ARCH12I

Geotechnical Engineering
Lecture 8
Dewatering and Soil
Improvement
BY : AMANY G.B. MICHEAL, PHD, PE
Water in soil
Applications on Permeability of soil
Why studying permeability is important?
Seepage through soil
Dewatering

Stability of slopes
Uplift
 Applications on Permeability of soil
Why studying permeability is important?
• Transport of hazardous chemicals in ground
water
• Well driving and water pumping
• Effect of water on properties of soil and rock
Applications on Permeability of soil
Why studying permeability is important?
 Water in soil Absorbed water
• Ground Water
• Capillary water
• Water vapor Water vapor in voids
• Absorbed Water
Capillary water

Ground Water
Dewatering

I. Temporary
Necessary during construction below ground water
table
II. Permanent
Necessary to keep groundwater from reaching sensitive
areas
Types :
1) Open Pumping - 2) Pre-drainage -3) Cutoffs
4) Exclusion
Open pumping

Allow the groundwater to enter the excavation

• Direct it to low points (sumps) through ditches
• Pump the water out of the sumps
Pre-drainage
• Allows the contractor to lower the groundwater table
before excavation begins
• Most pre-drainage systems use wells located a short
distance outside the perimeter of the excavation
• Suitable for wider range of soil conditions
Common Types of Pre-drainage

• Deep well systems: A submersible pump in each well.

This method accommodates large flow rates. More
expensive than WellPoint systems.
• Well point systems: Water is extracted by applying a
vacuum to each well. Much less expensive than
installing individual pumps.
Limited to depth of no
more than 5 to 6 m.
Soil Improvement
Types of Problematic Soils :
Swelling Soils
Collapsible Soils
Highly Compressible Soils
Very Soft Soils
Organic Soils
Aggressive Soils and Ground Water
Ex: Alkalinity, Salinity, or Sodicity
Foliated Rocks
Shale
Sinkholes
Ground Improvement
 Removal and Replacement
 Pre-compression
 Preloading (surcharging)
 Vertical drains
 In-Situ Densification
 Vibro-compaction
 Dynamic compaction
 Vibro-Replacement (in-situ replacement)
 Grouting
Ground Improvement
 Removal and Replacement (Simple and cheap)

 Pre-compression (preloading by a surcharge)

Ground Improvement
 In-situ Densification (Methods inducing strong
vibrations to densify sandy soils that are prone to
seismic liquefaction.)

 Vibro Replacement
Ground Improvement
 Dynamic Compaction (A weight of 5 to 30 ton
is raised to heights of 12 to 30 m and then left to
drop several times onto the ground)
 Grouting