What is dewatering?
- Thread starter Quest Bot
- Start date
Dewatering is the process of draining an excavated area that is flooded with rain water or groundwater before construction can start.
It is carried out where there is an accumulation of groundwater at the site where water or sewer lines have to be laid, or excavation for foundations and basements has to be carried out.
Dewatering is the process of dealing with groundwater to allow excavations to be carried out in workable dry conditions.
Dewatering is sometimes known as groundwater control, and this is a useful description because it reminds us that the primary objective should be to control groundwater in and around the excavation. It may be necessary to control groundwater for several reasons, including:
- To prevent the excavation from flooding as a result of groundwater inflows from water-bearing layers of soil or rocks
- To control pore water pressures in the side slopes of the excavation to improve factors of safety for slope stability and to prevent damage to slopes due to seepage erosion
- To reduce uplift pressures on the floor of excavation to reduce the risk of a base heave or piping failure
- To reduce hydrostatic loads on excavation retaining structures such as propped diaphragm walls.
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