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    Diaphragm Walls Construction and Design

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    Shirley Munoz
    The document discusses diaphragm walls, which are concrete or reinforced concrete walls constructed below ground level. Diaphragm walls can be constructed to depths of 150 meters using methods like tremie installation or pre-cast panels. They are suitable for projects in dense urban areas as construction causes little vibration. Diaphragm walls are also used to retain excavation pits near existing structures due to their ability to limit deformation and permeability. The document provides details on types, functions, selection considerations, materials, and construction procedures for diaphragm walls.

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    Diaphragm Walls Construction and Design

    Uploaded by

    Shirley Munoz
    262 views18 pages
    The document discusses diaphragm walls, which are concrete or reinforced concrete walls constructed below ground level. Diaphragm walls can be constructed to depths of 150 meters using methods like tremie installation or pre-cast panels. They are suitable for projects in dense urban areas as construction causes little vibration. Diaphragm walls are also used to retain excavation pits near existing structures due to their ability to limit deformation and permeability. The document provides details on types, functions, selection considerations, materials, and construction procedures for diaphragm walls.

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    The document discusses diaphragm walls, which are concrete or reinforced concrete walls constructed below ground level. Diaphragm walls can be constructed to depths of 150 meters using methods like tremie installation or pre-cast panels. They are suitable for projects in dense urban areas as construction causes little vibration. Diaphragm walls are also used to retain excavation pits near existing structures due to their ability to limit deformation and permeability. The document provides details on types, functions, selection considerations, materials, and construction procedures for diaphragm walls.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    262 views18 pages

    Diaphragm Walls Construction and Design

    Uploaded by

    Shirley Munoz
    The document discusses diaphragm walls, which are concrete or reinforced concrete walls constructed below ground level. Diaphragm walls can be constructed to depths of 150 meters using methods like tremie installation or pre-cast panels. They are suitable for projects in dense urban areas as construction causes little vibration. Diaphragm walls are also used to retain excavation pits near existing structures due to their ability to limit deformation and permeability. The document provides details on types, functions, selection considerations, materials, and construction procedures for diaphragm walls.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
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    At a glance
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    Diaphragm walls are concrete or reinforced concrete walls constructed underground using slurry support. They can be used as retaining walls, structural elements, and cutoffs to prevent water seepage. Different types include rigid reinforced concrete walls and flexible plastic concrete, bentonite, or backfilled trenches.

    Diaphragm walls can be used as retaining walls, structural walls, load-bearing elements, and cutoffs to prevent water seepage below structures like dams, weirs, and levees.

    There are rigid reinforced concrete walls and more flexible plastic concrete, bentonite slurry trench, and earth backfilled slurry trench walls. Diaphragm walls can also be classified based on their function as structural walls, load-bearing elements, or cutoffs.

    Diaphragm Wall:

    Construction and
    Design
    By
    Umer farooq
    GNDEC,
    Ludhiana

    DIAPHRAGM WALL
    Diaphragm walls are concrete or reinforced concrete walls
    constructed in slurry-supported, open trenches below existing
    ground.
    Concrete is placed using the Tremie installation method or
    by installing pre-cast concrete panels (known as a pre-cast
    diaphragm wall). Diaphragm walls can be constructed to
    depths of 150 meters and to widths of 0.5 to 1.50 meters.
    Diaphragm wall construction methods are relatively quiet
    and cause little or no vibration. Therefore, they are especially
    suitable for civil engineering projects in densely-populated
    inner city areas.
    Due to their ability to keep deformation low and provide low
    water permeability, diaphragm walls are also used to retain
    excavation pits in the direct vicinity of existing structures.

    Which code to use?

    IS 14344 : 1996
    DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTI-ON OF DIAPHRAGMS
    FOR UNDER-SEEPAGE CONTROL - CODE OF
    PRACTICE

    TYPES OF DIAPHRAGM WALL

    Depending on the use of construction materials


    there are the following types of diaphragm walls:
    a) Rigid type
    1) Reinforced cement concrete.
    b) Flexible type
    1) Plastic concrete,
    2) Cement bentonite slurry trench, and
    3) Earth backfilled slurry trench.

