Diaphragm walls

Diaphragm walls (also known as slurry walls) can be used to form cofferdams, quay walls, foundation elements and embedded retaining walls (e.g. to construct tanks, shafts, basement excavations or cut and cover tunnels). Their use is becoming more prevalent in congested urban environments where construction below ground is becoming ever more common due to the low availability of land for development, and the associated high land prices, and to the development of deep urban infrastructure. The use of diaphragm walls becomes increasingly economically attractive when they can be used to form part of the permanent works. This chapter describes common uses of diaphragm walls, their method of construction (including aspects of additional temporary works required to facilitate construction), a summary of typical construction details which can aid construction of a high-quality finished product and a description of the most significant design considerations.