DRAINAGE & DEWATERING

Drainage is the process of removal of gravity water (free water) from a soil mass in order to
keep it in a stable condition.

Drainage may be classified into two categories:

* Surface Drainage

* Sub-surface Drainage (or Dewatering).

Surface Drainage:

Surface drainage is the method of collection and diversion of the surface run off.

Sub-surface Drainage (or Dewatering):

Subsurface drainage consists of collection and disposal of the ground water, which is also
known as dewatering.

It is the process of removal of water from a foundation pit when it is situated below the
ground water table or when it is surrounded by a coffer dam.
Purpose of Dewatering

The purpose of dewatering is to keep the excavation dry so that concreting can be done.

Subsurface drainage not only facilitates construction, but it also helps in improving the
properties of the soil. This helps in stabilisation of soils.

In case of fine-grained soils, although the quantity of water removed is not much,
improvement in the properties of the soil is significant.

Subsurface drainage also helps in reducing the hydrostatic pressure acting on the base of the
structure.

The method of sub-surface drainage to be adopted at a particular site would depend upon:

* The characteristics of the soil

* The position of the water table

* The time period the system has to operate.

Dewatering

* Temporary

* Permanent.

Temporary Dewatering:

Dewatering is temporary if it is done at the time of construction.

It is followed by restoration to its original water table after the structure has been completed.

Permanent Dewatering:

Permanent dewatering is required for removing subsurface gravitational water throughout the
life of structure.

It may be necessary to keep the water away from the structure to check dampness or other ill
effects.
Permanent Dewatering

When a usable part of a structure lies below the ground water table, it should be made water
proof.

Suitable construction techniques should be used.

As far as possible, basement walls and floor should be cast monolithically.

If the joints are provided, these should be as few as possible.

All joints shall be provided

ovided with water stops.

Permanent dewatering is done by

by:

* Providing
roviding foundation drains

* Providing blanket drains.

Providing Foundation Drains

rains:

When ground water flows towards the structure, provisions are made to carry the water away
from the foundation.

Fig. Foundation Drain.

In this system the perforated drains are surrounded by a filter.

The drains should be placed at an elevation higher than the bottom of the footing to avoid the
possibility of carrying away fine soil particles.

The water collected in the drain is disposed of by gravity to a nearby storm drain, nullah or
any other drainage facility located at a lower level.

If no such drain is available, the water is collected in a specially constructed sump well and
pumped out.

The drainage system should be provided with some periodical cleaning arrangement.

Foundation drains are effective when the depth below the water table is not too much.

When the water table is very high, suitable interceptor drains are installed at som
some distance
away from the structure to lower the water table in stages.
Providing Blanket Drains:

The blanket drains are provided beneath the floor slab.

Fig. Blanket Drain.

A blanket drain consists of coarse sand, gravel and crushed stones.

It provides a highly pervious drainage path.

The water coming out of the blanket drain is collected and drained away by gravity.

Alternatively, it can be collected in a sump pit and then pumped out.

Blanket drains are quite effective in reducing the up

uplift
lift pressure on the floor.

The possibility of upward seepage flow through the basement floor is also considerably
reduced.
 Fig. Dewatering systems applicable to different soils (IS : 9759-1981).

Different Dewatering Systems

* Interceptor Ditches

* Single-Stage Well Points

* Multi-Stage Well Points

* Vacuum Well Points

* Shallow Well System

* Deep Well System

* Horizontal Wells

* Electro-Osmosis.
Interceptor Ditches:

In geotechnical engineering,, an interceptor ditch is a small ditch or channel constructed to

intercept and drain water to an area where it can be safely discharged
discharged.

The interceptor ditches are used for excavation of limited depth made in a coarse soil.

These ditches are constructed around the area to be dewatered.

The ditches must penetrate deeper than the level of the work

Fig. Interceptor Ditch.

At suitable locations, sump pits are constructed along the ditch for installation of the pump to
remove the water collected.

Interceptor ditches are most economical for carrying away the water which emerges on the
slopes and near the bottom of the foundation pit.

The method can be effectively used for rock formation, gravel and coarse sand.

In fine sands and silts, there may be sloughi

sloughing,
ng, erosion or quick conditions. For such soils,
the method is confined to a depth of 1 to 2 m.
Single-Stage Well Points:

A well point is a perforated pipe about 1 m long and 5 cm in diameter.

The perforations are covered with a screen to prevent clogging.

A jetting nozzle is provided at its lower end.

A conical steel drive point is fixed to the lower end of the well point to facilitate installation.
installation

Elevation Section
Fig. Well Points.

The well point is connected to the bottom of the riser pipe of the same diameter.

Risers of different well points are connected to a horizontal pipe of 15 to 30 cm diameter,

known as header.

The header is connected to a specially designed pumping unit.

The spacing of the well points depends upon the type of soil and the depth of water,
Generally, it varies between 1 to 3 m.

After the well points have been installed around the area to be dewatered, pumping is started.

Each well point lowers the wate

waterr table around it and forms a small cone of depression.
depression

Fig. Well-point Installation.

Various cones of depression join, and a common drawdown curve is obtained. The water
table is thus lowered.

Fig. Effect of Well Points.

Well points are suitable for lowering the water table by 5 to 6 m in soils with a coefficient of
permeability between 1 × 10 -44 to 1 × 10 -6 m/sec.

In single-stage
stage well points system, it is essential to continue pumping once it has been started
until the excavation is complete.

If it is stopped in between, it may prove to be disastrous.

Fig. Well-point System.

Multi-Stage Well Points:

When the water table is to be lowered for a depth greater than 6 m, multi-stage
stage well points
are required.

In this method, two or more rows of well points are installed at different elevations.

Fig. Multi-stage Well Points.

The installation of well points is done in stages:

The first stage well points (marked I) are located near the perimeter of the area, as in a
single-stage
stage well point system.

These are put into operation and the water table is lowered by about 5 m and the aarea is
excavated.

The second stage well points (marked II) are then installed within the area already
excavated.

Water table is further lowered by about 5 m and the excavation of further 5 m depth is done.

Thus the total depth of excavation becomes about 10 m .

If required, the third stage of well points can also be installed to further lower the water
table.

Thee method is useful for excavations upto 15 m depth.

Excavations exceeding 15 m depth are gene

generally dewatered by a deep well system .