Well Foundations

By:
R. K. Shekhawat
Sr. Professor (Projects)
IRICEN
 1. History of Well Foundations
• Origin in India. Have been used for hundreds of years.
• Masonry wells were sunk for drinking water in ancient
times. Later on same technique was used for
construction of foundation wells.
• Freely used during the Mughal period, many Mughal
monuments including the Taj Mahal have well
foundations. The Mughal used well foundations for
bridges across major rivers also.
• Used for Ganga Canal at Roorkee, in the middle of 19th
century.
• In India the largest well used for main towers of
Howrah bridge. Size 24.8m x 53.5m, with maximum
depth of sinking as 31.4m below ground level.
• On Rajendra Pul across the Ganga at Mokamah:
Double D wells, 16.3m x 9.7m size and 50.3m deep.
2. Components of Well Foundation
 3. Well v/s Pile Foundations
Wells Piles
Massive, Large carrying Slender is size (Normally used
capacity, Size governed by maximum size is 1.5m)
sinking consideration, Large
reserve strength
Concrete in dry condition. Bored Piles: Concrete under
Better quality achieved. Strata water.
can be inspected. Driven Piles: Though concrete is
controlled, damage during
driving cannot be inspected.
Can overcome obstruction. Driving is difficult in case of
obstruction.
Can be provided upto any depth, Theoretically no limitation, but
if open sinking to be done. not economical for depth more
Pneumatic sinking upto 33m than 30m or so.
depth.
Size cannot be reduced beyond Length of pre-cast piles cannot
a limit, as dredge hole has to be changed, numbers can be
accommodate the grab. increased.
Founding level can be changed.
 Wells Piles
Large section modulus with Section modulus of individual
minimum cross section area. pile in a cluster is small and
Can resist large horizontal cannot resist large horizontal
forces. forces.
Durability high due to large size Durability low due to slender
and low stress. size and high slump concrete.
Speed of construction very Very quick construction process.
slow.
Except sinking, generally low Large diameter piles, driven
technology work with simple piles, augured piles, RMC piling
equipment. etc. require special equipment.
Suitable for alluvial rivers with Suitable for locations where
high scour, very weak strata, free standing height is low (e.g.
high loads or where there are Flyovers, ROBs, Shallow rivers
chances of hitting by floating etc.).
trees/boulders.
Generally, Piles are more economical for small loads and at less
depths.
 4. Types of Well Foundations

Ordinary Wells
These are constructed in their final position
either on dry bed or after making an island in
the river at construction site.
Caissons
These are fabricated outside the flowing
channel and floated to the final position.
When velocity of water is high, making it
difficult to construct either an island or
cofferdam to construct a well, caisson type
construction are used.
 5. Common Shapes

Circular Double-D Double Octagonal

Rectangular Double Rectangular

Double Circular

Multiple
Dredge Hole
 6. Depth of Well Foundations
(Provisions of sub-structure Code)
6.9.1 Shall be taken to such a depth as to provide
adequate grip below the deepest anticipated
scour. The depth below HFL shall not be less than
1.33 times of the maximum scour depth.
Well depth can be reduced if inerodible strata is met
with at a shallow depth. Clay is not such a strata.
The foundation shall not normally rest on sloping
rock strata.
6.9.3 The depth shall be adequate to provide stability
against foundation pressure, overturning and
sliding.
Only 50% of passive earth pressure, below
maximum scour level, shall be considered while
considering stability against overturning.
Design and Analysis should be done as Appendix-V.
 Gale’s Table

River Class Design Discharge (Cumecs) Grip Length

A 7000 - 21000 15.25 m

B 21000 - 42000 16.8 m
C 42000 - 71000 19.8 m
Spring’s Chart
 7. Construction Sequence

1. Layout of Wells
2. Making of Island (if required)
3. Fabrication of Cutting Edge
4. Well Curb Construction and Pitching
5. Construction of Steining
6. Well Sinking
7. Bottom Plug, Sand Filling, Top Plug and Well
Cap
 7.1 Layout

• Accuracy is very important.

• Should always be cross checked
by at least two independent
surveys.
• Permanent theodolite stations
with the base line on the bank
will be established to mark
reference points.
• Modern surveying equipment/
techniques available now-a-days
(e.g. total stations, GPS etc.)
can be employed for this
purpose.
 7.2 Making of Island
 If natural ground is available, use it as dry bed.
 Otherwise construct an Island, to provide a dry bed for
assembling the well curb. This is possible only when
depth of water is up to 6m and velocity < 1 m/sec.

