BASEMENT

CONSTRUCTION
 Basement Selection of Elements of
Basement
Construction Construction Basement
Design
Methods Methods Construction

Support Systems
Dewatering Retaining Wall Basement
for Deep
Systems Systems Excavation
Excavations

Joints and
Basement Floor Basement Walls Water Proofing Penetration

Contents
 BASEMENT
A hollow structure below ground level over 4.5m deep
BASEMENT
USES

Common in tall buildings

As car parks, storage of
services and underground
shopping centres mainly in
the expensive and
congested urban area.
Basement may also be built
for the purpose of defense
system and temporary living
during ‘bad’ weather.
 to provide additional space

Purpose of
Basements as form of buoyancy raft

in some cases, basements may be

needed for reducing net bearing
pressure by the removal of the soil
The overall and final stability of a
basement depends upon its capability
against the following factors:

wind loads (higher structure)

dead and live loads of the superstructure

water pressure (during and after construction)

Water Pressure
The most difficult aspect during and after
construction.

During construction - affect the movement of

machinery during construction – low productivity

After construction - cause dampness – ‘sick

building’

A high water pressure will cause failures to

retaining wall, basement floor and wall.
Examples of failure to nearby building due to ground
water movement
To avoid ground water problems, a watertight basement
and water exclusion method must be designed and
constructed.
This will involve providing a good watertight retaining
wall, basement wall and floor; dewatering / pumping
system, water proofing system, proper drainage etc.
A good and stable retaining wall to protect nearby structure from failures
Example of a good and stable retaining wall to protect
nearby structure from failure
Basement Design
The primary design must be produce a safe and stable construction .

Two important consideration during the basement design:

a. Excavation cannot be made without causing movement of the
surrounding ground.

b. The basement must be built taking into all the implications

arising from the construction method envisaged.
Factors to be Considered in
Basement Design
Client’s general requirement
Depth of basement with particular respect to ground water
Water tightness
Heave
Economic depth of excavation
Construction methods
Environmental effects
Overall stability
Adjacent property and underground rights.
heave
 CONSTRUCTION METHODS

