Sarvajanik college of Engineering
& Technology
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Topic : Cofferdam
Subject : Advance Construction Equipments
Code : 2160601
Mentor :
Prof. Khushbu Gandhi
Members
Enrollment Num. Name
150420106006 Kinjal Chaudhari
150420106007 Yashsvini Chaudhari
150420106046 Hiral Patel
150420106047 Jeegna Patel
Contents
• What is Cofferdam?
• Purpose to use coffer dam structure
• Types of coffer dam
• Case study of coffer dam on Narmada river for Indira Sagar
Project
• Case study of coffer dam at Pipav Port, Rajula District,
Gujarat
• Reference
What is Cofferdam?
• The word ‘cofferdam’ comes from ‘coffer’ meaning box, in
other words a dam in the shape of a box.
• A cofferdam is a temporary structure designed to keep water
and/or soil out of the excavation in which a bridge pier or
other structure is built.
• When construction must take place below the water level, a
coffer dam is built to give workers a dry work environment.
Purpose to use coffer dam structure
• To retain soil & water
• Can be used as either temporary or permanent
• Main purpose is to provide dry working area for workers
• It is constructed to facilitate pile driving operations
• It is used, when the foundations for piers and abutments of a
bridge, dam, locks, etc. are to be constructed.
Types of cofferdams
1.Earthen dam:
• It is the simplest form of
cofferdam.
• These dams are built using
material such as clay, fine
sand or even soil.
• Earthen dams are suitable
for narrow and sluggish
rivers, and the velocity of
flow is low.
• It should never be used
where there is a danger of
overtopping by water.
2.Rockfill cofferdam:
• They are similar in
construction to the earthen
dam. But here stone or
rubble is used for the
embankment.
• It is economical at places
where rock is available in
plenty.
• It can withstand the
overtopping of water
without any serious danger.
3.Single walled cofferdam:
• This type of cofferdam is
used where the area to be
enclosed is very small &
depth of water is more, say
4.5m to 6m.
• Here, sheet piles are used.
• Half-filled bags of sand are
stacked on the inside and
outside faces of sheets to
increase the stability of
cofferdam.
4. Double walled cofferdam:
• They are provided when the
area of construction site is
large and depth of water is
high.
• In this place use of single
walled cofferdam becomes
uneconomical as the
supports are to be increased.
• This type of dams can hold
water up to 12m high.
5. Cellular cofferdam:
• Cellular cofferdam is made of steel sheet piles.
• They are mostly used for de-watering large areas in places
where depth of water may be 18 to 21 m.
• They are of two types:
a. Circular type of cellular cofferdam
b. Diaphragm type cellular cofferdam
(a) Circular type of cellular cofferdam:
series of complete circles are connected by short arcs
(b) Diaphragm type cellular cofferdam:
Series of arc are connected to straight cross walls
Case study of coffer dam on Narmada river for
Indira Sagar Project
o Indira Sagar Project in M.P.,
a multipurpose project, a 92
m high dam on Narmada
river was required to be
constructed but during off
monsoon period flow of 300
cumecs of river Narmada
was to be diverted so that
dam can be constructed.
o For this, it was necessary to construct a 24 m high coffer dam
to divert the off monsoon flow through a diversion tunnel from
left abutment.
o To construct this 24 m high coffer dam, a new concept of
innovative design used for first time in any country to
construct a coffer dam, using 5 tons pre-cast blocks as
shuttering on both faces of a coffer dam and filling the
enclosure with boulders and stonecrete them under water.
o The work of 24 m high coffer dam has been done
underground and under water for 12 m height using stonecrete
and balance 12 m by conventional stone masonry.
Construction of cofferdam-A case study
o The present case study deals with step by step procedure
adopted at Pipav Port, Rajula District, Gujarat. It depicts the
intricacy of the management of the work at site and gives lot
of insights.
Construction Procedure
• Fixing of alignment for cofferdam
• Construction of rock bund
• Temporary earth fill
• Interlocking sheet piles
• Driving of interlocking sheet pile
Boring
– Placing of reinforcement steel
– Flushing
– Concreting
• Capping beam
• Anchoring works
Reference
• Bidasaria M.; “Design and construction of a coffer dam on
Narmada River for Indira Sagar project in central India”; Ferro
Concrete Const. (India)
• H.P. Santhosh, Dr. H.M. Rajashekhara Swamy, Dr. D.L.
Prabhakara ; “CONSTRUCTION OF COFFERDAM -A
CASE STUDY “
IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (IOSR-JMCE)
e-ISSN: 2278-1684, p-ISSN: 2320-334X
PP 45-50
www.iosrjournals.org
Thank You
