CONSTRUCTION OF LIQUID RETAINING

STRUCTURES
at
Rathamalna/ Moratuwa Waste Water
Treatment Plant

by PKDN Chinthaka Somaratna

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Project Name : Design and Construction of

Rathamalna/Moratuwa and Jaela/Ekala
Waste water disposal system
Client : National Water Supply and
Drainage Board
Funding Agency: Swedish International
Development Agency (SIDA)
Consultant : Sweco international
Contractor : E. Phil & Sons AS.
Sub Contractor : China Geo Engineering
Cooperation

RATMALANA/MORATUWA

LAYOUT OF THE RATHAMALANA/MORATUWA

WWTP

PLAN VIEW OF THE TANKS

42.8
m

14.2
m

38m

5.0
m

15.0
m

10.8
m

SECTION OF THE WWTP

3.0m
42.8
m

38m

Wall Height = 6.6m , 4.5m

Base thickness = 800mm, 500mm
Tapered Wall Bottom thickness 800mm, Top thickness 400mm

5.0
m

10.8
m

PARTIAL CONTRACTION JOINTS AT BASE

Surface type
waterstops used at
the base
50% of the
Reinforcement
continued at joint
Grove has provided
25mmx 20mm and
filled with water
proofing sealant.

BASE CONSTRUCTION
Sulfate resistance
cement had used for
the ready-mix
concrete.
At the construction
joints surface type
waterstops used.

WALLS CONSTRUCTION

PARTIAL CONTRACTION JOINTS AT WALLS

Flat type
waterstops used at
the walls
Half the
Reinforcement
continued at joint
Grove has provided
and water proofing
sealant on both
side of the wall

 Alternative Panels
were concrete to
minimize the early
thermal cracking
Application of
bitumen Paint for
the wall section
below the ground.

CURING WORKS

CONSTRUCTION JOINTS

At the construction
joints waterstops
has not used.
Surface chipped
and clean properly.
Before fixing the
formwork and prior
to concrete.
Bonding agent has
used prior to the
concreting the
second and third
lifts

Constructio
n joints.

Partial
Contractio
n joints.

MAJOR ISSUES
Surface Crakes
Pass through cracks and leaking while testing the
water tightness.
Honey combs
At the wall construction formwork of 2.5 m height
and the formwork has failed while vibrating due
to lack of ties at the beginning and later it has
corrected.

HONEY COMBS
Honeycombs only
in few places were
observed.
Good workability
of the concrete
and good
vibration make
less honeycombs
Those few
honeycombs were
repaired using
non shrinkage
grout

WATER LEAKING- PASS THROUGH

CRACKS

TWO METHODS USED FOR RECTIFYING THE

CRACKS
RECTIFYING THE SURFACE CRACKS

Cutting the grove

along the surface
cark and non
shrinkage grout is
used on the grove
for the rectifying
those surface
cracks.

RECTIFYING THE PASS THROUGH CRACKS

Pressure grouting has used for rectifying the pass through

cracks

While commissioning this waste water treatment plant main

contractor has bankrupt in Europe and contract has terminated in 30
November 2013 with the 95% of the work has completed.
NWS&DB faced lots of problems and with the assist of the M&E
Subcontractor finally this waste water treatment plant has declared
open on September 2014.

THANK YOU