Open Cut Method Cut and Cover Method

Top Down Method Composite Method

(Combination of Top
Down and Bottom Up
Method)
Open Cut Method

Sides of the excavation are sloped to provide stability, with possible slope
protection to maximize the angle of the slope.
upon excavating to the required depth, the basement is constructed from
bottom upwards.
after the completion of the basement, the remaining excavated areas between
the basement and the side slope are backfilled
Open Cut Method
Suitable for an open area with a depth of 1 – 2 storey basement.
In built-up urban areas - impractical because site constraints
and the need to restrict ground movements adjacent to the
excavation.
Key criteria to consider open cut technique - the geological
condition of the site because this has an effect on the earth
slope.
Limitation of this technique - the site is exposed to the weather.
Flooding usually occurs after a down pour
Provisions of dewatering and temporary drainage system are
necessary.
Open Cut Method – Slope and basement excavation in progress
Open Cut Method – Basement structural works in progress
- Protection of slope with guniting technique
Open Cut Cantilevered
Employed in constrained sites - ground movements to
the adjacent surrounding has to be kept to the
minimum.
Retaining walls are required to support the excavation
with the provision of bracing as the excavation
proceeds downward until the deepest basement level.
The basement is then constructed in the conventional
way, bottom upwards in sequence with the removal of
the temporary struts
Open Cut Cantilevered
Retaining wall to restrain earth into basement area
Retaining wall with bracing to restrain earth into basement
area
CUT AND COVER
 Bottom up Method
Advantages:
• It is a conventional construction method well understood by contractors.
• Waterproofing can be applied to the outside surface of the structure.
• The inside of the excavation is easily accessible for the construction equipment and the
delivery, storage and placement of materials.
• Drainage systems can be installed outside the structure to water or divert it away from the
structure.
Disadvantages
• Somewhat larger footprint required for construction than for top-down construction.
• The ground surface can not be restored to its final condition until construction is complete.
• Requires temporary support or relocation of utilities.
• May require dewatering that could have adverse affects on surrounding infrastructure.
Top Down Method
Top Down Method
The basement floors are constructed as the excavation progresses.
The sequence construction begins with:
- install permanent retaining wall installation (i.e diaphragm walling,
contiguous pile wall)
- construct the load-bearing elements that will carry the building super-
structure.
The basement columns (called pre-founded column or plunge in column -
typically steel beams) are constructed before any excavation takes place
The ground floor slab is constructed before excavation to the next level;
Construction (glory) hole left open to allow removal of spoil material.
Excavation and floor construction under and above the ground floor.
Excavation & lowest basement floor completed
 Top-Down Method
Advantages:
• It allows early restoration of the ground surface above the tunnel The temporary
support of excavation walls are used as the permanent structural walls.
• The structural slabs will act as internal bracing for the support of excavation thus
reducing the amount of tie backs required It requires somewhat less width for the
construction area.
• Easier construction of roof since it can be cast on prepared grade rather than using
bottom forms.
• It may result in lower cost for the tunnel by the elimination of the separate, cast-in-
place concrete walls within the excavation and reducing the need for tie backs and
internal bracing.
• It may result in shorter construction duration by overlapping construction activities
 Top-Down Method
Disadvantages of top-down construction include:
• Inability to install external waterproofing outside the tunnel walls.
• More complicated connections for the roof, floor and base slabs.
• Potential water leakage at the joints between the slabs and the walls
• Risks that the exterior walls (or center columns) will exceed specified installation
tolerances and extend within the neat line of the interior space.
• Access to the excavation is limited to the portals or through shafts through the roof.
• Limited spaces for excavation and construction of the bottom slab.
Top/Down excavation using
small excavator machine

• Left: Looking up at a glory hole,

• Bottom right: close up view of the

and steel beam.
Artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation during
excavation and basement structural works
Composite Method
Composite Method
Composite technique is a mixture of top down and bottom up
construction methods.
Objective of this method is to optimize the top down technique by solving
the problem of excavation in limited headroom condition.
As in top down method, perimeter structural walls are installed to
support the excavation face.
Pre founded column are then installed at the perimeter of the basement
area.
The perimeter portion of the storey 1 slab is cast off the ground, using the
pre founded columns to support the floor slab.
Selection of Construction Methods

Site constraint which includes accessibility to the site and the

proximity of existing building.
The soil condition; whether it consists of sand, clay or silt. This is
especially vital for the open cut method.
The space for soil slopes within the perimeter of the site.
Speed of construction.
Whether the depth of basement is deep enough to justify the use of the
method that would have economies of scale.
Whether the site area is extensive enough for operations associated
with the technique.
The cost of construction in terms of economy.
 ELEMENT
OF BASEMENT
CONSTRUCTION

RETAINING BASEMENT BASEMENT WATER

EXCAVATION DEWATERING
SYSTEM WALL FLOOR PROOFING

Retaining Support Sump

Ramp System Asphalt Tanking
Wall System Pumping

Long Arm Soldier Pile &

Braced System Well Points Integral System
Excavator Timber Lagging

Multi Level Steel Sheet Anchored/ Drain Cavity

Excavation Piling Tieback System

Contiguous
Bored Pile & Drainage Layer
Secant Pile

Diaphragm Wall
Basement
Excavation
Ramp System
Long Arm Excavator
Multi Level Excavation
 Ramp System

A slope of < 20 degrees is excavated in the basement area

where both excavator and transporter (lorries) can freely
move within the basement
Ramp System
Ramp System
 Long Arm
Excavator
• Long arm excavating
machine such as long arm
excavator, clamp shell, and
dragline will be used to
excavate the basement from
the ground level.
• The soil excavated then will
be loaded into the lorries
parked at the ground level.
• Excavation operation is
mainly from the ground level.
Long Arm Excavator
in operation
Details of
Long
Arm
Excavato
r
Details of
Clamp Shell
Details of
Dragline
 Multi Level Excavation

