Ground Water Control

Constructing works below ground level is a major part of the work of a Civil Engineer and the ingress of ground water can cause serious problems. Water-logged conditions can slow work considerably and cause safety problems, such as erosion or collapse of the sides of an excavation, or even flooding, and so ground water must be controlled to carry out work effectively. It is not possible to consider ground water control without also looking at ground support methods since many systems have a dual purpose. Such systems will be explained within the text. In general there are two types of water to control.