What Does Dewatering Mean In Construction?
What Does Dewatering Mean In Construction?
Dewatering is the process of removing surface or groundwater from a particular location. It is commonly used in construction sites to removing groundwater or surface water for the duration of construction.
Construction dewatering is a necessary process for all kinds of construction applications. The dewatering process in construction sites involves the removal of groundwater or surface water from the workplace.
Dewatering is heavily monitored by local, state and federal guidelines.
Generally speaking, water from a construction site is not supposed to leave the site itself, especially if it has not been treated. Plans for dewatering will be based on a report developed by a geotechnical engineer.
This will allow the engineering and construction teams to understand the site conditions and determine how best to carry out the dewatering process.
Dewatering a construction site helps to protect equipment and materials on-site from getting damaged by water. Nearly all construction sites carry out dewatering processes to remove water accumulated on-site.
The most critical piece of installing and maintaining construction dewatering is to plan ahead, review and adjust the plan frequently and remain flexible when necessary
What Is The Purpose Of Dewatering?
The purpose of dewatering in construction is to prepare the soil for excavation by removing excess water from the ground’s surface and underground.
This helps firm up the soil, prevents soil erosion and upheaval failure, and creates drier and more stable soils for site preparation and foundation excavation.
The process typically involves sloping the areas of work to drain water away, pumping surface water to another location, or drilling a series of wells. Afterward, the water must be discharged and treated.
What Are 2 Methods Of Dewatering?
The two methods of dewatering are sump pumping and well points. Sump pumping is the most cost-effective and works best in low-permeability soil.
Wellpoints use rings or lines of closely-spaced wells that are installed around the excavation area and connected to a header pipe, which is then pumped by a vacuum pump.
Educator wells use high-pressure water instead of a vacuum to draw water from the good points, while deep wellpoint methods use boreholes with submersible pumps to lower the groundwater level below the level of excavation.
What Equipment Is Used For Dewatering?
The commonly used types of dewatering equipment include centrifuges, filter presses, drying beds, sludge lagoons, and gravity and low-pressure devices.
Centrifuges use centrifugal force to separate water from solids. Filter presses collect the solids between two or more porous plates and use a filter medium to separate solids from liquids.
What Is The Procedure For Dewatering?
Dewatering is the process of removing groundwater or surface water from a construction site. This process is usually carried out by pumping or through evaporation before excavating the ground for footing. It also helps to lower the water table for rapid excavation.
There are several methods available for dewatering, including pumping, sump pumping, deep well dewatering, and vacuum extraction. Pumping is the most popular solution and is used to remove large amounts of groundwater or require significant drawdowns.
Sump pumping is best suited for job sites that need to pump out large amounts of groundwater. Deep well dewatering involves allowing groundwater to seep into an excavation area where it is collected in sumps and then pumped out.
Vacuum extraction works by creating a vacuum in the soil which draws out water from the ground.
When selecting a method for dewatering, factors such as soil type, budget, amount of water to be removed, and excavation depth should be taken into consideration. Additionally, local regulations should be followed when selecting a discharge area for the removed water.
Dewatering is an important part of construction projects as it helps protect equipment and materials on-site from getting damaged by water, while also ensuring safety in the workplace.
What Are The Advantages Of Dewatering?
The advantages of dewatering a construction site include ensuring stable soil and work area, worker safety, scheduling, protecting valuable equipment, and reducing the impact on the surrounding environment.
Dewatering removes excess water from the work area to prevent hazards such as mudslides, unstable foundations, and equipment failure due to bogging.
It also helps to stabilize the landscape by reducing the risk of sediment being carried off by water and prevents groundwater leakages, sand erosion, and contamination of local ecosystems.
Additionally, dewatering guarantees that workers are healthy and safe by preventing contamination of standing water.