• Multi level excavation method is similar to ‘passing baton’ concept, which require
several excavating machine located along the ramp, and lorries waiting at the ground.
• This method is faster than the ramp system method because the excavating
machine can work continuously reducing idling time in waiting lorries to move in and
out from the basement area.
Retaining Walls
Permanent Retaining Wall
- will act as retaining wall during
construction and will be incorporated
into the structural system after
construction as permanent basement
wall.
-Example Diaphragm Wall, Contiguous
Bored Pile Wall and Secant Pile Wall
Temporary Retaining Wall
-will only act retaining wall during
construction and will be taken out
after basement wall completion.
-Example : Soldier Pile and Lagging
Walls and Sheet Pile
Soldier Pile and Lagging
Walls
Soldier pile and lagging
walls are formed by :

1. Constructing soldier
piles
at regular intervals
(1.5m to 3m, typical)
2. Excavating in small
stages and installing
lagging.
3. Backfilling and
compacting
the void space behind
the lagging.
 Soldier Pile & Timber Lagging

• Soldier pile and lagging walls are the most inexpensive systems compared to other
retaining walls.
• They are also very easy and fast to construct.
• They are primarily limited to temporary construction.
• Cannot be used in high water table conditions without extensive dewatering.
Sheet Pile Walls
Sheet pile walls are
constructed by driving
prefabricated sections into
the ground.

Soil conditions may allow for

the sections to be vibrated
into ground instead of it
being hammer driven.

The full wall is formed by

connecting the joints of
adjacent sheet pile sections
in sequential installation.
Sheet pile walls provide
structural resistance by
utilizing the full section.
 Piles in a guard rail are spliced into one
another in alternate order
The driving of a sheet pile A power operated chain is used to ensure
using a vibratory hammer proper connection between piles
Interlocking joints of sheet
piles
Joining sheet piles by welding & splicing
A congested site with sheet piling and horizontal
strtting supporting excavation and working platform
Contiguous Bored Piles Wall & Secant Pile Wall
• Contiguous bored piles walls are
formed by constructing inserting
in situ reinforced concrete piles
along the perimeter of basement
wall.
• lack of water tightness

• Secant piles are as contiguous bored

pile walls but have primary piles and
secondary piles interlock each other to
provide water tightness.
• Primary piles are installed first with
secondary piles constructed in between
primary piles once the latter gain
sufficient strength.
• Pile overlap is typicallyin the order of
3 inches (8 cm).
Installation of CBPW & SPW
Layout and sequence of work of secant
piles
Contiguous Bored Pile Wall
Contiguous Bored Pile Wall
Contiguous Bored Pile Wall
Secant Pile Wall
Secant Pile Wall
Secant Pile Wall
Secant Pile Wall
 Diaphragm Walls (U.S. Slurry Walls)

The wall is designed and constructed as a series of panels the lengths of which usually range between 4.5m and 7.5m.
Standard width are 500mm, 600mm, 750mm and 900mm. Where motorways and roads are to be constructed in deep
cuttings between retaining walls, these walls have been constructed in widths up to 1200mm.

Depth of wall may be up to 36m and shapes on plan depend on the purpose of the wall and may be angled, polygonal,
T-shaped or cross shaped. There is no practical limit to the length of wall that can be constructed.
Diaphragm wall
Guide walls built in Trench excavation using clamp shell in guide
advance for the trench walls under bentonite slurry
excavation
Diaphragm wall is constructed where a trench to a required depth (up to 36m) is first excavated by
a specially developed grab/clamp shell or reverse circulation cutter, operated from a standard
crane by means of a purpose designed attachment including a kelly bar and kelly bar guide. The
useof the kelly bar ensures the correct alignment and vertically of construction.
Typical excavation sequence of diaphragm wall
Reinforcement is made up on site and formed into three dimensional cages
for each panel. The cage is positively located in the trench, spacers being
used to ensure accurate centering and distance blocks fixed to ensure
adequate concrete cover. Large cages are usually spot welded to maintain
their shape during handling and placing.
 Stop-end joints with single water
Circular stop-end tubes inserted at ends stop
of each section, reinforcing cage being
lowered
Water stop between panel of diaphragm wall to prevent water from
entering basement area
Water stop
polyvinyl chloride
(PVC). Strong and
flexible, these
products have been
used due to ease of
welding and
inherent resistance
to groundwater and
common waste
water treatment
chemicals.
Completed Diaphragm Wall
Soil Mix Walls

