumping water at high pressure (supplied by a jetting pump and/or
compressed air) through a steel placing tube suspended by
a 360° excavator. If self-jetting well points are used, high-pressure water is
pumped directly down the riser.
Well Points for Shallow Well
In good conditions, the maximum depth to draw water in a shallow
well application is 25′. The use of well points in a shallow well is
generally not a good source for potable water. Shallow wells are more
exposed to pollution from fertilizer, animal waste and dry wells.

Well Point System

A wellpoint system consists essentially of a series of closely spaced small
diameter water abstraction points connected, via a manifold, to the
suction side of a suitable pump. The wellpoint technique is the pumping
system most often used for modest depth excavations, especially for
trenching excavations.