Well Foundation for Bridge Structures

• Useful as foundations where uplift

loads are large (in case of

transmission towers).

• It is monolithic and relatively rigid in

its structural behaviour,

 Types of Wells

• Open Caissons (Wells)

• Box Caissons and

• Pneumatic Caissons
• The top and bottom of the caisson is
open at the time of construction,

• It can be constructed upto any depth

and cost of construction is low,

• Progress of construction in boulder

deposits is very slow,

• Concrete seal placed under water is not

effective and also the bottom cannot be
inspected.
Pneumatic Caissons:

• These are of box-shape, closed at the

top, with a working chamber at the
bottom from which water is kept off
with the aid of compressed air.
• Thus excavation is facilitated in the dry,
and the Caisson sinks as excavation
proceeds.
• Finally, the working chamber is filled
with concrete, upon reaching the final
location at the desired depth.
Floating or Box Caissons:

• These are also of box-shape, closed at

the bottom and open at the top.

• This type of Caisson is cast on land,

launched in water, towed to the site,
and sunk into position by filling it with
sand, gravel, concrete, or water.
• Foundation bed has to be prepared in
advance.

• Bearing capacity of base has to be

properly assessed.

• Care has to be taken to protect the

foundation from scouring action.
Shapes of Wells
1. Steining; It is the body of the well which
transfers the loads to the base of the
foundation.

2. Curb; The lower portion of the well

steining provided to facilitate sinking.

3. Dredge hole; The well is sunk by

excavating soil from within well. The hole
formed due to the excavation of soil is
called the dredge hole.
Well Foundation
(Also called Caisson, Pier or Monolith)

Bridge Pier
River Water
River bed level
Well cap
Well Steining
Overburden Soil ( RCC/ Massonary)

Sand Filling

Bottom Plug
Rock Cutting Edge
IS 3955 (1967) requirements;
• The dredge hole should be large enough to permit
dredging,

• The steining thickness should be sufficient to transmit

the load and also provide necessary weight for sinking,

• It should accommodate the base of structure and not

cause undue obstruction to the flow of water,

• The overall size should be sufficient to transmit the

loads to the soil,

• It should allow for the permissible tilt and shift of the

well
Depth of Well Foundation;
Important requirements;

• Minimum grip length below the scour

depth,

• Base pressure to be within permissible

limits.
Type of bed Size of f
soil particles (mm)
Coarse silt 0.04 0.35
Fine Sand 0.08 0.50
0.15 0.68
Medium Sand 0.30 0.96
0.50 1.24
Coarse Sand 0.70 1.47
1.00 1.76
2.00 2.49
Gravel 5.00 3.89
10.0 5.56
20.0 7.8
Boulders 50.0 12.30
75.0 15.20
90.0 24.30
• The depth below the scour line in no
case be less than 2m for piers and
abutments with arches,

• 1.2m for piers and abutments

supporting other types of
superstructures.
Method based on elastic method, Assumptions;

• The soil surrounding the well and below the

base is perfectly elastic, homogeneous and
follows Hooke’s law.
• Under design loads, the lateral deflections are
so small that the unit soil reaction, p increases
linearly with increasing lateral deflection ‘z’
such that p = KH z.
• KH increases linearly with depth in cohesionless
soil.
• The well behaves as a rigid body and is acted
upon by a unidirectional horizontal force H and
a moment Mo at scour level.