    Depending on the function the following kinds of diaphragm walls are


    used:
    1) Structural walls
    2) Load Bearing Elements
    3) Cutoff walls
    Structural Diaphragm walls: they are used as retaining walls for the
    perimeter walls of deep basements and underground parking facilities,
    subways, underpasses, etc
    Load bearing walls: they are used in place of drilled piers in
    foundation of tall buildings, bridge piers, etc
    Cutoff walls: in hydraulic structures diaphragm walls are used as
    impermeable cutoffs to prevent seepage below earth dams, weirs, and
    leeves

    cut & cover tunnel

    Cutoff Wall

    Undeground Water tanks and water stations

    Retaining Wall

    SELECTION OF TYPE OF DIAPHRAGM WALL

    Selection of type of diaphragm depends upon a number of


    factors such as:
    a) Site conditions
    b) Heterogeneity/perviousness of subsurface data
    c) Geological features
    d) Depth of overburden features
    e) Anticipated stress and deformations due to embankment
    construction and reservoir loading conditions
    f) Availability of construction materials
    g) Techno-economic considerations

    Materials used for the construction of Diaphragm wall


    1)
    2)
    3)
    4)
    5)
    6)
    7)
    8)
    9)

    Ordinary Portland Cement


    Aggregate: Course aggregate of size 20mm
    Sand: Well graded sand consisting of 50% coarse sand
    Water: Clean water free from impurities
    Admixtures: if required chemical admixtures shall be used
    as per IS 456:1978
    Reinforcement: Mild Steel bars
    Bentonite: bentonite used shall conform to IS 12584:1989
    Clay: Clay shall conform to IS1498:1970
    Concrete Mix: For plastic concrete diaphragm wall the
    water cement ratio shall not be greater than 0.5.

    General Procedure of Construction


    1. The excavation is carried out using a heavy self guided mechanical grab
    suspended from a large crawler crane.
    2. The diaphragm walls were excavated and constructed in discrete panels of
    between 2.8m and 7.0m lengths, with a depth reaching 30m.
    3. As the excavation proceeds, support fluid was added into the excavation to
    maintain the stability of the surrounding ground and to prevent a collapse.
    This fluid is called Bentonite, which is a poser made of a special type of
    soluble clay and is mixed at the mixing plant with potable water.
    4. A heavy chisel may be used if an obstruction of hard strata is encountered,
    to break up the obstruction for removal by the grab.
    5. When the excavation is completed, a submersible pump connected to
    tremie pipes will be lowered into the panel excavation down to the toe level.
    This pumped the fluid down to the toe level and then from the bottom of the
    excavation back to a descending unit, in order to separate the bentonite from
    the suspended particles contained in it. At the same time, fresh fluid will be
    added to the top of the excavation to maintain the stability of the ground.

    Design Considerations
    Utmost consideration shall be given, while designing the diaphragm wall,
    so as to achieve:
    a) perfect embedment at both the ends, to avoid/minimize possibilities of
    cracking both within and surrounding the diaphragm wall, and
    b) imperviousness or water tightness.
    The most important consideration in the design of a diaphragm wall is to
    form an impervious wall having flexibility to avoid cracking.
    c) The best location for a diaphragm wall within a structure is where the
    loads are reasonably balanced on both sides of the wall.
    Location of diaphragm wall is often influenced by site conditions. Location
    shall, therefore, be decided after careful study of site requirements and
    localised features.

    GUIDELINES FOR STRUCTURAL DESIGN


    Structural Analysis:
    Rigid type of diaphragm wall is to be analyzed either by the
    method of beam on elastic foundation or by finite element method
    (FEM).
    Method of beam on elastic foundation:
    The diaphragm wall shall be considered in plane strain state and
    as such, unit length of diaphragm wall with entire depth as the
    span is to be considered as a beam resting on elastic soil media
    on the downstream face. Loads are to be considered acting upon
    the upstream face of the diaphragm wall. Analysis is to be carried
    out using appropriate equations for bending moments and shear
    stresses for a beam resting on elastic foundation with assumed
    end conditions.

    Finite element method (FEM):


    Finite element analysis takes into account soil structure interaction.
    Finite element analysis shall be carried out as sequential
    construction analysis. Sequential construction analysis is, however,
    preferred as it takes into account the elastic modulus of soil
    changing with different stress Levels during construction. The finite
    element analysis shall incorporate interface elements along the
    contact boundary of the diaphragm wall and surrounding soil mass.
    Elimination of interface elements results in faulty stress and
    displacement computations, due to stress transfer through common
    nodes.

    Flexible types of Diaphragm wall


    Structural Analysis:
    Plastic concrete diaphragm wall or cement bentonite slurry trench
    diaphragm wall or earth backfilled slurry trench diaphragm wall are
    relatively flexible and capable to deform under stresses in
    surrounding soil. Hence development is not a design problem. These
    diaphragm wall shall, therefore be designed to undergo deformations
    compatible with those in the surrounding soil without development of
    cracks.

    Requirements of Slurry
    Bentonite slurry is made by passing dry powder through water jet. A
    conical hopper is used with bottom nozzle through which water is
    pumped under pressure. The bentonite powder is poured directly from
    top and when it falls down the hopper, it gets agitated in the water.
    After getting circulated, the mixed bentonite thus falls in the tank.

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