Overview of Diaphragm Wall Techniques

Diaphragm walls have evolved as a standard technique in specialist foundation engineering, by which a continuous wall is constructed from a series of rectangular overlapping panels. During the excavation, the open trench is stabilized and supported by a thixotropic slurry. Individual panels are excavated by duty-cycle cranes using a diaphragm wall grab or trench cutter. Due to the different construction techniques available, diaphragm walls can now be constructed in all kinds of soils, even in very hard soil formations and also in rock..

Key advantages of the technique:

• Application in difficult and hard soil conditions as well as rock

• Vibration-free technique

• Extensive depths are possible (>100m)