Construction of underground dams and equipment therefor

Abstract

Abstract A method and equipment for constructing a fluid-impervious underground wall by vertically sinking an elongated web member into the ground where the wall is to be created, the sinking being performed with the aid of vertical vibration of the web member at a frequency that loosens the structure of the soil. The web member thereafter is vertically withdrawn while being vibrated vertically at the same or a higher frequency. As the web member is being sunk, liquid grout is introduced under pressure beneath the downwardly moving lower edge of the web member, such grout being forced into the surrounding soil structure by the tamping effect of said vibrating lower edge. Thereafter, as the web member is withdrawn, more liquid grout is introduced under pressure beneath the now upwardly moving lower edge of the web member so as to fill the space formed by such withdrawal with the grout which is further tamped by the vibrating lower edge to aid in soil penetration, all the grout subsequently setting to form a thick fluid-impervious underground wall segment. The liquid grout penetrates to a substantial extent the soil structure transversely of the plane of the space formed by sinking and withdrawal of the web member so as to form a wall segment which is considerably thicker than the thickness of the web member. The operation is repeated in an overlapping relationship to the previously emplaced grout before the previously emplaced grout has set, until the entire length of the zone to be occupied by the wall has been covered. This invention is an improvement over the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,222 issued Apr. 12, 1966.

Inventors

• 👤 Grisha H. Paverman

Bibliographic Details