WELL

FOUNDATIONS
CONTENTS ÷
# Introduction
# Types of Well or Caissons
# Components of a Well Foundation
# Shapes of Wells
# Depth of a Well Foundation
# Forces Acting on Well Foundation
# Construction and Sinking of a Well
 # INTRODUCTION
1.What is a Well or Caisson?
• Large size prismatic or cylindrical shells which
are built deep into the ground to support hea
vy loads.
2. What is a Well Foundation?
• Large hollow open-ended structure which is g
enerally built in parts and sunk through grou
nd or water to its final position, where it for
ms part of the permanent foundation.
• It is mentioned in the IS-3955:1967
.
What is Caisson?
 # Uses of Well or Caisson Foundati
on
• Usually very suitable in deep sandy or soft soils.
• Specially for Boulder Stratum.
• Used to -
• Support and Transfer Heavy Loads (Vertical and Horizontal) and Moments
• Resist Uplift Forces
• Reduce Differential Settlement
• Support Heavy Structures including
• High Rise Buildings,
• Major Bridges on Rivers or Sea from Piers, Abutments of Bridges,
• Foundations of Heavy Machinery,
• Harbour Structures (Docks, Break Waters, etc.),
• High Tension Towers
• Shore Protection Works
• Foundations of Lighthouse, Pumphouse, etc.
# TYPES OF WELLS OR CAISSONS

• Depending on the Method of Installation-

(a)Open Caisson or Well
(b)Box Caisson or Floating Caisson
(c)Pneumatic Caisson
 # OPEN CAISSON OR WELL
• Top and Bottom are kept Op
ened during Construction.
• Install into the ground by ex
cavation of soil within the sh
aft so that it may sink into th
e ground either under its ow
n weight or by addition of su
rcharge load.
• Normally used on sandy soil
s or soft bearing stratum an
d where no firm bed is avail
able at a higher depth.
 TYPES OF OPEN CAISSON
• According to the shape of caissons, open caiss
ons can be further classified into three types a
s;
• Single Wall Open Caisson
• Cylindrical Open Caisson
• Open Caissons with Dredging Wells.
 # BOX CAISSON OR FLOATING CAISSO
N
• Open at the Top and
Closed at the Bottom
before Sinking.
• First built on the grou
nd and then towed t
o the site where it is
sunk to a prepared fo
undation bases.
 # PNEUMATIC CAISSON
• Closed at Top and Open (
during construction ) at B
ottom.
• Working chamber at the
Bottom which is kept Dry
by maintaining a High Air
Pressure to prevent wate
r from entering into the c
hamber during sinking o
peration.
 # SHAPES OF WELLS
1. Circular Well
2. Double D-Well
3. Dumb-Bell Well
4. Broad Necked Twin Well with Circular Dredg
e Holes
5. Double Octagonal with Circular Dredge Hole
Well
6. Multiple Dredge Hole Well
7. Double Octagonal Well
8. Double Rectangular Well
# Requirements of shapes of well as
per IS:3955(1967)
• Dredge hole should be large to permit
dredging.
• Steining thickness should be sufficient to
transmit the load, provide necessary weight
for sinking and strength against force.
• Should accommodate the base of structure
and not cause obstruction to flow of water.
• Should allow permissible tilt & shift of well.
 # DEPTH OF A WELL FOUNDATION
Depth of a well foundation must be such that t
he following requirements are met:
• In erodible soil, there is a minimum grip lengt
h of one third the maximum anticipated dept
h of scour below high flood level(HFL).
• In non-erodible strata, there is adequate seat
ing and embedment on sound rock or soil an
d
• The base pressure is within permissible limits
.
# SCOUR DEPTH
# COMPONENTS OF A WELL FOUNDAT
ION

