Slurry Wall Design Techniques and Construction Practices Over the Last 50 Years in Northeastern United States-Video

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Video Summary

The presentation reviews 50 years of slurry-wall design and construction. Limit-equilibrium analysis has been used since slurry walls emerged in the 1940s and remains widely applied. Finite-element methods later made soil–structure interaction analysis more practical, especially for predicting wall deflections and movements of nearby buildings and utilities. The presenters recommend using both methods as complementary checks; monitoring data suggests finite elements often better predict movements.<br /><br />Construction equipment evolved from simple, cable-operated mechanical clamshells to more powerful, precise hydraulic clamshells and, eventually, hydromills. Hydromills improve excavation efficiency and verticality and can cut through rock, though obstructions may jam their cutter wheels. Panel joints also advanced, from removable pipe end stops to continuous water stops and hydromill-cut overbite joints.<br /><br />Slurry walls are reinforced with steel cages or beams, requiring careful lifting and installation. Quality control remains essential, including slurry testing, excavation and cage inspections, accurate surveying, concrete sampling, and ensuring the tremie pipe stays embedded in concrete.

Keywords

slurry-wall design

limit-equilibrium analysis

finite-element methods

hydromills

quality control