Dewatering involves lowering the water table below excavations to provide dry working conditions. It can be done through methods like sump pumping, wellpoint systems, shallow wells, and deep wells. Sump pumping involves pumping water from holes excavated in the ground. Wellpoint systems use perforated pipes connected to pumps to draw water from permeable soils like sand. Shallow wells use surface pumps and bored wells up to 8m deep, while deep wells require submersible pumps in cased boreholes for extracting water from greater depths. The choice of dewatering method depends on factors like soil and groundwater conditions, excavation depth, and proximity to existing structures.
Original Description:
CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS, POWERHOUSES, DAMS, LOCKS AND MANY OTHER STRUCTURES REQUIRES EXCAVATION BELOW THE WATER TABLE INTO WATER-BEARING SOILS. SUCH EXCAVATIONS REQUIRE LOWERING THE WATER TABLE BELOW THE SLOPES AND BOTTOM OF THE EXCAVATION TO PREVENT RAVELING OR SLOUGHING OF THE SLOPE AND TO ENSURE DRY, FIRM WORKING CONDITIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS.
GROUNDWATER CAN BE CONTROLLED BY MEANS OF ONE OR MORE TYPES OF DEWATERING SYSTEMS APPROPRIATE TO THE SIZE AND DEPTH OF THE EXCAVATION, GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOIL.
Dewatering involves lowering the water table below excavations to provide dry working conditions. It can be done through methods like sump pumping, wellpoint systems, shallow wells, and deep wells. Sump pumping involves pumping water from holes excavated in the ground. Wellpoint systems use perforated pipes connected to pumps to draw water from permeable soils like sand. Shallow wells use surface pumps and bored wells up to 8m deep, while deep wells require submersible pumps in cased boreholes for extracting water from greater depths. The choice of dewatering method depends on factors like soil and groundwater conditions, excavation depth, and proximity to existing structures.
Dewatering involves lowering the water table below excavations to provide dry working conditions. It can be done through methods like sump pumping, wellpoint systems, shallow wells, and deep wells. Sump pumping involves pumping water from holes excavated in the ground. Wellpoint systems use perforated pipes connected to pumps to draw water from permeable soils like sand. Shallow wells use surface pumps and bored wells up to 8m deep, while deep wells require submersible pumps in cased boreholes for extracting water from greater depths. The choice of dewatering method depends on factors like soil and groundwater conditions, excavation depth, and proximity to existing structures.
CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS, POWERHOUSES, DAMS, LOCKS AND
MANY OTHER STRUCTURES REQUIRES EXCAVATION BELOW THE WATER TABLE INTO WATER-BEARING SOILS. SUCH EXCAVATIONS REQUIRE LOWERING THE WATER TABLE BELOW THE SLOPES AND BOTTOM OF THE EXCAVATION TO PREVENT RAVELING OR SLOUGHING OF THE SLOPE AND TO ENSURE DRY, FIRM WORKING CONDITIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS.
