Research Article
Sep 1974
Dewatering Case History in Florida
Publication: Journal of the Construction Division
Volume 100, Issue 3
Abstract
A project required lowering the water 15 ft in a 100-ft x 110-ft excavation in sand in Florida. A wellpoint system finally reaching 452 points pumping 8,000 gpm from three stages with tips in the 16 ft. of sand below final grade, lowered the water only 11 ft. Large boils then warned of trouble. Piezometers, flownets, boring recharge tests, and a simple and dual pumping test from 12-in wells proved that a high-permeability limestone under the sand supplied the water. Because of a potential 50% cost saving over alternate methods, the engineers tried an inverted, weighted filter scheme requiring removal of all wellpoints, flooding and then shaping the excavation, and finally covering the sand with a 7-ft blanket of fine and then coarse gravel. The scheme also required pumping from a single sump fed by a 12-in perimeter pipe drain within the blanket. The scheme succeeded, but an unexpected low-permeability silty layer lining the natural sand first required puncturing by a field of 120 short, buried, self-pumping, and unconnected wellpoints.
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Information
Published In
Journal of the Construction Division
Volume 100 • Issue 3 • September 1974
Pages: 377 - 393
Copyright
© 1974 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published in print: Sep 1974
Published online: Feb 11, 2021
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Authors
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John H. Schmertmann, F.ASCE
Prof. of Civ. Engrg., Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
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ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.