1.Well Cap
2.Well Steining
3.Well Curb
4.Cutting Edge
5.Bottom plug
6.Top Plug
7.Filling (Sand)
# ALLOWABLE BEARING PRESSURE
 # IS -3955:1967 Equation for
Allowable Bearing Pressure
Q=5.4(N^2)B+16(100+N^2)D
Where,
Q=allowable bearing pressure, kg/m^2
N=corrected value of std penetration resistance
B= smaller dimension of well section in metres
D=depth of foundation below scour level in m
# FORCES ACTING ON WELL FOUNDAT
ION
Vertical loads
•Self-weight of well
•Buoyancy
•Dead load of super structure, substructure
•Live load
•Kentledge during sinking operation
•Impact load due to live load only in the design
of pier cap and bridge seat on the abutment
# FORCES ACTING ON WELL FOUN
DATION
Horizontal loads
•Braking and tractive effort of moving vehicles
•Forces due to resistance of bearing
•Forces due to water current or waves
•Centrifugal force, if the bridge is situated on a curve
•Wind forces
•Seismic forces
•Earth pressure
•Other horizontal and uplift forces due to provision of transmis
sion line tower
•Temperature stresses
 CONSTRUCTION
AND
SINKING OF A WELL
 # CONSTRUCTION OF A WELL
1) Construction of caisson curb or well curb
•Well curb or caisson curb is built in case of a dry river bed, so a
s to place at the correct position after excavating the bed for a
bout 15cm for seating.
•If the depth of water is upto 5m, then sand island is constructe
d.
•For even distribution of load, wooden sleeps can be placed bel
ow cutting edge.
•When the shuttering of caisson curb is done, then reinforceme
nt for the curb is placed in position.
•Concreting of curb is done in one stroke and it should be done
without gap so as to obtain monolithic concreting structure.
 # CONSTRUCTION OF A WELL
2) Construction of Caisson steining or well steni
ng:
•For a height of 1.5 m, the caisson steining is co
nstructed at a time when the caisson reaches a
t a depth of 6 m below ground steining can be r
aised with a height of 3 m at a time.
•Sinking of Caisson is commenced after concret
e is set for 24 hrs.
 # SINKING PROCESS
• When the curb is cast, then sinking operation is started.
• The first stage of stening is ready after curing. In inner material if
comes as a obstruction can be excavated manually or mechanical
ly. If hard rock comes in the way, then blasting may be done.
• For proper sinking operation, additional loading termed as kentle
dge is used if required. Sand bags can be used as kentledge whic
h can be placed on a suitable platform on the top surface of caiss
on.
• When caisson reaches at a depth of 10 m, dewatering is done by
pumping. Jetting of water is also helpful in sinking operation. Pro
per care has been done by adopting the proper measures and tec
hniques so as to avoid shifts and tilts of caisson during sinking.
• Spade jham is used for excavation under water and rail chisel for
clay stratum(now,dredgers are used).
# Tilting and Shifting of Well or Cai
ssons
• At the time of sinking process well or caisson shoul
d sink exact vertically downward, straight and at th
e corner position without any tilting of well.
• If the well tilt any one side from its position while si
nking operation, then it is called as tilting of well.
• During sinking operation, it may also shift away fro
m the required position.
• Hence it is much essential to take the suitable preca
utions so as to avoid tilting and shifting of well.
# Precautions to be taken to Avoid
Tilts and Shift
• The cutting edge of well or caisson must be thick an
d sharp pointed.
• The external surface of steining and well or caisson
curb should be smooth.
• Dredging should be done uniformly on all sides and
in all pockets of well or caisson.
• Well or Caisson should be symmetrically placed.
• The diameter (D) of the curb must be placed from 4
0 mm to 80 mm or larger or more than external dia
meter of steining.
 # Remedial Measures to Rectify Til
t and Shift
• Following are the remedial measures to be carefully implemente
d to avoid tilting and shifting of well or caisson during sinking pr
ocess:
1. Water jetting.
2. Eccentric loading or kentledge.
3. Excavation under Cutting Edge.
4. Regulation of excavation.
5. Providing Temporary Obstacles Below the Cutting Edge.
6. Pushing the Well with Jack.
7. Pulling the Well.
8. Strutting the Well.
 1) Water Jetting
• Used to prevent tilting.
• In this method, water j
et is forcedly applied o
n tilt.
• Application of water je
tting on higher side red
uces skin friction. Thus,
the tilting is rectified.
• Not more effective but
gives the better result i
f used with the combin
ation of other methods
.
 2) Eccentric Loading or Kentledge
• Well is normally given the ad
ditional loading called kentle
dge in order to have necessar
y sinking effort. In this metho
d, eccentric loading or kentle
dge is applied in higher side s
o as to have greater sinking e
ffort.
• For proper application of ecc
entric loading a platform wit
h projection on higher side ca
n be placed over the top of c
aisson
• The eccentric load is kept on
projected part of platform. T
hus tilt can be rectified.
 3) Excavation under Cutting Edge
• During sinking process, fille
d well will not set or straig
hten due to unbroken stiff
strata on its higher side.
• In such situation, dewateri
ng is preferably done to lo
osen stiff strata. If dewater
ing is not possible or unsaf
e, then drivers are sent to l
oosen the stiff strata.
• Sometimes if possible and
safe, an open excavation is
done under the cutting edg
e.
 4) Regulation of Excavation

• Sinking of well on higher side due to excess e

xcavation is more.
• This is all right in the early stages, otherwise
dewatering of caisson or well is needed and o
pen excavation may be done on higher side.
 5) Providing Temporary Obstacles
Below the Cutting Edge
• Rectification of tilt can
be done by inserting th
e wooden sleeper temp
orarily as an obstacles b
elow the cutting edge o
n the lower side so as t
o prevent further tilt of
the well or caisson.
• Later on, wooden sleep
er can be removed, for
better understanding.
 6) Pushing the Well with Jack
• Mechanical
jack or
hydraulic jack
can be used
to rectify the
tilt of well or
caisson.
• Well or
caisson can be
pushed by
jack to bring it
a vertical
position.
 7) Pulling the Well
• This method is
most suitable and
effective in
preliminary or
early stages of
sinking operation.
• Steel ropes or
cables are used
pull the well.
• Pulling of well is
done on higher
side of well.
 8) Strutting the Well
• Method of strutting the
well is used to prevent an
y further and possible ris
e in tilting of the well.
• The well is supported on t
he tilting side by giving in
clined support of a strong
wooden member.
• This inclined wooden me
mber is called as a strut.
• The well steining is provi
ded so as to distribute th
e uniform pressure or loa
d from strut.
THANK YOU