Underwater

construction
1

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

Presented by:
Abira Rather
7th sem
Civil Eng. Dept.
R.no: 07/10

Contents:
2

Introduction
Underwater construction techniques
Caissons
Types
Advantages
Dangers encountered

Cofferdams
Types
Components
Advantages

Underwater lying of concrete

Tremie method
Pump method
Toggle bags
Bagwork

Conclusion
References

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

Introduction:

During the construction of brides , dams or any

other structure where the foundation part of the
structure is most likely to lie underwater, we
have to opt for underwater construction
Construction in water poses many difficulties
especially in the places where there the depth
is considerable.
During underwater construction our main
objective is to create dry and water free
environment for working in such a manner that
the structural stability of the structure is not
compromised.

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

Constructio
n

technique
s

UNDERWATE
R
CONSTRUCTION

Cofferda
ms
Tremie
method

Methods
of Placing

of
concrete

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

Caissons

Pump
method
Toggle
bags
Bag
works

Underwater construction
5
techniques:

Caissons:
Watertight retaining structure .
Permanent in nature.
Used to work on foundation of bridge pier,
construction of concrete dam or for the repair
of ships.
Constructed in such a manner so that the
water can be pumped out.
Keeps working environment dry.
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Working inside a caisson

6

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TYPES OF CAISSONS
7

Open caisson

grab
Ground
water
level
Circumferential
gap

Control
post
pontoo
n

Ballast water

Box caisson

shoe

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PNEUMATIC CAISSON

Large inverted box on which pier is

built.
Compressed air is used to keep the
water and mud out.
Used to work on riverbed or
quicksand's.
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JAMMU

Suction caisson
More suitable for off shore construction.
Upturned bucket embedded in marine sediment.
Embedment achieved by pushing or by creating
negative pressure.
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ADVANTAGES OF
CAISSONS
Economic.

10

Slightly less noise and reduced vibrations.

Easily adaptable to varying site conditions.
High axial and lateral loading capacity.
Minimal handling equipmentis required for
placement ofreinforcing cage.
Placement is sometimes possible in types of
soil that a driven pile couldnot penetrate
DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

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Dangers encountered:

Caisson diseaseis so named since it

appeared in construction workers when they
left the compressed atmosphere of the
caisson and rapidly re entered normal
(decompressed) atmospheric conditions.
Construction of theBrooklyn Bridge, which
was built with the help of caissons, resulted
in numerous workers being either killed or
permanently injured by caisson disease
during its construction, including the
designer's son and Chief Engineer of the
DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

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Cofferdams:

Temporary structure
Built within or in pairs across a body of water
Allows the enclosed space to be pumped out, creating
a dry work environment .
Enclosed coffers are commonly used for construction
and repair of oil platforms, bridge piers and other
support structures built within or over water.
A cofferdam involves the interaction of the structure,
soil, and water. The loads imposed include the
hydrostatic forces of the water, as well as the dynamic
forces due to currents and waves.
Used for shallow constructions having depth less than
10m.

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Working inside a cofferdam

13

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

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Components of cofferdam:

Sheet piling
Sheet piling is a manufactured
construction product with a
mechanical connection
interlock at both ends of the
section. These mechanical
connections interlock with one
another to form a continuous
wall of sheeting.

Brace piling
Concrete seal

Sheet piles
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Bracing frame

COFFERDAM CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE:

15
1. Pre-dredge to remove soil or soft sediments and level the area of the

cofferdam
2. Drive temporary support piles.
3. Temporarily erect bracing frame on the support piles
4. Set steel sheet piles.
5. Drive sheet piles to grade.
6. Block between bracing frame and sheets, and provide ties for sheet
piles at the top as necessary
7. Excavate inside the grade or slightly below grade, while leaving the
cofferdam full of water
8. Drive bearing
9. Place rock fill as a levelling and support course.
10. Place Tremie concrete seal .

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

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ADVANTAGES OF COFFERDAM:

Allow excavation and construction

ofstructures in otherwise poor
environment.
Provides safe environment to work.
Contractors typically have design
responsibility.
Steel sheet piles are easily installed and
removed.
Materials can typically be reused on other
projects.
DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

17

UNDERWATER CONCRETING
It is a process in which the prepared
concrete is poured below thewater
surface by using suitable methods.
PLACEMENT
METHODS:

Tremie
method.

Pump
method.

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

Toggle
bags.

Bags work.

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TREMIE METHOD
A Tremie is a watertight pipe
Generally 250mm in dia.
Funnel shaped hopper at its
upper end and a loose plug at
the bottom.
It is supported on a working
platform above water level.

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Laying of concrete by using Tremie

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Basic principle behind Method

of underwater concreting Tremie method
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Method of underwater
concreting Tremie
method (inside view)

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Specifications of concrete to be
used in Tremie method:

Coarse Aggregate: Gravel of 3/4 (20mm) max. size. Use

50-55 % of the total aggregate by weight.
Sand, 45-50% of the totalaggregate by weight.
Cement: Type II ASTM (moderate heat of hydration), 600
lbs./yd3
Water/Cement Ratio: 0.42 (0.45 Maximum).
Water-Reducing Admixture (preferably it is also plasticizer):
Do not use super plasticizers.
Air-Entrainment Admixtures: To give 6% total air.
Retarding Admixture: To increase setting time to 4-24
hours, as required.
Slump: 6 1/2" 1"
This mix will develop compressive strength in the range of
5,600 7,000 psi at 28 days.

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

PUMP METHOD:

21

Pumping concrete directly into its

final position, involving both
horizontal and vertical delivery of
concrete.
Pumping

concrete

advantage

of

has

the

operational

efficiency with potential savings of

time and labour.

PUMP METHOD OF

For massive underwater concrete

construction
structures,

of
the

navigation

pump

should be prohibited.
DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

method

LAYING CONCRETE

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TOGGLE BAGS:
Toggle bags are ideal
for small amounts of
concrete placement.
The bag is filled in the
dry with wet concrete
Used for repair work.
The
concrete
is
squeezed out by a
diver.

BAGWORK:
Bags are made of
open weave material.
Diver-handled bags
are usually of 10 to 20
litres capacity but
1cub.m bags can be
placed using a crane.

Used only in special cases like repair works, etc.

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

CONCLUSION:
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Cofferdams are temporary structures and used in cases

where the plan area of foundation is very large, depth of
water is less and for the soft soils, where soils allow easy
driving of sheet piles.
Caissonsarepermanentstructuresandbecomeseconomical
in cases where the plan area of foundation is small, large
depth of water and for loose soils.
Suction caisson anchors are gaining considerable acceptance
in the offshore industry.
At present, the Tremie placement method is the standard
way of placing high-quality concrete underwater. The other
placement method are not able to reliably place high-quality
underwater concrete for major structures, although they may
find application in special cases.
OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU
DEPT.
For
massive underwater concrete construction of navigation

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ANY QUESTIONS??

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU

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THANK YOU!!

DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING GCET JAMMU