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Boiling or Heaving in Cofferdams

1. Water seepage can cause boiling or heaving in cofferdams when downward soil weight is less than upward seepage forces, which can be reduced by driving piles deeper to increase the seepage path. 2. Seepage into excavations can carry soil particles out, undermining the sides and causing slumping and collapse, which pumping from well-points can help reduce. 3. Seepage through earth dams can form erosive pipes that increase in size, undermining the soil and potentially causing instability, but a properly designed filter and drainage layer can help prevent this.

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414 views2 pages

Boiling or Heaving in Cofferdams

1. Water seepage can cause boiling or heaving in cofferdams when downward soil weight is less than upward seepage forces, which can be reduced by driving piles deeper to increase the seepage path. 2. Seepage into excavations can carry soil particles out, undermining the sides and causing slumping and collapse, which pumping from well-points can help reduce. 3. Seepage through earth dams can form erosive pipes that increase in size, undermining the soil and potentially causing instability, but a properly designed filter and drainage layer can help prevent this.

Uploaded by

slawek780303
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EXAMPLES OF WATER SEEPAGE CAUSING

INSTABILITY IN SOILS

1. Boiling or heaving in cofferdams

w.l.
cofferdam

boiling

heaving or piping

When the downward weight of the soil is less than the upward seepage forces
localised boiling or piping and heaving can occur.

Remedial action:
This risk can be reduced by driving the piling to a greater depth in order to increase
the length of the seepage path.

2. Flow into an excavation

soil undermined
flow
slumping

Water seeping into an excavation can carry soil particles out of the sides of the
excavation. This results in the excavation sides slumping and collapsing.

Remedial action:
Lowering of the water-table by pumping from well-points will reduce this.
3. Piping through an earth dam

soil undermined
w.l.

slumping

piping

The erosive force produced by water seeping out of an earth structure can result in
the formation of ‘pipes’ which increase in size and flow capacity, leading to
progressive erosion, undermining and eventual instability.

Remedial action:
A filter and drainage layer incorporated at the downstream side will reduce this
tendency provided the filter material is coarse enough to allow the flow of water and
fine enough to prevent the fine material from being washed out.

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