Cellular Cofferdam to act as permanent foundation
Cellular Cofferdam to act as permanent foundation
(OP)
I am designing foundations for a large Museum that is to be built in a river. The river bed consists of a couple metres of alluvium (both cohesive and granular) and some glacial deposits on top of bed rock, andesite. I was thinking of doing a land reclaim however I am not allowed to just back tip into the river for obvious environmental reasons. I was thinking of constructing a large cellular cofferdam which follows the line of the actual building and therefore the building walls will sit on the cofferdam with land infill in the space enclosed by the cellular cofferdam. Have cofferdams been used in a permanent fashion like this before with a large multiple storey building on top?
I was worried about the sliding resistance of the cells of the cofferdam on the rock due to the heavy load of the building and lateral earth pressure wanting to force the cells apart?
If anyone has any ideas then I appreciate the help.
Also if anyone can suggest a better alternative to cellular cofferdam I would love to hear from you. I have also thought about cassion piles into the bed rock then filled with reinforcement and concrete. Or Spread foundations constructed on the river bed?
Thanks
I was worried about the sliding resistance of the cells of the cofferdam on the rock due to the heavy load of the building and lateral earth pressure wanting to force the cells apart?
If anyone has any ideas then I appreciate the help.
Also if anyone can suggest a better alternative to cellular cofferdam I would love to hear from you. I have also thought about cassion piles into the bed rock then filled with reinforcement and concrete. Or Spread foundations constructed on the river bed?
Thanks





RE: Cellular Cofferdam to act as permanent foundation
www.PeirceEngineering.com
RE: Cellular Cofferdam to act as permanent foundation
Good luck.
RE: Cellular Cofferdam to act as permanent foundation
A lot would depend on "normal" river depth, design flood depth, and size of the structure. If the "normal" river depth is small, then a temporary diversion structure will be fairly easy to construct and the building could be founded on piles or caisons bearing in alluvium or on rock. As the river depth increases, then some sort of foundation that could be installed from river level may be more desirable. Large diameter drilled caisons may be an option.
Mike Lambert
RE: Cellular Cofferdam to act as permanent foundation