Dimension of Sand Island > 3 times Dia. of Well

 Sand
Island

In other cases, resort to caisson launching (the well curb

and some part of steining is assembled as Caisson at a
nearby dry spot and then launched into the position).
 7.3 Fabrication of Cutting Edge

MS Angles
MS Plate

Fillet Weld

Holes for Anchoring

into well curb

Gauge Marks
Cutting Edge
Fabrication
 7.4 Well Curb – Construction and Pitching
 The slope of well curb is 1H:2V. But it depends on
type of soil strata.
 RDSO Manual for Wells: Slope to Vertical not to be
more than 300 (Up to 450 in Sandy soil).
 Offset of about 50mm on outside to ease sinking.
 It is generally of minimum M-25 grade RCC.
 May be precast or cast in situ.
 Using steel liner on outer face is optional.
 Centre of the well curb should be carefully marked.
 If the site is dry, the curb should be assembled on
wooden blocks or sand bags placed at spacing of
about 1.5m.
 If the river is full of water, the curb is generally
pitched at about 15cm above the water level.
Fabrication of
Well Curb
 Well Curb
Reinforcement
 7.5 Construction of Steining

 The steining may be raised by about 1.5/2.5m at a

time (depending on type of ground in which well is
being sunk and method of sinking) and sinking done
after allowing at least 24 hours of setting time.
 The chance of tilting increases if the well is made top
heavy by raising the steining too high in the first
stance.
 Once the well has acquired a grip of about 6m in sand,
the steining can be raised about 3m at a time.
 Minimum M-15 grade concrete is used. Min.
Reinforcement is 0.12% Vertical and 0.04% Hoop.
Gauge Marking On
Steining
 Thickness of Steining

• It should be possible to sink the wells without

excessive Kentledge.
• The well should not get damaged during sinking.
• It should be possible to rectify tilts and shifts
without damaging the well.
• Stresses at various stages should be under
permissible limits under all load conditions.
• Railway Practice: T = D/4
Minimum Thickness = 1m Railway Practice
Minimum Thickness = 500mm IRC Practice
 7.6 Well Sinking
Methods of Well Sinking:
 Open Sinking
 Sinking is done using self weight of the well and
Kentledge (if needed).
 Soil/rock is dredged out simultaneous, through the
dredge hole.
 Pneumatic Sinking
 Sinking is done by sealing the dredge hole and sending
the compressed air inside.
 Soil/rock is dredged out simultaneous, through the
dredge hole.
 Jacking Down Method
 Recent technique from Japan.
 The well is pushed down by taking reaction from the
HTS wire ropes anchored in hard rock below the
founding level of well.
 7.6.1 Open Sinking of Wells
Equilibrium
W = SF + Rv
W SF Due to Dredging
Rv reduces
Causes sinking of well.
If Curb is too steep
Rh Rh will be high.
Leads to bending of curb.
R
Rv If Curb is too Flat
Rv will be high.
Difficulty in sinking.

Sometimes, Kentledge in the form of loading may have to

be used, for overcoming increased resistance due to
some isolated patch near the cutting edge or along the
steining.
 o In case of clays, the
dredger cuts a pit with
W SF almost vertical walls, as
clay can stand even
vertical due to cohesion.
o The skin friction and
bearing resistance offered
Rh by clay is much higher.
R o Well does not move even
Rv after dredging to
considerable depth.
o Requires use of kentledge, which pushes inside the
triangular portions below cutting edges and well
moves downwards.
o Movement of well further reduced the skin friction and
well moves for a considerable depth (> 1m).
o Jetting: Bentonite, compressed air or water is pumped
through pipes fitted with nozzles, along the outside
surface of the well.
Well Sinking using Crane & Grab
DREDGING OPERATION FOR WELL
 Grabs or Dredgers
• Grab works satisfactorily in sand, silt and soft clay.
• It is unable to bite in stiff clay, kankar and soft rock.
• For stiff clay, a modified grab is used. A large number
of iron bars are used to make a cage, instead of mild
steel plates, which enable water to escape from the
grab.
• In other cases, Chisels are used to loosen material, if
required, and then it is taken out with grab.

Chisels
Breaking hard strata by chiseling
 Important Points in Open sinking
• Dredged material should not be dumped close to the
well and on one side only.
• When the wells are to be sunk close to each other and
the distances between them is not greater than D,
they should be sunk alternately i.e. one sunk D/2 in
advance of the other.
• In case of abutment, where there is high bank on one
side, dig the pit of sufficiently larger sizes leaving
about 6-8 m clear distance round the well.
• If sinking is obstructed by stray boulders/rock/logs of
wood, resistance increases suddenly and well starts
tilting. Overcome the obstruction by loading the well
on that side and carrying out heavy dredging on that
side. The obstruction either rolls into the dredge hole
or the cutting edge is able to cut it. If this does not
succeed, obstruction is removed by sending divers or
using explosives.
 Sinking in Clay
 Steining should be made as thick as possible.
 Excavation can be carried out much more conveniently and
speedily by dewatering it completely once it has gone into
clay by 1 to 1.5m.