GROUNDWATER CAN BE CONTROLLED BY MEANS OF ONE OR MORE
TYPES OF DEWATERING SYSTEMS APPROPRIATE TO THE SIZE AND DEPTH OF THE EXCAVATION, GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND DEWATERING AT AN EXCAVATION SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOIL. CONSTRUCTION SITES ARE DEWATERED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES: 1. TO PROVIDE SUITABLE WORKING SURFACE OF THE BOTTOM OF THE EXCAVATION. 2. TO STABILIZE THE BANKS OF THE EXCAVATION THUS AVOIDING THE HAZARDS OF SLIDES AND SLOUGHING. 3. TO PREVENT DISTURBANCE OF THE SOIL AT THE BOTTOM OF EXCAVATION CAUSED BY BOILS OR PIPING. SUCH DISTURBANCES MAY REDUCE THE BEARING POWER OF THE SOIL. 4. LOWERING THE WATER TABLE CAN ALSO BE UTILIZED TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVE WEIGHT OF THE SOIL AND CONSOLIDATE THE SOIL LAYERS. REDUCING LATERAL LOADS ON SHEETING AND BRACING IS ANOTHER WAY OF USE. SUMP PUMPING GROUNDWATER CONTROL A NUMBER OF METHODS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CONTROLLING THE INFLOW OF WATER INTO AN EXCAVATION; THE CHOICE OF METHOD WILL DEPEND ON THE NATURE AND PERMEABILITY OF THE GROUND, THE EXTENT OF THE AREA TO BE DEWATERED, THE DEPTH OF THE WATER TABLE BELOW GROUND LEVEL AND THE AMOUNT BY WHICH IT HAS TO BE LOWERED, THE PROPOSED METHODS OF EXCAVATION AND GROUND SUPPORT, THE PROXIMITY OF EXISTING STRUCTURES, THE PROXIMITY OF WATER COURSES ETC. METHODS OF GROUNDWATER CONTROL FALL INTO THE FOLLOWING BASIC GROUPS: 1. SURFACE WATER CONTROL LIKE DITCHES, TRAINING WALLS, EMBANKMENTS. SIMPLE METHODS OF DIVERTING SURFACE WATER, OPEN EXCAVATIONS. SIMPLE PUMPING EQUIPMENT. 2. GRAVITY DRAINAGE. RELATIVELY IMPERMEABLE SOILS. OPEN EXCAVATIONS ESPECIALLY ON SLOPING SITES. SIMPLE PUMPING EQUIPMENT. 3. SUMP PUMPING 4. DEEP (BORED) WELLS WITH PUMPS. 5. WELLPOINT SYSTEMS WITH SUCTION PUMPS. 6. SHALLOW (BORED) WELLS WITH PUMPS. 7. EDUCTOR SYSTEM 8. HORIZONTAL DRAINS 9. HORIZONTAL DRILLED WELL 10. RELIEF WELL 11. RECHARGE WELL SIPHON DRAINS 12. SIPHON DRAINS 13. GROUND FREEZING
EDUCTOR SYSTEM SHALLOW (BORED) WELLS WITH PUMPS
WELLPOINT SYSTEMS WITH SUCTION PUMPS. DEEP (BORED) WELLS WITH PUMPS. SUMPS AND SUMP PUMPING A SUMP IS MERELY A HOLE IN THE GROUND FROM WHICH WATER IS BEING PUMPED FOR THE PURPOSE OF REMOVING WATER FROM THE ADJOINING AREA. THEY ARE USED WITH DITCHES LEADING TO THEM IN LARGE EXCAVATIONS. UP TO MAXIMUM OF 8M BELOW PUMP INSTALLATION LEVEL; FOR GREATER DEPTHS A SUBMERSIBLE PUMP IS REQUIRED. SHALLOW SLOPES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR UNSUPPORTED EXCAVATIONS IN SILTS AND FINE SANDS. GRAVELS AND COARSE SANDS ARE MORE SUITABLE. FINES MAY BE EASILY REMOVED FROM GROUND AND SOILS CONTAINING LARGE PERCENT OF FINES ARE NOT SUITABLE. IF THERE ARE EXISTING FOUNDATIONS IN THE VICINITY PUMPING MAY CAUSE SETTLEMENT OF THESE FOUNDATIONS. SUMPS OUTSIDE MAIN CONSTRUCTION AREA SUBSIDENCE OF ADJACENT GROUND AND SLOUGHING OF THE LOWER PART OF A SLOPE (SLOPED PITS) MAY OCCUR. ADVANTAGES OF SUMPS AND SUMP PUMPING THE SUMP SHOULD BE PREFERABLY LINED WITH A FILTER THE PRIMARY BENEFIT OF A SUMP PUMP INVOLVES MATERIAL WHICH HAS GRAIN SIZE GRADATIONS IN COMPATIBLE MOVING WATER AWAY FROM A FOUNDATION. WITH THE FILTER RULES. FINALLY, COLLECTED WATER SOMETIMES ATTRACTS FOR PROLONGED PUMPING THE SUMP SHOULD BE PREPARED BY UNWELCOME VISITORS TO A HOME. MOLD CAN GROW FIRST DRIVING SHEETING AROUND THE SUMP AREA FOR THE IN WET ENVIRONMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE. MOSQUITO FULL DEPTH OF THE SUMP AND INSTALLING A CAGE INSIDE THE POPULATIONS ALSO FLOURISH IN SOME WARMER SUMP MADE OF WIRE MESH WITH INTERNAL STRUTTING OR A AREAS, IF SUFFICIENT STANDING WATER PROVIDES A PERFORATING PIPE FILLING THE FILTER MATERIAL IN THE SPACE SURFACE FOR THEM TO LAY EGGS. OUTSIDE THE CAGE AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAGE AND WITHDRAWING THE SHEETING.
