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Diaphragm wall2023-11-10T12:45:25+01:00

Project Description

A Soletanche Bachy expertise

A diaphragm wall is a support of excavation technique used by Soletanche Bachy for almost 60 years.

What is a diaphragm wall ?

 

A diaphragm wall is a reinforced concrete curtain cast into the ground, mainly used for support and foundation works.

Created for all types of structures – underground stations, buildings, car parks, tanks, dams – and in all types of soil and rock and regardless of the environment, the diaphragm wall is a technique frequently used to provide a permanent support of excavation, build deep foundations or deep continuous cut-off walls.

Diaphragm Wall is one of the most common technique for Soletanche Bachy’s Core Business.

 

 

What are the advantages of this technique?

Suitable in presence of groundwater table

 

Favoured in urban environments, close to other existing in the vicinity, with limited headroom or within a small site footprint

 

Can be used as a temporary or permanent structure

The high inertia of diaphragm wall makes it much less subject to deformation

The environmental benefit

  • Low-carbon concrete, thanks to our EXEGY by Soletanche Bachy supply solution.
  • Electrical equipment, with the use of the Hydrofraise® with electric power pack or connected to a battery pack.
  • Designs optimized by our design offices, which allow us to propose alternatives that reduce the quantity of materials (permanent diaphragm wall without reinforcement).

How to implement a diaphragm wall ?

A diaphragm wall involves excavating a trench, which can reach 90m depth and beyond, using a mechanical or hydraulic grab or a Hydrofraise® (technology developed by Soletanche Bachy) depending on the type of soil encountered. In general, the construction of a diaphragm wall follows the following steps:

Procédé de réalisation d'une paroi moulée à l'Hydrofraise
Procédé de réalisation d'une paroi moulée à l'Hydrofraise

Why working with Soletanche Bachy?

Expertise in this technique

Expertise in this technique

An in-house laboratory to meet the requirements of each project

An in-house laboratory to meet the requirements of each project

We design and build our own specific equipment including different versions of grabs and Hydrofraise®.

We design and build our own specific equipment including different versions of grabs and Hydrofraise®.

A Z-Lyze® digital platform for collecting, analyzing and tracking project data in real time.

A Z-Lyze® digital platform for collecting, analyzing and tracking project data in real time.

More than 60 years of experience worldwide

More than 60 years of experience worldwide

Execution controls and monitoring

Each step of the diaphragm wall process is complex and impacts the quality of the finished structure. Soletanche Bachy implements a range of methods and procedures based on its vast experience with requirements that exceed compliance with standards.

Excavation

For hydraulic grabs and Hydrofraise®, deviations are measured in real time using a range of high-precision sensors developed and patented by Soletanche Bachy and embedded down the hole. Deviations measured in real time are immediately corrected using electronic and mechanical means available to the operator.  Z-Lyze® tool is used to process computer data generated by on-board acquisition systems installed on each rig.

Concreting

During excavation and before concreting, physical and chemical properties of the support fluid are checked. When pouring concrete, a concreting curve is established in real time to detect any anomaly In the meantime, concrete is tested and fresh concrete samples are taken for further UCS testing. In the event of technical difficulties, our internal materials laboratory can carry out additional tests at the start of construction, to ensure the quality of the concrete.

Execution controls

Sonic integrity checks can be carried out the completion of a diaphragm wall panel, using tubes pre-installed with the reinforcement cage.
inclinometer controls can be used to monitor the diaphragm wall during the excavation and during the life of the structure.

Did you know ?

The Soletanche Bachy group also has experience and expertise in other support techniques:

Sheet piles: metal sections fitted with joints and interconnected. Sheet piles are used to form a continuous supporting screen.

Contiguous or secant piles: a wall formed from a series of piles.

Berlin-type wall: composite retaining wall made using resistant vertical stiffeners and horizontal shielding made from wood, steel, concrete, etc., between those stiffeners.

Precast wall: composite retaining wall made from contiguous vertical prefabricated reinforced concrete elements, lowered into a grout excavation to make the lower section watertight.

Deep Soil Mixing: permanent or temporary support of excavation made with structural vertical beams installed in a soil cement material mixed in situ.

Sprayed concrete: unshuttered concrete structure created by spraying using a gun. This forms a consistent mass, compacted by its own kinetic energy.

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