Scope

Definition Of Cofferdam Types Of Cofferdam General Design Considerations Of Cofferdams Advantages And Disadvantages Of Cofferdam Typical Items Needed For Constructions Of Cofferdam Overview Of Steel Sheet Piling Pictures Of Basic Construction Procedures For a Braced-Cofferdam Pictorial Presentation Of Olmsted Lock Project

What is a Cofferdam??
A cofferdam is a temporary structure designed to keep water and/or soil out of the excavation in which a bridge pier or other structure is built. -Standard Handbook of Heavy Construction

Advantages of Cofferdams
Allow excavation and construction of structures in otherwise poor environment Provides safe environment to work Contractors typically have design responsibility Steel sheet piles are easily installed and removed Materials can typically be reused on other projects

Disadvantages of Cofferdams
Special equipment required Relatively expensive Typically very time consuming & tedious If rushed, sheets can be driven out of locks or out of plumb When in flowing water log jams may occur creating added stress on structure

Types of Cofferdams
Braced Earth-Type Timber Crib

Double Walled Sheet Pile

Cellular

Braced Cofferdams
Formed from a single wall of sheet piling Driven into the ground to form a box around the excavation site The box is then braced on the inside Interior is dewatered Primarily used for bridge piers in shallow water (30 - 35 ft depth)

Earth-Type Cofferdams
Simplest Type of Cofferdam

Consists of an earth bank with clay core or vertical sheet piling enclosing the excavation Used for low-level waters with low velocity Easily scoured by water rising over the top

Timber Crib Cofferdam

Cellular-Type Cofferdam Constructed on land and floated into place Lower portion of each cell matched with contour of river bed Uses rock ballast and soil to decrease seepage and and sink into place

Timber Crib Cofferdam (cont.)

Usually consists of 12 x 12 cells Used in rapid currents or on rocky river beds Must be properly designed to resist lateral forces such as: -Tiping / Overturning -Sliding

Double-Walled Cofferdam
Two-parallel rows of steel sheet piles driven into the ground Tied together with anchors and wales, then filled with soil Three principle types: Box: Consists of straight flush walls Semicircular cells connected by diaphragms Circular cells connected with tie-rods or diaphragms

Cellular Cofferdams
Two main types are circular and segmental Can be used on temporary or permanent basis Forces are resisted by the mass of the cofferdam

Cofferdam Design Considerations

Scouring or undermining by rapidly flowing water Stability against overturning or tilting Upward forces on outside edge due to tilting Stability against vertical shear Effects of forces resulting from: Ice, Wave, Water, Active Earth and Passive Earth Pressures

Items needed for installation

Pile driving hammer Vibratory or Impact Crane of sufficient size Steel sheet piles are typically used H-piles and/or wide-flange beams for wales and stringers Barges may be required

Pictures of Pile Hammers

Vibratory Pile Driver Impact hammer

Steel Sheet Piling Properties

Moderately watertight High shear and bending strength High interlock strength Easy to install/remove Reusable Can be cantilevered but typically require additional structural member (i.e. wales and cross bracing)

Traditional Sheet Pile Shapes

Z-Type (Z) Used for intermediate to deep wall construction

Larson / U Type (U) Used for applications Similar to Z-Type

Arch shaped & lightweight Used for shallower wall construction

Flat / Straight Type (SA),(S) Used for filled cell construction

Steel Sheet Pile Interlocks

No industry Standard Interlocks Should: provide relative water or earth-tight connections permit reasonable free sliding to connect sheets during installation provide minimum guaranteed pull strength allow minimum swing between locks in order to form a circle

Typical Types of Interlocks

Thumb & Finger Three Point Contact (TF) Ball & Socket (BS)

Single Jaw (SJ)

Thumb & Finger One Point Contact (TFX)

Double Jaw (DJ) Double Hook (DH)

Hook & Grip (HG)

Braced Cofferdam Construction

Install Wale and Strut System for Framework / Template

Braced Cofferdam Construction

Install Wale and Strut System for Framework/Template

Braced Cofferdam Construction

Install Sheet piles using the Framework as Template

Braced Cofferdam Construction

Install Sheet piles using the Framework as Template

Braced Cofferdam Construction

Tips for installing sheet piles: -Always set up a template system -Rule of thumb:Crane Boom length should be twice that of the sheets -Drive the sheets with the male interlock leading in order to avoid soil plugs -If the female interlock must lead,place a bolt or other object at the bottom to avoid debris filling the slot -Align the plumb the first two sheets and drive carefully and accurately -Drive sheet in pairs when possible placing the hammer in the center of the pair -Some contractors recommend not driving a sheet more than 1/3 its length before driving the adjacent pile -letting the sheets freefall and drop in order to aid in penetration will generally cause the sheet to fall out of plumb -Cellular cofferdam require that all sheets are set and closed before any driving is done -Finallynever rush the pile Foreman!!

Olmstead Lock & Dam Project

Project required massive cofferdam for Lock construction
L o c k

c o n s t r u c t i o n

Rendering of completed project

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

Overview of Cofferdam Construction U-shaped cellular cofferdam Consisted of 50 round cells and 49 peanut shaped connecting arcs Cells have 63 diameter and place 81 on center Round cells consist of 120 sheets and arcs consist of 50 sheets (25 inside & out) Sheet piling ranged from 50 to 109 in length All cells filled with approx. 675,000 CY of sand

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

-Pictorial Presentation of Cofferdam Construction

Site before construction

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

First six months of construction. Excavation of terrain performed to avoid sliding While lock foundation was being excavated.

1 Nov 1993

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

Several high water events during the fall of1993 and spring of 1994 Slowed the river work

4,Mar,1994

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

Deflector and cell being constructed simultaneously

Deflectors 11,July,1994 cells

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

Typical Cell Framework and Construction

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

Typical Pile driving operation Using a vibratory hammer. Impact hammer were also used.

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

1,Nov,1994

Construction status improved significantly due during Summer and fall of 1994 due to extremely good river conditions

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

Typical Cell Filling Operation

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

Location of connecting arc

Typical Round Cell Construction

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

2,May,1995

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

28,May,1995

Dewatering of cofferdam was delayed due to a flood,in this photo The water is within 1 foot of the top of cofferdam

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

8,Aug,1995

Dewatering of cofferdam took approx. 40 days,beginning in July of 1995

Olmsted Cofferdam Project

28,Dec,1995

Completed Cofferdam , turned over to lock contractor

Olmsted Lock Project

Sept,1998 Typical day of operations within the Cofferdam

Olmsted Lock Project

Overview shot of project as of Dec,9,1998

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