A SMALL SUMP PUMPING FROM SUMPS PUMPING FROM SUMP IN A BASEMENT
WELLPOINT SYSTEMS A WELLPOINT IS 5.0-7.5 CM DIAMETER METAL OR PLASTIC PIPE 60 CM 120 CM LONG WHICH IS PERFORATED AND COVERED WITH A SCREEN. THE LOWER END OF THE PIPE HAS A DRIVING HEAD WITH WATER HOLES FOR JETTING. WELLPOINTS ARE CONNECTED TO 5.0-7.5 CM DIAMETER PIPES KNOWN AS RISER PIPES AND ARE INSERTED INTO THE GROUND BY DRIVING OR JETTING. THE UPPER ENDS OF THE RISER PIPES LEAD TO A HEADER PIPE WHICH, IN TURN, IS CONNECTED TO A PUMP. THE GROUND WATER IS DRAWN BY THE PUMP INTO THE WELLPOINTS THROUGH THE HEADER PIPE AND DISCHARGED.
THE WELLPOINTS ARE USUALLY INSTALLED WITH 0.75M 3M SPACING.
THIS TYPE OF DEWATERING SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE IN SOILS CONSTITUTED PRIMARILY OF SAND FRACTION OR OTHER SOIL CONTAINING SEAMS OF SUCH MATERIALS. IN GRAVELS SPACING REQUIRED MAY BE TOO CLOSE AND IMPRACTICABLE. IN CLAYS IT IS ALSO NOT USED BECAUSE IT IS TOO SLOW. IN SILTS AND SILT CLAY MIXTURES THE USE OF WELL POINTS ARE AIDED BY UPPER (0.60M 0.90M LONG) COMPACTED CLAY SEALS AND SAND- FILTERED BOREHOLES (20CM 60CM DIAMETER). UPPER CLAY SEALS HELP TO MAINTAIN HIGHER SUCTION (VACUUM) PRESSURES AND SAND FILTERS INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF DISCHARGE. FILTERED BOREHOLES ARE ALSO FUNCTIONAL IN LAYERED SOIL PROFILES.
PUMPING USING A WELLPOINT SYSTEM
SHALLOW WELLS SHALLOW WELLS COMPRISE SURFACE PUMPS WHICH DRAW WATER THROUGH SUCTION PIPES INSTALLED IN BORED WELLS DRILLED BY THE MOST APPROPRIATE WELL DRILLING AND OR BORED PILING EQUIPMENT. THE LIMITING DEPTH TO WHICH THIS METHOD IS EMPLOYED IS ABOUT 8 M. BECAUSE WELLS ARE PREBORED, THIS METHOD IS USED WHEN HARD OR VARIABLE SOIL CONDITIONS PRECLUDE THE USE OF A WELLPOINT SYSTEM.
ADVANTAGES OF SHALLOW WELLS
THESE WELLS ARE USED IN VERY PERMEABLE SOILS WHEN WELLPOINTING WOULD BE EXPENSIVE AND OFTEN AT INCONVENIENTLY CLOSE CENTERS. THE SHALLOW WELL CAN BE USED TO EXTRACT LARGE QUANTITIES OF WATER FROM A SINGLE HOLE. ON CONGESTED SITES USE OF SMALLER NUMBER DEWATERING POINTS IS PREFERRED (NO HIDERANCE TO CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS) HENCE SHALLOW WELLS MAY BE PREFERRED TO WELLPOINTS. SINCE THE INITIAL COST OF INSTALLATION IS MORE COMPARED TO WELLPOINTS IT IS PREFERRED IN CASES WHERE DEWATERING LASTS SEVERAL MONTHS OR MORE. ANOTHER FIELD OF APPLICATION IS THE SILTY SOILS WHERE CORRECT FILTERING IS IMPORTANT. DEEP WELLS WHEN WATER HAS TO BE EXTRACTED FROM DEPTHS GREATER THAN 8 M AND IT IS NOT FEASIBLE TO LOWER THE TYPE OF PUMP AND SUCTION PIPING USED IN SHALLOW WELLS TO GAIN A FEW EXTRA METERS OF DEPTH THE DEEP WELLS ARE SUCH AND SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS INSTALLED WITHIN THEM. A CASED BOREHOLE CAN BE SUNK USING WELL DRILLING OR BORED PILING RIGS TO A DEPTH LOWER THAN THE REQUIRED DEWATERED LEVEL. THE DIAMETER WILL BE 150 200 MM LARGER THEN THE WELL INNER CASING, WHICH IN TURN IS SIZED TO ACCEPT THE SUBMERSIBLE PUMP. THE INNER WELL CASING HAS A PERFORATED SCREEN OVER THE DEPTH REQUIRING DEWATERING AND TERMINATES BELOW IN 1 M OF UNPERFORATED PIPE WHICH MAY SERVE AS A SUMP FOR ANY MATERIAL WHICH PASSES THE FILTER. AFTER THE SLOTTED PVC OR METAL WELL SCREEN (CASING) HAS BEEN INSTALLED IT IS SURROUNDED BY BACKFILL OVER THE UNPERFORATED PIPE LENGTH AND WITH GRADED FILTER MATERIAL OVER THE PERFORATED LENGTH AS THE OUTER CASING TYPICAL DEEP WELL PROGRESSIVELY WITHDRAWN. AS WITH THE SHALLOW WELLS THE INITIAL PUMPING MAY ADVANTAGES OF DEEP INVOLVE TWICE WELLS WHEN EQUILIBRIUM IS THE VOLUMES ACHIEVED. DEEP WELL SYSTEMS ARE OF USE IN GRAVELS TO SILTY FINE SANDS AND IN WATER BEARING ROCKS. THEY ARE PRIORITY OF USE WITH DEEP EXCAVATIONS AND WHERE ARTESIAN WATER IS PRESENT BELOW AN IMPERMEABLE STRATUM. IF THIS TYPE OF INSTALLATION IS TO BE DESIGNED ECONOMICALLY THE GROUND PERMEABILITY MUST BE ASSESSED FROM FULL SCALE PUMPING TESTS. BECAUSE OF THEIR DEPTH AND THE USUALLY LONGER PUMPING PERIOD THESE INSTALLATIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO CAUSE SETTLEMENT OF NEARBY STRUCTURES, AND THE USE OF RECHARGE METHODS MAY HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED. EDUCTOR SYSTEM THIS SYSTEM ALSO KNOWN AS THE JET EDUCTOR SYSTEM OR EJECTOR SYSTEM OR EDUCTOR WELLPOINT SYSTEM IS SIMILAR TO THE WELLPOINT SYSTEM. INSTEAD OF EMPLOYING A VACUUM TO DRAW WATER TO THE WELLPOINTS, THE EDUCTOR SYSTEM USES HIGH PRESSURE WATER AND RISER UNITS, EACH ABOUT 30-40 MM IN DIAMETER. A HIGH PRESSURE SUPPLY MAIN FEEDS WATER THROUGH A VENTURI TUBE IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE PERFORATED WELL SCREEN, CREATING A REDUCTION IN PRESSURE WHICH DRAWS WATER THROUGH THE LARGE DIAMETER RISE PIPE. THE HIGH PRESSURE MAIN FEEDS OFF THE RETURN WATER. ADVANTAGE OF EDUCTOR SYSTEM
THE ADVANTAGE OF THE EDUCTOR SYSTEM IS THAT IN
OPERATING MANY WELLPOINTS FROM A SINGLE PUMP STATION, THE WATER TABLE CAN BE LOWERED IN ONE STAGE FROM DEPTHS OF 10-45 M. THIS METHOD BECOMES ECONOMICALLY COMPETITIVE AT DEPTH IN SOILS OF LOW PERMEABILITY.
PUMPING USING EDUCTOR SYSTEM
HORIZONTAL DRAINS A HIGH WATER TABLE CAN AFFECT THE STABILITY OF HILLSIDES.HORIZONTAL DRAINS CAN HELP LOWER THE WATER TABLE IN A SLOPE AND ARE A COMMON SOLUTION FOR STABILIZING HILLSIDES.HORIZONTAL DRAIN SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED BY DRILLING HORIZONTALLY AND INSTALLING PERFORATED OR SLOTTED PIPE INTO THE SLOPE TO COLLECT WATER AND CONVEY IT TO A SUITABLE DISCHARGE POINT.
HORIZONTAL DRAINS, OR HYDRAUGERS, WERE FIRST USED TO
EFFECT LANDSLIDE REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN BY THE E. L. RANSOME CONSTRUCTION CO. IN OAKLAND, CA IN 1940. THESE ARE ADVANCED ON A SLIGHTLY UPWARD SLOPE TO PROMOTE GRAVITY FLOW OUT OF THE CASED BOREHOLE MOST STATE DOTS USE HYDRAUGERS TO ENHANCE LONG-TERM SLOPE STABILITY OF HIGHWAY CUTS AND FILLS.
PUMPING USING HORIZONTAL DRAINS
METHOD OF INSERTING HORIZONTAL
DRAINS HORIZONTAL DRILLED WELL A HIGH WATER TABLE CAN AFFECT THE STABILITY OF HILLSIDES.HORIZONTAL DRAINS CAN HELP LOWER THE WATER TABLE IN A SLOPE AND ARE A COMMON SOLUTION FOR STABILIZING HILLSIDES.HORIZONTAL DRAIN SYSTEMS ARE INSTALLED BY DRILLING HORIZONTALLY AND INSTALLING PERFORATED OR SLOTTED PIPE INTO THE SLOPE TO COLLECT WATER AND CONVEY IT TO A SUITABLE DISCHARGE POINT. ADVANTAGES OF HORIZONTAL DRILLED WELL
THE ADVANTAGES OF HORIZONTAL WELLS INCLUDE: REDUCED WATER AND GAS CONING BECAUSE OF REDUCED DRAWDOWN IN THE RESERVOIR FOR A GIVEN PRODUCTION RATE, THEREBY REDUCING THE REMEDIAL WORK REQUIRED IN THE FUTURE PUMPING FROM A HORIZONTAL INCREASED PRODUCTION RATE BECAUSE OF THE DRILLED WELL GREATER WELLBORE LENGTH EXPOSED TO THE PAY ZONE REDUCED PRESSURE DROP AROUND THE WELLBORE LOWER FLUID VELOCITIES AROUND THE WELLBORE A GENERAL REDUCTION IN SAND PRODUCTION FROM A COMBINATION OF ITEMS 3 AND 4 LARGER AND MORE EFFICIENT DRAINAGE PATTERN LEADING TO INCREASED CHARACTERISTICS OVERALL RESERVES OF HORIZONTAL RECOVERY WELLS HORIZONTAL WELLS ARE NORMALLY CHARACTERIZED BY THEIR BUILDUP RATES AND ARE BROADLY CLASSIFIED INTO THREE GROUPS THAT DICTATE THE DRILLING AND COMPLETION PRACTICES REQUIRED.. 1. BUILD RATE THE BUILD RATE IS THE POSITIVE CHANGE IN INCLINATION OVER A NORMALIZED LENGTH (E.G., 3/100 FT.) 2. MEDIUM RADIUS HORIZONTAL WELLS MEDIUM-RADIUS HORIZONTAL WELLS HAVE BUILD RATES OF 6 TO 35/100 FT, RADII OF 1,000 TO 160 FT, AND LATERAL SECTIONS OF UP TO 8,000 FT. THESE WELLS ARE DRILLED WITH SPECIALIZED DOWNHOLE MUD MOTORS AND CONVENTIONAL DRILLSTRING COMPONENTS 3. SHORT RADIUS HORIZONTAL WELLS SHORT-RADIUS HORIZONTAL WELLS HAVE BUILD RATES OF 5 TO 10/3 FT (1.5 TO 3/FT), WHICH EQUATES TO RADII OF 40 TO 20 FT. THE LENGTH OF THE LATERAL SECTION VARIES BETWEEN 200 AND 900 FT. SHORT-RADIUS WELLS ARE DRILLED WITH SPECIALIZED DRILLING TOOLS AND RELIEF WELL A RELIEF WELL IS A WELL THAT IS DRILLED TO CONTROL THE SUDDEN EXPLOSION OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS. THIS TYPE OF WELL IS GENERALLY A SECONDARY WELL, DUG AT SOME DISTANCE FROM THE REAL DRILLING SITE. IT CONSISTS OF TROUBLED PIPING TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF PRESSURIZED LIQUID. THE WELL IS DRILLED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT INTERSECTS WITH THE ORIGINAL WELL. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO TARGET THE ACCURATE POSITION FOR RELIEF WELLS SO AS TO HAVE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTIONS AT THE HOUR OF NEED.
RELIEF WELL SYSTEMS ARE OFTEN TERMED PASSIVE OR
PASSIVE WELL SYSTEMS BECAUSE THE WELLS ARE NOT DIRECTLY PUMPED (THE WELLS ARE EFFECTIVELY PUMPED INDIRECTLYBY THE SUMP PUMPS IN THE EXCAVATION). THE RELIEF WELLS WORK BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE PREFERENTIAL PATHWAYS FOR WATER FROM THE AQUIFER TO BLEED AWAY, THEREBY REDUCING PORE WATER PRESSURES. THE FLOW FROM THE WELLS IS DRIVEN BY THE EXISTING GROUNDWATER HEADS, RATHER THAN BY ARTIFICIAL PUMPING.
IN GROUNDWATER CONTROL SYSTEMS, THE TERM RELIEF
WELLS IS TYPICALLY USED TO DESCRIBE WELLS OF RELATIVELY LARGE DIAMETER (100 MM TO 450 MM) FORMED BY DRILLING OR JETTING, AND BACKFILLED WITH SAND OR GRAVEL, SOMETIMES WITH A PERFORATED WELL SCREENINSTALLED. THIS TYPE OF WELL IS DISTINCT FROM THE SMALLER DIAMETER VERTICAL DRAINS CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIEF WELLS (SOMETIMES KNOWN AS WICK DRAINS OR PREFABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS) INSTALLED FOR SOIL CONSOLIDATION ADVANTAGES OF RELIEF WELL SYSTEMS ARE LOW COST PURPOSES, OFTEN FORMED USING A MANDREL TO PUSH AND SIMPLICITY. RELIEF WELLS TYPICALLY CONSIST OF A PLASTIC DRAINAGE WICKS INTO SOFT CLAY AND SILT SIMPLE GRAVEL-FILLED BOREHOLE; SINCE THE WELLS DO SOILS NOT NEED TO ACCOMMODATE PUMPS THEY CAN BE OF MODEST DIAMETER, REDUCING DRILLING AND INSTALLATION COSTS.