Mechanical soil mixing is performed using single or multiple shafts of augers and
mixing paddles. The auger is slowly rotated into the ground, typically at 10-20 rpm,
and advanced at 2 to 5 ft (0.5 to 1.5 m) per minute.
Cement slurry is pumped through the hollow stem of the shaft(s) feeding out at the
tip of the auger as the auger advances. Mixing paddles are arrayed along the shaft
above the auger to provide mixing and blending of the slurry and soil
 Cross-lot/Internal Bracing

Typical excavation sequence in cross-lot excavations:

(A)V-cut initial cantilever excavation,
(B) Strut installation and pre-loading in small trenches in soil berms,
(C) V-cut excavation to next level and strut installation,
(D)Final grade.
Long flying shores across excavation
Bracing using telescoping preloading methods
Bracing using telescoping preloading methods
 Tiebacks/Rock Anchors

A tieback is made by first drilling a hole with an auger and then placing a bar (tendon) in the hole,
concrete is then poured in the hole and the connection with wall is made.
Different types of augers are used to drill the tieback holes. The choice of the drilling method depends
on the soil/rock conditions on the site.
Steps in making a tieback: (a) hole drilled; (b) bar placed in hole;
(c) concrete poured for anchor; (d) wall connection made
Tieback configuration, free and fixed lengths
Ground anchors used for strengthening the soldier pile and timber
lagging retaining wall
Ground anchors used for strengthening diaphragm wall
Dewatering Systems
Sump Pumping
Well Points
Sump Pumping

The sump or water collection pit should be excavated below the formation level of the excavation
and preferably sited in a corner position to reduce to a minimum the soil movement due to
settlement which is a possibility with this method.
When holes are excavated in the ground, water flows from the surrounding areas towards the area
of lower pressure in the hole .
Water collected will be pumped out . Used for < 7.5m depth
Sump pumping in operation
Water tends to flow from high areas to lower-lying ground and may pass through the
building site. To control this flow, land drains can be installed which intercept the water and direct it
back into the ground at the lower level. This helps to reduce the amount of water which finds its way
into the excavations. Water may still collect in excavations, and arrangement must be made to pump it
out so that work, particularly concreting, can proceed.
Jetted Sump Pumping

In this method a metal tube is jetted into the

ground and the void created is filled with a
sand media, a disposable hose and strainer.

Can be used for > 7.5m depth.

Jetted sump pumping in operation
Well Points

The basic principle is to water jet into the ground a number of small diameter wells
which are connected to a header pipe which is attached to a vacuum pump .
Well point systems can be installed with the header pipe acting as a ring main
enclosing the area to be excavated. The header pipe should be connected to two
pumps, the first for actual pumping operations and the second as a standby pump
since it is essential to keep the system fully operational to avoid collapse of the
excavation should a pump failure occur.
Multi stage well point
installation
Well point
installation
details
Basement Floor & Wall
Water stop must be used to seal construction joints from water
Construction of basement floor in progress
 Water Proofing
Membrane system / Asphalt tanking
Integral system using admixtures
Drain Cavity system
Drainage layer
Membrane System / Asphalt Tanking

Provides a physical barrier forming a tanking system using either sheet membranes
or liquid membranes or both to the flow of water
Completed installation of asphalt tanking
Integral System with Watertight Admixtures

It provides protection against water penetration based on the use

of admixtures with waterproofing properties in the concrete mix
to form concrete with surface that are repellent to water, and to
fill the capillary pores hence reduces the permeability of the
concrete.

