Drainage is most often called the removal of water from the surface of the soil or from underground sources. It can be both natural and artificial. Drainage is the removal of storm or ground water, carried out in order to improve agricultural technology, create optimal conditions for the construction of buildings and structures. There are many such systems. Their main element is drain - underground drainage for collecting and discharging water.
The importance of drainage
Not only the safety of the building, but also the health of all plantings depends on the drainage system on the site. That is why it is so important to correctly design it based on accurate calculations. Moreover, the larger the land area, the better the drainage system should be, because otherwise it will not only not give the expected result, but can completely disrupt the water regime of the site. One of the most common mistakes of owners of cottages and estates is the small stacking of drains, which leads to the death of trees and shrubs due to uneven drainage of the soil.
Types of drainage
There are several concepts of the word "drainage". This designation is used not only in agriculture, floriculture and construction, but also in medicine, aviation. General concepts of drainage in various fields of human activity:
- In crop production, it is a water-permeable material that serves to quickly remove excess moisture from the soil after irrigation or rain. It is used in the cultivation of various crops both in open ground and indoor.
- In construction, drainage is a method (technology) of collecting and discharging groundwater from a land plot or structure. Entire systems are used for it, consisting of wells, drainage pipes, channels and other devices. They can be created independently, but it is better to entrust such important work to specialists. Drainage, the price of which depends on the cost of building materials and the size of the building and sometimes reaches 7-10 thousand rubles per linear meter, is the basis for its long service life.
- In medicine, drainage is a way of creating a constant outflow of contents from hollow organs or a wound in the event of a violation of its natural evacuation due to injury or illness. For this, various systems are used.
- In aviation, drainage is the communication of closed tanks with the atmosphere. It is necessary to prevent their deformation under the influence of atmospheric pressure and fluctuations in fuel level.
Since medical and aviation drainage concerns only a narrow circle of specialists, in this article we will consider in more detail only the one that relates to construction and crop production.
Protection of buildings and structures from water
Water drainage in construction involves protecting buildings from moisture penetration. It is also intended to strengthen the foundation of buildings and structures and reduce filtering pressure on their structure. Drainage is necessary to protect the foundation and prevent water from seeping into the basement. In road construction, it is used to keep roads and sites dry.
To create drainage, a system design should be developed that should take into account not only materials and components, but also the characteristics of each specific site and structure. Depending on the level of groundwater, it is divided into surface and deep.
Types of drainage in construction
There are several types of drainage systems that are used in construction. These include:
- Wall-mounted, consisting of pipes with filter dust. It is laid on waterproof soil outside the building.
- Plast, which is located at the base of the structure under construction directly on the aquifer. This system is hydraulically connected to a tubular drain located outside the foundation at a distance of at least 0.7 m from the wall. It protects the building from flooding by groundwater and from humidification by capillary moisture. The reservoir drainage system is often used in the construction of heating lines and underground structures. It is created only during the construction of the facility.
- Ring, which is located along the contour of the building or land. Its action is based on lowering the level of groundwater. Since it occurs inside the circuit, such drainage provides excellent protection against flooding of the underground parts of the building. The depth of the groundwater table depends on the location of the pipes and galleries, as well as the size of the system. Ring drains are laid at a certain distance from the structure, so such a system can be created after its construction.
- Horizontal, which is a combination of tubular and gallery drains, trays and ditches. It provides for inspection wells.
- A vertical drainage system consists of several wells that are connected by a reservoir. Water is pumped out through it.
- The combined system includes drains and self-priming wells. It is used in the construction of complex in the engineering sense of drainage systems.
Land drainage
Drainage of a country or personal plot is a necessary measure necessary to lower the groundwater level. It is also used to drain waterlogged soil by diverting water outside the allotment of land. Such measures are necessary because not only the foundations and basements of buildings, but also planted shrubs and trees suffer from excess moisture. Drainage is necessary if the level of groundwater in the area is about a meter. During the melting of snow or heavy rains, it will quickly drain the earth.
