Professional Documents
Culture Documents
HoustonWorkshop
Oct16th 2012
Introductiontodiaphragmwalls
Whatarediaphragmwalls?
Structuralretainingwallsexcavatedunder
bentonite slurry.
Bentonite slurrymaintainsthepanelsopen
duringexcavationandallowsplacementof
structuralreinforcementandconcrete.
Diaphragmwallscanbeconstructedbothinsoil
androcktodepthsexceeding300ft.
Historyofdiaphragmwalls
DesignedandpatentedinItalyinthe1940s,whereengineerswere
experimentingwiththeprocessoffillingrectangularpanelswithbentonite
slurryforstabilityduringexcavation.
Overthenextseveraldecades,diaphragmwalltechnologywouldcontinuetobe
refinedwhileitwasadoptedthroughouttheworld.
andbackfilledwithbentonite slurry.
Slurrywallisalsousedforcutoffwallsexcavatedintrenches
withbackhoeswithlongsticks.
Diaphragmwall.Thetermwashistoricallyusedforcutoff
wallsbutisnowusedforstructuralwallstoo.
=>Ourfocustodayisstructuralwallsexcavatedinpanels
underaslurrybentonite andbackfilledwithconcrete.
Whenareslurrywallsused?
Deepexcavations
Difficultsoilconditions
Rigidsupportofexcavation
Topdownconstruction
Tobecomepartofthepermanentstructure
Selfsupportingshafts
ExampleofSlurryWallConstructionSite
2 Liebherr HS 855
Liebherr LR 1200
Clamshell Rigs
Support Rig
85 Boom
184 Boom
Manitowoc 12000
Hydromill Rig
120 Ton Crane
90 Boom
ConstructionPhases
1. Sitepreparation&pretrenching
2. Guidewall construction
3. Excavationoftheslurrywallpanels
4. Desanding ofthebentonite slurry
5. Placementofthereinforcingcage
6. Placementoftheconcrete
TypicalDiaphragmWallSequence
1 Guidewallconstruction
2 Panelexcavationunderslurry
3 Rebarcageplacement
4 Castconcreteunderslurry
Guidewall
joints
Bentoniteslurry
1.SitePreparation&PreTrenching
2.GuideWallConstruction
Guidewall ontheinsideonlyfortightsites
3.SlurryWallPanelExcavation
Slurrywallexcavationisperformedinpanels(typically
10to25long)withthefollowingequipment:
Mechanicalclamshells
Chisels
Hydraulicrigsandclamshells
Hydromill Equipment
Trenchisfilledwithbentonite slurry
Howdoesbentoniteslurrywork?
Itisacolloidaldispersionofpowderedbentoniteclaypowderinfreshwater.When
introducedintoatrench,ittendstopermeatethesoil,forminganimperviousfilter
cakeonthefaceoftheexcavation.Theheadofslurryinsidethetrenchkeepsthe
excavationstable.
5ftmin
Mechanical Clamshells
Percussionchisels
HydraulicRig&Clamshell
ExcavationEquipment
>Theguidesoftheclamshellcanbedirected
inanydirectiontocontrolfrontandback
deviationtendencies
1
Hydromill/Hydrofraise/CutterEquipment
Howdoesthehydromillwork?
Reversemud
circulationrig
Vibrationandshock
freeequipment
Sizedaccordingto
site/depth
Cuttingdrums
equippedwith
tungstencarbide
tippedteeth
Drillmudisconstantly
screenedandde
sandedduring
excavation
10
HydromillDesandingUnit
Hydromill slurrywall
11
QUALITYCONTROLDURINGCLAMSHELL?
EXCAVATION
Verticality measurement and correction
Measurement of bentonite slurry properties
Documentation (excavation field reports, panel reports)
ClamshellExcavation
VerticalityMeasurementandCorrection
12
Hydromill RealTimeVerticalityControl
4. De-sanding Operation
Itiscriticalforthesuccessof
theslurrywall!
Sandcontentneedstobe
reducedbelow5%orless,
beforeconcreteplacement
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5.SlurryWallReinforcement
Slurrywallscanbereinforcedby:
Rebarcages
Rebarcageswithposttensionedcables
Soldierpiles(SPTCwalls)
RebarCagePick
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SettingofReinforcingCage
SPTCWallsReinforcement
15
6.ConcretePlacementbyTremieMethod
Thefollowingisrequired:
Lowsandcontentinthebentoniteslurry(5%,orlower)
Highslump(8to10),smallaggregate,cohesive
concreteabletoflowthroughtherebarcage
Sufficientclearancebetweenrebars(atleast6times
max.sizeofaggregate)
Goodservicefromconcreteplant
TypicalConcretePlacement
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SlurryWallPanelJoints
Formingthejointbetweenpanelscanbedonein
differentways:
Byusingtubes
Byusingsoldierpilesthatremaininplace
Byusingremovableendstops andextracting
them:
vertically
laterallyandwaterstopscanbeinstalledatthejoint
Bygrindingaportionofthepreviouslyconcreted
panel(hydromill method)
> Panelendstop=paneljoint
Circular endstops(tubesjoints)
Primary
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Soldierpilesusedas
permanentendstops
Verticallyextractedendstops
18
Laterallyextractedendstops
PVCwaterstops
Installedinprimaryandfollow
uppanels
Allowswaterstop insertionin
paneljoints
Guidesclamshellduring
adjacentpanelexcavation
Laterallyextractedendstops
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HydromillPanelJoint
SlurryWallConstruction
ExcavationtheFirst1020feetwithClamshell
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SlurryWallConstruction
ExcavationbyHydromill
SlurryWallConstruction
CageInstallation
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SlurryWallConstruction
ConcretingOperation
Challenges?
Difficultsoilconditions
Bouldersandmanmadeobstructions
Proximitytobuildings
Confinedworkareas
Lowheadroomconditions
22
Boulders
ExistingFoundations&Manmade
Obstructions
23
ProximitytoBuildings
Confinedworkareas
24
LowheadroomConditions
HowAreSlurryWallsSupported
DuringMassExcavation?
Internalbracing
Tiebacks
Concreteslabs(Topdownconstruction)
Selfsupporting(Circularstructures)
25
InternalBracing
BracingTrusses
CA/TRampD
26
Tiebacks
SlurryWallSupportedbyTiebacks&
InternalBracing
27
TopDownConstructionConcept
1.
2.
3.
4.
Slurrywallinstallation
DrilledshaftsorLBEs
(usuallysinglebiteelement)
installation.Thedrilled
shafts/LBEsaretypically
pouredtosubgrade anda
structuralsteelcolumnsis
embeddedintheconcrete
placedbelowsubgrade.
Thegroundfloorslabis
constructed.
Theerectionofthe
superstructuretakesplace,
whileatthesametime
excavationofthe
undergroundbasementcan
start.
SelfSupportingStructures
Circle
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SelfSupportingStructures
Ellipse
SelfSupportingStructures
Peanut
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Conclusions
WhyUsingSlurryWalls?
Slurrywallscanbeconstructedinaconfinedurban
environmentwheretherearedifficultsoilsconditionsand
rock
Theycanbecomepartofthepermanentstructureand
allowtopdownexcavation
Theyareversatilestructuresthatcanbeusedinavariety
ofchallengingapplications
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