Module – 3:

Dewatering Methods

Sasanka Borah, PhD

Civil Engineering Department
Assam Engineering College, Guwahati
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 Unit – 3 Dewatering Methods
• L-1: Methods of Dewatering Systems
• L-2: Design Steps for Dewatering Systems
– Distance of Well Points from Sources of Seepage
– Effective Well Radius
– Discharge Computations
– Design of Filters

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 Methods of Dewatering Systems
• Groundwater can be controlled by adopting
one or more types of dewatering systems or
drains appropriate to the
– Size and depth of excavation
– Geological conditions
– Characteristics of the soil

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
 Methods of Dewatering Systems
• In earlier days the groundwater control was
achieved by on or a combination of the
following-
– Construction of ditches and dikes to intercept
seepage from the slopes combined with a
controlled rate of excavation.
– Sheeting combined with pumping from sumps.
– Pumping from deep sheeted sumps dug outside of
the working area.

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
 Methods of Dewatering Systems
• After the advent of much advanced
equipment, techniques and pumping
machines the control of ground water
problems has much improved.
• Various types of methods that may be used
for ground water control based on grain sized
distribution is provided in IS:9759-1981.

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Methods of Dewatering Systems

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
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 Methods of Dewatering Systems
• Some of the common used methods are
– Open sumps and ditches.
– Well point systems
• Single-stage
• Multi-stage
– Deep Well drainage
– Vacuum Dewatering systems
– Electro-osmosis.

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Open Sumps and Ditches

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
 Wellpoint systems

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Single Stage Wellpoint systems

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Multi Stage Wellpoint systems

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Well point systems in braced excavation

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Single stage – Progressive system

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
 Well point – Ring System

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
 Deep well dewatering

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Deep well dewatering - Details

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
Vaccum dewatering - Details

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
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 Electro Osmosis
• Used when co-efficient of permeability is between 10-7 cm/ sec to 10-
5cm/sec

• The cathode is made out of steel in the form of a well point or a tube. A
steel rod or a pipe or a sheet piling is made to serve as anode.
• In general the surface of soil is negative charged and is surrounded by
polar water and ions of other elements.
• When a current is passed through the soil, the positively charged ions on
the surface are attracted towards cathode.
• During ellectro-osmosis process the attracted positively charged ions take
the water of the double layer with them.
• The direction of flow is reversed and water is collected in the well point
made of cathode. The collected water is pumped out.
• Electro-osmosis method requires specialized equipment and high
electricity consumption. Hence drainage from electro-osmosis is costly.
This method should be used for exceptional cases when other methods
cannot be used.

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 Electro Osmosis- Details

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Source: Ground Improvement Technique by Dr. P.Raj
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• References:
• Ground Improvement Technique by P.Raj.
• https://www.slideshare.net/TejaswiniNarayan
e/electro-osmosis-method-of-dewatering

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