Quicksand in the well usually occurs suddenly, so work to combat it has to be done immediately. If you try in advance to study the characteristics of the soil in your area, then such unpleasant surprises should not arise, however, when excavation is carried out at the first stage, and geological work has not been carried out, you will have to think about how to get out of this situation. In any case, you should familiarize yourself with the information on how the arrangement of the water source on complex soil is made, as well as what options exist for the development of events. It is also important to know how the well is cleaned from quicksand if the lower horizons began to silt.
A little bit about quicksand
A sign that a quicksand appeared during the construction of the well is the arrival of red muddy water, which comes in when sampling the soil. Quicksand can be very different in volume and liquid saturation. They may contain individual elements of hard rocks, as well as clumps of sand that have been cemented. They are not always at rest, can move or act under pressure. Such a quicksand when digging a well can create many problems, which is especially true for manual excavation.
Sometimes such an obstacle makes further work impossible. There are also small quicksand, the depth of which does not exceed 3 m. If the soil is not very diluted, then you can walk a similar distance without problems, while boxes and sheet pile bulkheads should be used. If you do not know the nature and depth of the quicksand, then you may find yourself in a difficult situation, it can be expressed in the following. After deepening into the soil at 12 m, you can find that the mine is quite quickly filled with water. Digging under such conditions will be impossible and dangerous, and despite the efforts already spent, the work remains to be stopped.
We pass the quicksand in the well as carefully as possible, since excavation from the recess into which the quicksand fell becomes very difficult. Sometimes for passing a few centimeters there is a need to take out dozens of buckets of dirty liquid, which comes back again and again.
How to avoid problems
In order not to encounter sad results, when already done work will be in vain, it is necessary to carry out geological studies that will help to understand what is the nature of the soil on the site. The easiest way is if there is a well in the neighboring territory. Its owners should be asked about the problems of exploitation and the depth of quicksand. If the owners constantly clean the well, but the water still remains cloudy, then you can be sure that the quicksand is nearby.
Signs of Quicksand
Before deciding how to pass the quicksand in the well, you need to become more familiar with the situation. Quicksand is a soil layer that is characterized by specific features, its base is fine sand with inclusions of soil organic matter and interspersed with silt. All material is characterized by a high level of humidity, and cohesion between sand and clay particles is reduced. The floating mass is located under pressure inside the cavity in the soil. When this pocket is violated, the quicksand begins to penetrate the dug hole and fills the space available to it.
For reference
A quicksand in a well has a nature that has not been fully studied, so it is not always possible to predict its appearance. Most often, such layers can be found near aquifers, this is accompanied by certain problems in the implementation of earthworks. The main difficulty in colliding with such a soil is the lack of control over its behavior. This is due to the fact that a loosely bound mass will gradually fill the dug hole, and after a few weeks you will have to think about how to get rid of the quicksand in the well.
Solution
Experts do not advise equipping water sources on floating soil, since this cannot be called a good idea. This is because the excavation will be complicated, you will have to dig in a hurry, trying to recapture several tens of centimeters of the incoming mass of wet sand. After all, the only way you can mount a concrete locking ring. Among other things, even with the protected walls of the well, siltation will continue, this will lead to additional costs for periodic cleaning of the aquifer.
It should be noted that work with a quicksand must be accompanied by observance of safety regulations. If you still have not been stopped by warnings, then you should familiarize yourself with the technology on how to get through the quicksand when digging a well. To carry out work, it is necessary to produce a tongue, which is a wall of beams or boards. This element should be as durable as possible, because then it will be able to undergo repeated operation. And for dense soil on the lower part of the tongue should put on a metal shoe, which has a cutting edge. As soon as you reach the quicksand, four dowels should be installed along the perimeter of the well and deepened by 40 cm. It is important to remember that the dowel must be hammered close to the walls, using a plumb line.
Recommendations for work
If a quicksand still appears in the well, then you should select the soil inside the box, but it is unacceptable to expose the lower edge of the tongue. Otherwise, flooded sand will begin to flow from under it. The above manipulations should be repeated until you can overcome the entire quicksand and reach the water-resistant horizon. This technique is considered very time-consuming, but in this case, the well can be built independently, without the help of specialists who use complex and expensive equipment.
Alternative solution
If you notice a quicksand in the well, what to do is definitely a decision. The recommendation below cannot 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 equip the well, which should reach the water-resistant horizon. It should be reinforced with casing pipes that will restrain the quicksand. When working, you will need to use a high-quality filter for the well, which is installed in the lower part, along the perimeter, gravel filling should be performed, to which clay is added. If a sand quicksand appeared in the well, then at the next stage the walls of the latter should be strengthened with brickwork, as an alternative, concrete is poured into the formwork. In this case, the recess will perform the additional function of a caisson, where it is possible to position the water-lifting equipment.
The cost of such technology is higher than if you equipped a regular well, in addition, the complexity sometimes repels private craftsmen. However, in the end, you will be able to get a well-equipped water source that will provide you with the right amount of water.
Fighting quicksand in a serviced well
If there is a quicksand in the well, what to do, you must decide. Sometimes it happens that such problems arise with a source of water that has been in operation for some time. At the same time, you can only minimize the negative consequences, because getting rid of a layer of flooded sand will be almost impossible. The most affordable way to deal with quicksand is the tongue and groove, the last of which is made of aspen logs. Initially, a shield should be assembled from individual blocks, the diameter of which is 20 cm or more. To do this, you can apply thick boards. The dimensions of the shield should be such that its edges protrude 10 cm beyond the inner lining on each side. With sufficient thickness of the aquifer, gravel and pebbles should be laid on top of the shield, the layer thickness of which should be 1 m or less. If you use such devices, they will be able to protect the lower part of the tank from clay and sand, and in the place of water intake there will be only clean liquid.
Recommendations for the operation of wells with quicksand
If there is a quicksand in the well, then you must adhere to certain rules for the operation of such objects. It is not recommended to select large amounts of water at a time. This can enhance siltation due to uneven drying and wetting of the wall surface. Thoroughly clean thoroughly as soon as you notice that siltation has occurred. If possible, the well bottom filter should be updated annually.
Conclusion
Before starting work on the arrangement of the well, exploratory drilling should be carried out , it can even be done independently. Why you can use a home-made drill or a mini-installation. You should go deeper by 20 m, and by the nature of the soil to be removed, you can understand when the tool will enter the thickness of the quicksand.