INTERNAL WHITE PAPER

1. INTRODUCTION

This document gives brief discussion for the consideration of the Maximum Design
groundwater levels (MDGWL) in the different codes of practices for foundations design as
well as the different sources of literature.

2. DEFINITION OF MDGWL

The groundwater pressures should be determined by considering hydrological,

hydrogeological, and environmental information. The design values of groundwater
pressure should be chosen with a return period at least equal to the duration of the
design situation. The changes in the hydrogeological regime of the study area should be
considered while determining the MDGWL, those changes could be related to the following:

• The variation of soil permeability in time and space;

• Variations in water levels and pore-water pressure in time (i.e. construction
dewatering, ponding or watershed changes);
• Any modification of the boundary conditions (e.g. downstream excavation).
• Long-term changes in groundwater that are likely to occur during the design
working life of the structure (including those due to climate change and rising
groundwater) should be also taken into account.

The design groundwater should be defined based on the following groundwater levels.

a) Highest Anticipated Groundwater Level (HAGWL/MDGWL)

In determining the highest anticipated groundwater level, the following conditions should
be taken into consideration:
a. Leakage from utilities.
b. the long term rise in sea level;
c. the current and projected tidal variations;
d. the design free surface water levels due to storm, wind surge and pounding;
e. the design groundwater level taken into account the influences of rainfall,
surface water run-off and groundwater movement;
f. the damping of seawater tide influence by intervening ground; and
g. dewatering;
b) Highest Possible Groundwater Level (HPGWL)
The highest possible groundwater level refers to highest anticipated groundwater level
(HAGWL, points a to g above) in addition to all possible extreme/accidental events which
the groundwater would not rise above as follows:

a. severe rainfall and flooding; and

b. Bursting of water mains.
In the absence of reliable data, the highest possible groundwater level may generally be
taken as the ground surface (or Finished Grade Level). However, in low-lying areas such
as reclamation, it may rise even above the ground surface (or Finished Grade Level).
3. FACTOR OF SAFETY/SAFETY MARGIN

Design values of groundwater pressures may be derived either by applying partial factors
to characteristic water pressures or by applying a safety margin to the characteristic water
level in accordance with the various codes of practices.

As an example, a structure may resist buoyancy by its own weight plus any other suitable
anchoring resistance such as tension piles or ground anchors. Any structure satisfying
either one of the following criteria, further checking on the stability of the structure against
overturning due to buoyancy may not be explicitly required:
a) a minimum factor of safety of 1.3-1.5 [1,4,6,7] against floatation which is due to
the highest anticipated groundwater level whereas the resistance is taken as the
combined dead loads and permitted anchoring resistance.

b) a minimum factor of safety of 1.1 [1,4,6,7] against floatation where buoyancy is

due to the highest possible groundwater level and the resistance is taken as the
minimum dead loads only.

For the purpose of calculating resistance to buoyancy, the dead loads should be taken as
the weight of the structural elements plus the weight of any permanent finishes and
backfill. In the dead load calculations, conservatively assumed values or the actual
thickness and densities of the finishes and the backfill should be used. Finishes and backfill
that could be removed should be ignored in the calculations.

The consideration of the factor of safety/safety margin in the different codes of practices
are discussed here below.

A) Egyptian Code of Practice (ECP203-2007)

The Egyptian Code of Practice (ECP 203-2007) [7], specifies a load factor of 1.6 for fluid
loads similar to wind loads.
B) EM 1110-2-2100 (2005)
The US Army Corps of Engineer recommends in Section 3-8 of the Stability Analysis of
concrete structures Manual [6] to use a factor of safety against floatation of 1.3, 1.2 and
1.1 according to the different load condition categories defined as usual, unusual and
extreme, respectively.
C) BS 8102 (1990)
On the other hand, in the absence of site specific data Section 3.4 of BS 8102 (1990) [3]
recommends the following water levels for walls which are required to achieve the water
tightness requirements defined in Table 1, BS 8102:

• for basements not exceeding 4 m deep, a head of groundwater, three quarters of

the full depth below ground (subject to a minimum of 1 m);
• for basements deeper than 4 m, a head of groundwater 1 m below ground level.

D) BS EN 1997-1 (2004) +A1 (2013). Eurocode 7

The Eurocode [4] specifies that when dealing with groundwater pressures for limit states
with severe consequences (generally ultimate limit states), design values shall represent
the most unfavourable values that could occur during the design lifetime of the structure.
For limit states with less severe consequences (generally serviceability limit states), design
values shall be the most unfavourable values which could occur in normal circumstances
Table 1 summarizes the groundwater pressures and the different related items
that should be considered while determining the MDGWL.

Table 1: Items to be considered for MDGWL

Item to be Maximum Highest Highest Possible Notes

considered Design Anticipated Groundwater Level
Groundwater Groundwater (HPGWL)
Level Level
(MDGWL) (HAGWL)
Tidal Wave √ √ √ If the site is
(Serviceability/Normal
Permanent Conditions

located near the

Surge √ √ √
sea
Conditions)

Sea Level Rise √ √ √ As per the IPCC

it is around 0.6
m to 1.0 m
Leakage from √ √ √ Calculated for
Utilities the structures
design life time
Seasonal √ √ √ Usually 0.5 m to
Variations 1.0 m.
Extreme Storm X X √ 1-2 m
Extreme and

Events/Ponding
Conditions
Accidental

Water Mains X X √ About 1 m

Burst

As per Table 1, the Highest Possible Groundwater Level (HPGWL) = HAGWL+3m

or at the finished grade level (F.G.L.) at some cases.

4. CONCLUSIONS AND WAY TO GO

Based on the above, the here below methodology is proposed to be adopted for each
Project:

1. PM/ST/TR will provide WR with the design life time of the Project (50 or 100 years).
2. WR team will calculate the MDGWL and provide it to all concerned trades.
3. ST designer with the help of WR team will determine the HPGWL (i.e. to the surface)
based on the extreme/accidental events (if requested).
4. In case the HPGWL is to the surface (Finished Grade Level) the safety factor can
be taken as 1.1 or as decided by the ST Engineer.
5. REFERENCES

[1]. Buildings Department (2004). Code of Practice for Foundations. The Government
of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
[2]. BS8004 (2015) Code of Practice for Foundations. BSI Standards Publications.
[3]. BS 8102 (1990) Code of Practice for Protection of structures against water from
the ground. BSI.
[4]. BS EN 1997-1 (2004) +A1 (2013). Eurocode 7: Geotechnical design —Part 1:
General rules. BSI.
[5]. CIRIA C580 (2002). Embedded retaining walls: guidance for economic design.
CIRIA.
[6]. EM 1110-2-2100 (2005). Stability Analysis of Concrete Structures.US Army Corps
of Engineers.
[7]. ECP 203-2007. ‫ اﻟﻛود اﻟﻣﺻري ﻟﺗﺻﻣﯾم وﺗﻧﻔﯾذ اﻟﻣﻧﺷﺄت اﻟﺧرﺳﺎﻧﯾﺔ‬.‫اﻟﻣرﻛز اﻟﻘوﻣﻲ ﻟﺑﺣوث اﻻﺳﻛﺎن واﻟﺑﻧﺎء‬
[8]. Simpson B., Vogt N. and van Seters A. J. (2011). Geotechnical safety in relation
to water pressures. ISGSR 2011 - Vogt, Schuppener, Straub & Bräu (eds) - © 2011
Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau ISBN 978-3-939230-01-4.