If a small sand blow is

noticed a large number
of sand bags, scrap
gunny bags and
branches of trees full of
green leaves are heaped.
 Quick Sand Conditions
• May occur when fine sand/silt
underlie an impervious layer of clay
and there is considerable hydraulic
pressure below clay layer.
• As soon as the layers of clay is
pierced through, a steep hydraulic
gradient is established, creating
incipient motion.
• Ground has no shear strength and
well sinks suddenly (5-6m also).

 Extremely difficult to raise the steining height after

sinking. It should be done when the cutting edge is
well within the clay layer.
 Water level to be kept raised inside the well:
o No dewatering.
o A coffer dam may be raised on steining and water
level raised inside the well.
 Tilts and Shifts

Permissible Limits:
Tilt – 1 in 80

Shift – D/40 Eccentricity

Eccentricity
(Max. 150mm) Shift
Tilt
• To be measured daily (along two perpendicular axes),
using paint marks on steining.
• Tendency to tilt in one direction and/or progressively
increasing tilt should be investigated.
 Common causes for Tilts and Shifts
Unequal Resistance
o Non-uniform sinking (*) √
(*)
o Non-uniform strata √
Man made
o Partial obstruction at cutting edge √ reasons

Unequal Sinking Force √

o Eccentric weight (*) Very
o Water current Common
o Improper dumping of grabbed soil (*)

Precautions
 Outer surface of well curb and steining must be regular
and smooth.
 Radius of the curb is kept about 25 - 40mm larger than
the outside radius of the well steining.
 Dredging should be done carefully.
 Correction of Tilt and Shift

Controlled/Non-uniform Create obstruction on

Dredging lower side of cutting edge

Removal of obstruction below cutting edge:

 Chiseling
 Blasting
 Correction of Tilt and Shift
Pulling the Well
Eccentric Loading
(Kentledge)

Of limited use in heavy wells

 Correction of Tilt and Shift

Pushing
the Well

Water Jetting or
Digging Pit
 7.6.2 Pneumatic Sinking of Wells
 Required when open sinking cannot be done.
 Complete dewatering is also not possible:
• Due to sand blowing, or
• Due to heavy inflow of water, making pumping
prohibitive in cost.
 Pneumatic sinking is 5 to 6 times costlier.
 The depth to which pneumatic sinking may be done
without undue risk to lives of the men is about 33.5m.
 In this, sinking is done under compressive air by
fixing covers on the dredge hole and pumping
compressed air into it.
 All the water is pushed out up to the level of cutting
edge.
 Men are then sent inside the well to carry out
excavation.
Pneumatic Sinking of Wells

VIDEO
7.6.3 Jacking Down Method

VIDEO
 7.7.1 Bottom Plugging
 It makes the well behave as well,
otherwise the well will keep on
sinking under loads.
 Desirable to give a spherical shape.
 Done using Tremie concreting.
 Top kept 300mm above the top
edge of the inclined face of the
curb.

7.7.2 Sand Filling

• Does not add to any structural strength. Only to
increase weight to provide stability.
• Concrete filling may be resorted to if well is not very
deep or if steining got cracked or damaged.
 7.7.3 Top Plug
 A 300 mm thick plug of CC M-10 Grade.
 Stepping is done in the steining concrete to give a
proper bearing to the top plug.

7.7.4 Well Cap

 Transmits the load from the pier to the steining.
 This is designed as two way RCC slab.
 Bottom of well cap is kept about 300mm above the Low
Water Level.
 VIDEO on Well Foundation for Naini Bridge
(Double-D and Circular Wells up to 40m Depth)

Further Reference/Selected Readings

1. RDSO Manual on “Design and Construction of Well
and Pile Foundations” – 1985 (Re-printed 2004).
2. IRS Code of practice for the Design of Sub-
structures and Foundations of Bridges (2nd
Revision: 2013).
3. Wells & Caissons – Author: Vijay Singh – Publisher:
Nem Chand & Bros, Roorkee.
4. IRC:45-1972 - Resistance of Soil in Design of Well
Foundation of Bridges.
5. IRC:78-2014 – Standard Specifications and Code of
Practice for Road Bridges.