OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL
ENGINEERING

UNDER THE GUIDEANCE

OF

B S KARTHIK
Asst.professor

PRESENTED BY

AGNESH B S
1BI11CV008

Topics covered
Introduction
Concrete specification
Laying techniques
Repair works
Conclusion

Introduction
There are often situations
such as
basements , sewerage ,ducts , harbours , bridges
and marine works ,in which concrete is to be placed
underwater.
Special precaution need to be taken whenever
the concrete is to be placed underwater.
The concrete should be plastic and cohesive
but should have good flowability.

 Performance requirements for UWC

Workability & self compaction
Cohesion against washout & segregation
Low heat of hydration
Controlled set time
Compressive strength
Adequate bond

Problems faced
Segregation of fine aggregates from coarse aggregates
Water pollution
Increased w/c ratio
washout

Types of Materials
used :
Cement
Coarse Aggregates
Fine Aggregates
Admixtures

CEMENT :
Types of cements used in UNDERWATER
CONCRETING :
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
Sulphate Resisting -Portland Cement ( SRPC )
Low Heat - Portland Cement ( LHPC )

AGGREGATES :
Coarse Aggregates :

The coarse aggregate for intruded in

concrete shall conform to the following
gradation:
Maximum Size - 1.5-2 inch (100% shall

pass a 75 mm sieve )
Minimum Size - material passing a 19
mm sieve shall not exceed 5% by mass of
the coarse aggregate.

Fine Aggregates :
The sand for the intruded grout shall be
well graded, preferably of round grains
and shall conform to the following
gradation:

Passing
Passing
Passing
Passing
Passing

1.18 mm sieve
600 um sieve
300 um sieve
150 um sieve
75 um sieve

95 60 20 15 0-

100%
85%
45%
30%
10%

Use of Different
Admixtures
Anti-washout admixtures
Hydrocem
Mellose
Viscosity modified admixtures
Naphthalene Formaldehyde
Sulfonated Melamine Formaldehyde

Concrete Particles with adding MELLOSE

Concrete Particles without MELLOSE

* Black Dots
Indicates Water

Concrete laying
techniques
Tremie method
Bucket Placing
Pump method

TREMIE METHOD
A Tremie is a watertight pipe
Generally 250mm in dia.
Funnel shaped hopper at its

upper end and a loose plug at the

bottom.
It is supported on a working
platform above water level.

Specifications of concrete to
be used in Tremie method:

Coarse Aggregate: Gravel of 3/4 (20mm) max.

size. Use 50-55 % of the total aggregate by

weight.
Sand, 45-50% of the totalaggregate by weight
Water/Cement Ratio: 0.42 (0.45 Maximum).
Water-Reducing Admixture (preferably it is also
plasticizer): Do not use super plasticizers.
Air-Entrainment Admixtures: To give 6% total
air.
Retarding Admixture: To increase setting time
to 4-24 hours, as required.
Slump: 6 1/2" 1"
This mix will develop compressive strength in

Laying of concrete by using Tremie

14

Basic principle behind Method

of underwater concreting Tremie method

Method of underwater
concreting Tremie
method (inside view)

Divers Using Tremie

Concreting

Bucket placing

PUMP METHOD:

17

Pumping concrete

directly into its final

position, involving both
horizontal and vertical
delivery of concrete.
Pumping concrete has

the

advantage

operational

of

efficiency

with potential savings of

time and labour.

PUMP METHOD OF
LAYING CONCRETE

Repair works
Defining the Area
Cleaning the Affected Area
Equipment Haulage
Personnel requirements
Inspection methods
Environment considerations

At present, the Tremie placement

method is the standard way of
placing
high-quality
concrete
underwater. The other placement
method are not able to reliably place
high-quality underwater concrete for
major structures, although they may
find application in special cases.

www.ce.berbley.edu/~parmont/165/tremie
www.vulcanhammer.net
www.ce.gatech.edu/~kk92/classpress/uwat

er/index.htm
www.scanecm.com.au/products/additives/h
ydrocem/index.htm
www.ce.ecn.purdue.edu/cem/cliproj/civil/m
ellose.htm
www.masterbuilder.com/uc.htm

References: