Quicksand in the Well: What to do?

The quicksand in the well usually arises suddenly, so the work to combat it must be carried out immediately. If you make an early attempt to study the characteristics of the soil on your site, such unpleasant surprises should not arise, but when digging is carried out at the first stage, and geological work has not been done, you will have to think how to get out of the situation. In any case, it is necessary to get acquainted with the information on how the water source is arranged on a complex ground, and also what are the variants of the development of events. It is important to know also about how the well is cleaned from quicksand, if the lower horizons began to silt.

A little bit about the driftwood

A sign of the appearance of quicksands during the development of the well is the arrival of red turbid water, which comes from soil sampling. Quicksils can be very different in volume and saturation with liquid. They may contain separate elements of hard rocks, as well as sand clots that have been cemented. They are not always at rest, they can move or come under pressure. Such a quicksand at the pit of the well can create a lot of problems, which is especially true for the manual development of the soil.

Sometimes such an obstacle makes further work impossible. There are also small quicksand whose depth does not exceed 3 m. If the soil is not very diluted, then it is possible to pass such a distance without problems, with the use of crates and sheet piling. If you do not know the nature and depth of quicksand, you can find yourself in a difficult situation, it can be expressed in the following. After a deepening into the ground at 12 m, it can be found that the shaft is filled quite quickly with water. Digging under such conditions will be impossible and dangerous, and despite the efforts already spent, the work must be stopped.

We pass quicksand in the well as carefully as possible, since the excavation of the soil from the depression into which the quicksand has landed becomes very difficult. Sometimes to pass several centimeters there is a need to take out dozens of buckets of dirty liquid, which comes again and again.

How to avoid problems

In order not to face the sad results, when the work already done is in vain, it is necessary to carry out geological studies that will allow us to understand what the nature of the ground is on the site. The easiest way is if there is a well in the neighboring territory. His owners should inquire about the presence of exploitation problems and the depth of quicksand. If the owners constantly clean the well, and the water still remains turbid, then you can be sure that the quicksand is near.

Symptoms of quicksand

Before deciding how to pass quicksand in the well, it is necessary to become more familiar with the situation. Quicksand is a layer of soil that is characterized by specific features, its basis is fine sand with inclusions of soil organic matter and impregnations of silt. All material is characterized by a high level of moisture, between the particles of sand and clay, connectivity decreases. The floating mass is located under pressure inside the cavity in the soil. When this pocket is broken, the quicksand begins to penetrate the excavated pit and fills the space available to it.

For reference

The quicksand in the well has not been studied to the end nature, therefore it is not always possible to predict its appearance. Most often such layers can meet near aquifers, this is accompanied by certain problems in the implementation of excavation. The main difficulty in colliding with such a soil is the lack of control over its behavior. This is due to the fact that badly bound mass will gradually fill the dug out, and after a few weeks it will be necessary to think about how to get rid of quicksand in the well.

Solution

Specialists do not advise to equip water sources on floating ground, as it is not a good idea to call it. This is because the excavation of the soil will be complicated, you will have to dig in a hurry, trying to win several dozen centimeters of the incoming mass of wet sand. After all, only so you can mount the concrete locking ring. Among other things, even with protected walls of the well, siltation will continue, this will lead to additional expenses for periodic cleaning of the aquifer.

It should be noted that work with quicksand must be accompanied by observance of safety rules. If you still did not stop the warnings, then you should familiarize yourself with the technology of how to pass quicksand at the well's well. To carry out the work it is necessary to make a dowel, which is a wall of beams or boards. This element should be as strong as possible, because then it will be able to undergo repeated operation. And for a dense soil on the bottom of the tongue should be put on a metal shoe, which has a cutting edge. As soon as you can reach the quay part, along the perimeter of the well, you should install four dowels and deepen them by 40 cm. It is important to remember that it is necessary to hammer the dowel close to the walls using a plumb line.

Recommendations for work

If the quicksand in the well does appear, you should choose the soil inside the box, but at the same time it is inadmissible to expose the bottom edge of the tongue. Otherwise, from under it begins to flow watered sand. The above manipulations should be repeated until all the quicksands are overcome and reach the waterproof horizon. This method is considered to be very laborious, but in this case the well will be built independently without the help of specialists who use complex and expensive equipment.

Alternative solution

If you notice the quicksand in the well, what to do, it is necessary to decide. The following recommendation can not be called ideal, but it is one of the methods used today. The bottom of the well should be leveled, and in its central part to equip the well, which must reach the waterproof horizon. It should be strengthened by casing pipes, which will hold back the quicksand. In the works it will be necessary to use a high-quality filter for the well, which is installed in the lower part, along the perimeter it is necessary to perform a gravel backfill, to which clay is added. If there was sandy quicksand in the well, then at the next stage the walls of the latter should be strengthened with brickwork, as an alternative option is the pouring of concrete into the formwork. In this case, the recess will perform an additional function of the caisson, where it is possible to arrange the water-lifting equipment.

The cost of this technology is higher than if you were building an ordinary well, in addition, the labor intensity sometimes repels private masters. However, in the end you will be able to get a well-equipped source of water, which will provide you with water in the right amount.

Fighting quicksand in the well

If there was quicksand in the well, what to do, you must decide. Sometimes it also happens that such problems arise with a source of water already in use for a while. At the same time, you can only minimize the negative consequences, because getting rid of the layer of watered sand will be almost impossible. The most accessible way to combat quicksilver is piling and flooring, the last of which is made from aspen logs. Initially, the shield should be assembled from individual logs, whose diameter is 20 cm or more. You can use thick boards for this. Dimensions of the shield should be such that its edges protrude from the inner skin on each side by 10 cm. If the water-bearing layer is sufficiently strong, gravel and pebbles should be laid over the shield, the thickness of which should be 1 m or less. If you use such devices, they will be able to protect the bottom of the tank from clay and sand, and in the place of water intake there will be only pure liquid.

Recommendations for the operation of wells with quicksand

If there is quicksand in the well, then you must adhere to certain rules for the operation of such objects. At one time it is not recommended to choose water in a large volume. This can increase siltation due to uneven drying and moistening of the wall surface. Regular cleaning should be carried out as soon as you notice that siltation has occurred. If possible, the bottom filter of the well should be updated annually.

Conclusion

Before the start of work on the development of the well, exploration drilling should be carried out, you can do it yourself. For what you can use a self-made drill or mini-installation. The depth should be 20 m, and by the nature of the soil to be removed you can understand when the tool enters the quicksand.