Civil Engineering Problems Involving Soil And Groundwater

Construction of tunnels comes with many complex civil Engineering problems. The typical reinforced-concrete diaphragm called slurry wall is used in underground constructions like mines. When it comes to the construction of slurry walls, proper care should be taken as there are chances for these walls to collapse during construction. Most of the construction professionals come up with such kinds of complex civil engineering problems during underground construction works. Just keep reading on the article to know more about the 3 common civil engineering problems and their solutions.

1. The Slurry walls

The main purpose of the slurry wall is to prevent or redirect the flow of ground water. These slurry walls are indispensable for underground constructions near hazardous waste dumping sites. For example, the construction of dams may be near to the hazardous waste dumping sites and hence it is necessary to effectively stop the flow of contaminated water to the dam water. Most of the construction experts face complicated problems while constructing slurry walls. Once of the main problems is that these slurry walls will easily collapse if not properly built. The durability of a slurry wall great depends upon the mixing of slurry. All the difficulties involved in the construction of slurry walls could be overcome by the use of modern special equipments for the construction of tunnels.

2. Ground Improvement

Compact soil is very much essential for strong building foundations. However the nature of soil will vary from place to place. Hence it is necessary to do some processing for making the soil compact before the construction work is started. Today, with the advancements in technology, several ground improvement techniques are available. Deep soil mixing is the best solution for compacting soil. Though there are several other ground improvement techniques, no other technique is as effective as deep soil mixing. The soil becomes as compact as concrete after deep soil mixing. This provides great support to the foundation of buildings. Deep soil mixing is done by pumping the Binder into the soil and simultaneously mixing the binder and soil with a device normally mounted on an excavator. The most commonly used binders for deep soil mixing are Lime/Quick Lime, Fly ash and Sludge.

3. French drain to redirect ground water

Ground water can be harmful to a building if it penetrates the basements. The building will even collapse if the ground water is allowed to flow into the basement for a prolonged period. Hence ground water redirection is very much important for effective construction. The French drain is one of the best options available for redirection of ground water. The French drains have the capability of relieving ground water pressure near the retaining walls.

Bottom Line

The civil engineering problems related to construction are very complicated. Hence it is always good to seek professional assistance from some construction experts.