RELIEF WELLS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT THEY CAN
COPE WITH VERY LOW WELL YIELDS. RECHARGE WELL BASICALLY IT IS THE DIRECT OPPOSITE OF A PUMPING WELL. A RECHARGE WELL PUSHES BACK SURFACE WATER INTO THE GROUNDWATER SYSTEM. USUALLY, A RECHARGE WELL IS ONE METRE IN DIAMETER AND SIX METRES DEEP, LINED WITH CONCRETE RINGS HAVING PERFORATIONS. THESE PERFORATIONS LET WATER SEEP FROM THE SIDES. THE RINGS LINE THE RECHARGE WELL FROM BOTTOM TO TOP WITH A STEEL OR CONCRETE RING CLOSING IT. RAINWATER THAT GUSHES DOWN TERRACE DRAINS, AND SURFACE WATER FLOWING IN STORM WATER DRAINS, CAN BE FILTERED, DE-SILTED AND RECHARGED IN OPEN WELLS. COMPLEMENTED BY AN AQUIFER AN UNDERGROUND LAYER OF WATER-BEARING PERMEABLE ROCK OR UNCONSOLIDATED MATERIAL SUCH AS SAND, GRAVEL, OR SILT A RECHARGE WELL HELPS INCREASE THE ADVANTAGES GROUNDWATER OFTABLE. RECHARGE WELL
IT CAN ASSIST RECHARGE OF SHALLOW WELLS.
ALLOWS GROUNDWATER AQUIFERS TO BE TREATED AS MASSIVE STORAGE TANKS WHERE IN TIMES OF SURPLUS, THE AQUIFER CAN BE RECHARGED WHILE IN TIMES OF DROUGHT THE WATER CAN BE EXTRACTED. ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE WATER BANK CONCEPT FOR WINDHOEKS WATER SUPPLY IN NAMIBIA. IT CAN REDUCE SALINITY IN GROUNDWATER LOW COST AND SIMPLICITY ENABLES IT TO BE REPLICABLE BY USERS WITHOUT DONOR FUNDS DISADVANTAGES OF RECHARGE WELL
WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS OF RECHARGE WATER
ARE HIGH A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE AQUIFER IS NEEDED TECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO CONSTRUCT THESE STRUCTURES CAN BE QUITE COMPLEX, REQUIRING ENGINEERING SKILLS. SIPHON DRAINS SIPHON DRAINS PUMP WATER BY GRAVITY (WITHOUT THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL ENERGY INPUT) ALONG PERMANENTLY PRIMED SIPHON PIPES. THE METHOD IS USED FOR LONG TERM LOW FLOW RATE PUMPING APPLICATIONS FOR LANDSLIDE DRAINAGE AND STABILISATION, WHERE THE NATURALLY SLOPING TERRAIN CAN ALLOW A SIPHON SYSTEM OPERATE.
THE TECHNIQUE REQUIRES WELLS TO BE INSTALLED IN
THE ZONE WHICH IS TO BE DRAINED OR DEPRESSURISED. THE SUCTION END OF THE SIPHON PIPE IS INSTALLED IN THE WELL IN A CONTAINER SO THAT THE END OF THE PIPE REMAINS SUBMERGED BELOW WATER EVEN IF THE WATER LEVEL IN THE WELL FALLS BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE SIPHON PIPE INLET. THE SIPHON PIPE IS CONNECTED AT GROUND LEVEL TO AN ACCUMULATOR LOCATED FURTHER DOWN THE SLOPE. THE PURPOSE OF THE ACCUMULATOR IS TO MAINTAIN THE PRIME IN THE SIPHON. GROUND FREEZING GROUND FREEZINGIS A CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE USED IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SOIL NEEDS TO BE STABILIZED SO IT WILL NOT COLLAPSE NEXT TO EXCAVATIONS, OR TO PREVENT CONTAMINATES SPILLED INTO SOIL FROM BEING LEACHED AWAY.[1]GROUND FREEZING HAS BEEN USED FOR AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED YEARS.
PIPES ARE RUN THROUGH THE SOIL TO BE FROZEN, AND
THEN REFRIGERANTS ARE RUN THROUGH THE PIPES, FREEZING THE SOIL.[1]FROZEN SOIL CAN BE AS HARD AS CONCRETE.
SOME GROUND FREEZING PROJECTS USE COMMON
SALT BRINEAS THE REFRIGERANT,[2]BUT OTHER PROJECTS BENEFIT FROM USING MORE EXOTIC REFRIGERANTS, LIKE LIQUID NITROGEN.[1][3]