Drainage also helps to moisten the soil in depth and reduce its salinity. Artificial water removal promotes aeration of the soil and its saturation with oxygen. With poor drainage, weeds appear on the lawns, for example, horse sorrel, and then bald spots from wet grass.
System planning
Before the construction of the drainage system on the site, it is necessary to draw up a diagram of its laying. It should contain the following data:
- catchment area;
- elevation marks (trench laying depth and desired slope);
- location of drains.
According to the compiled scheme, the required number of pipes, couplings, plugs, tees, rubble and sand is determined. When creating a drainage system today, geotextiles and corrugated plastic drainage pipes are often used. To drain a small summer cottage, the width of the dug trench is only 30-80 cm. This size is determined by the depth and strength of its walls. In the absence of special pipes, asbestos cement products are used, the diameter of which is 100-150 mm. In their upper half, holes of 10 mm are drilled. Drain pipes are laid at a slope of 2-3%.
When installing drainage systems, specialists use a geodetic device - a level. In its absence, 2 glass tubes connected by rubber are often used. They are filled with water, and then the horizon level is determined by the state of the liquid in them. You can also use the construction level.
Drainage trench device
Drainage for plants plays an important role, so the construction of a drainage trench should be very careful. After calculating the scheme of the drainage system, a trench of the required size is dug around the site. Crumpled clay is poured onto its bottom and molded into a tray. Sand is poured from above, on which pipes are laid. They are covered with large gravel. Its layer should be 20-30 cm. Crushed stone is covered with soil removed from the trench. When using geotextile, it is fixed on the walls of the pit, and after falling asleep, gravel is covered with lap material. Then the soil is poured on top.
All drainage pipes must be brought together in a single collector using couplings. It serves to direct the flow of water into the nearest ditch or ditch. At the corners of the system and at the places where the pipes are connected, it is recommended to install drainage wells to monitor the condition of the system.
Drainage ditches
There has long been a reliable and affordable way for almost everyone to drain the site. Using a dug ditch, you can drain excess water into a drainage well, river or pond. Most often, drainage ditches are used on low and flat land. In this case, the water collected in them enters the catchment area or simply evaporates. If the relief is gentle, a ditch is dug at the top and across the slope. To collect the water flowing from it, at the base of it, another hole is made, parallel to the first. Both of them must be connected by an additional ditch. Their depth should be about 1 m. For the strength of the walls of the ditches, they are mowed at a slope of 20-30 °. In clay soils, they can be steeper. Such a drainage system requires annual cleaning of weeds and debris that inhibits the flow of water. For the safety of people and animals it is better to protect them.
Drainage in indoor floriculture
When growing plants indoors, drainage is a must. With its help, excess water will be discharged from flower pots and containers. Drainage for a flower is almost the only way to keep its roots healthy. They will breathe and develop well. It is especially required if the house has flowers susceptible to fungi and not loving plentiful watering. Drainage for them is the only way to survive. Some plants need regular transplants. At the same time, it is better to replace the old drainage in the pot, or at least rinse and disinfect in a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
Types of drainage in indoor floriculture
There are several materials used to create drainage for a flower. These include:
- Expanded clay, which can be bought at any specialized or hardware store. It is a building material used for soundproofing and insulation. Expanded clay is a material made from clay. It is distinguished by its hygroscopicity. On sale you can find expanded clay of various fractions: small, medium, large. It is chosen depending on the size of the pot, the holes in it and the plants. Most often, medium expanded clay (10-20 mm) is used. Its volume in a container without a hole should be 1/4 or 1/5 of the height of the pot. In ordinary pots, a layer of 1-2 cm is enough. A layer of coarse sand is poured on the expanded clay, and then the soil.
- Ceramic shards, the layer of which is 1.5-2 cm. Their size should not be too large. The shards are laid out with the convex side up. A sand layer of 1-5 cm is poured onto the ceramics, and then soil is added.
- Styrofoam that costs nothing. Since this material does not absorb water, a hydrogel is often added to it. A layer of small pieces of foam is laid at the bottom, covered with sand and soil.