Common admixtures used are the reactive hydrophobic pre pre-

blocking ingredient and silica fume. One of the product that can
be used is ‘Everdure Caltite’ which is in liquid form which will be
mixed with concrete at the rate of 30 litres per cubic metre
concrete.
 Drain Cavity System

A cavity systems allows water to enter the structure, contain and direct it to
sumps from where it is removed by drainage pumping
Drainage Layer

A drainage layer consists of high-density polyethylene sheets with dimples formed in the sheets,
attached on the external face of the basement wall. The sheets create a cavity between the
basement wall and the sheet to allow water to pass through which is then directed through a pipe to
sumps and subsequently removed by pumping. Unlike the cavity system, the groundwater is drained
off at the external face of the basement wall
Joints and Penetration

The water stop bridging all construction joints, expansion joints

and any other movement joints shall form a continuous watertight layer.
CASE STUDY – NIKO HOTEL, K.L

Contiguous Bored Pile

Steel Sheet Piles

Niko Hotel Area using Contiguous Bored Pile and Steel Sheet Piling as retaining wall
Details of Contiguous Bored Piles
Details of Contiguous Bored Piles – size of piles 500mm dia, 750mm dia,
900mm dia, 1050mm dia, 1200mm dia, 1350mm dia & 1500mm dia.
Completed Contiguous Bored Piles
Retaining wall using Steel
Sheet Piles protecting nearby
building (MCA Building)

Site office and accommodation

at side retaining wall due to
space constraint
Retaining wall using Steel
Sheet Piles protecting nearby
building (MCA Building)

Capping Beam on top

of Contiguous Bored
Pile
Basement excavation in
progress using Multi Level
Excavation
Basement excavation in
progress using Multi Level
Excavation method
• Earth transportation to
dumping area 10km
away from site
• Lorries must be
cleaned before using
public road

Dewatering technique
using sump pumping
Basement structures
in progress
Case Study – ESSO BUILDING
DAMANSARA

X section of basement
Layout of basement area
Plan of position of retaining wall using soldier pile & timber lagging
Retaining wall using soldier pile & timber lagging
x-section of basement
retaining wall
Soldier Pile & Timber Lagging with
ground anchor
Installation of ground
anchor as tie back
in progress
Completed retaining wall
Excavation work
in progress using
combination of ramp
method and long arm
excavator
Clamp Shell / Grab being used
in excavation work
 Long arm
excavator

Excavation work
in progress using
combination of ramp
Ramp
method and long arm
excavator
Dewatering technique using Jetted Sump Pumping
Equipment used for Jetted Sump Pumping
Jetted Sump Pumping in progress
Construction of basement floor
in progress
Water stop and joint at basement floor
and wall to prevent water from entering
basement area
Completed basement floor and wall with asphalt tanking waterproofing
CASE Study - RITZ CARLTON

Basement construction with steel sheet piling retaining wall and

combination of ramp method and long arm excavator method
Excavation work in progress using long arm excavator
CASE STUDY – Wisma Consplant

Plan of Wisma Consplant, Subang Jaya

Phase of Basement Excavation Works
Basement Excavation and Structural Works in progress starting from
ground level to basement level
Construction of Basement Column
Artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation during excavation and basement
structural works
Completed basement floor and jointing of diaphragm wall and floor
CASE STUDY – M.N.I HEAD OFFICE BUILDING
CASE STUDY – Peguam Negara Building
 Diaphragm wall Diaphragm wall
and steel bracing
Steel Bracing System system used to
restrain earth
movement
steel bracing system
used to restrain earth
movement
Completed Diaphragm Wall
Water stop between panel
of diaphragm wall to prevent
water from entering basement
area
Equipment used to monitor soil
movement and ground water
pressure
Plunge in column to
support floor slab
Perimeter Floor Slab Perimeter floor slab
construction
in progress starting
from ground floor
to basement floor
Perimeter floor slab
construction in progress
starting from ground floor to
basement floor
Ramp

Ramp used for movement of excavation plant