Aldrich & Lambrechts report

Table 5

Temporary Effects of Major Back Bay Construction on Groundwater Levels



Site Dewatering Lateral Earth
Support System
Effect of Pumping on
Groundwater Levels


Construction
Project


Location

Years of
Dewatering
Probable
Lowest
Elevation
Method
or
Remark


Type
Lowest
Stratum
Penetrated

Distance from
Excavation


Drawdown


Other Remarks
Sewers & Drains
West Side
Interceptor
Charles St. to Beacon
to Hereford to Falmouth
to Gainsborough St
1877-1884Varied el. -2.0
to el. -7.5
Underdrains
& sumps
Probably wood
sheeting
Organic Silt
& Sand
No records availableSignificant drawdown in
adjacent areas probably
occurred. See Figure 4.
Low Level
Sewers
Throughout
Back Bay
1910-1912
Underdrains
& sumps


No records availableSignificant drawdown in
adjacent areas probably occurred.
West Side
Interceptor
Relocation
At Christian
Science Church
Center
1968-1969el. -7.5Wellpoints
in sand
Steel sheet
piles
Clay100 ft.
700 ft.
100 ft.
8 to 10 ft. in Sand
none in Sand
3 ft. in Fill
Recharge around Christian
Science Church eliminated
drawdown in Fill.
Subways
Boylston Street
Subway
Boylston St. from
Arlington St.
to beyond Mass. Ave.
1912-1914el. -19.0Deepest between
Arlington St.
& Copley Square
Steel sheet
pile
ClayNo reports availableSiphon pipes installed to allow
groundwater movement across
structure. See Table 2.
Huntington
Avenue Subway
Beneath Exeter St.
& Huntington Ave
to beyond Mass. Ave.
1937-1940el. -20.0Lowest under
Mass. Turnpike
& railroad
Steel sheet
piles
Clay200 ft.
800 ft.
1100 ft.
0.4 mi.
13 ft. in Sand
12 ft. (after 2 yrs.)
8 ft. in Sand
7 ft. in Sand
Dewatered for 3 yrs. WPA
data indicated large area
affected (Mass. Ave. to
Dartmouth St.). See Table 3.
Huntington
Avenue Subway
Prudential
Entrance
near
West Newton St.
1969-1970el. -15.0
Steel sheet
piles

300 ft.
400 ft.
800 ft.
1000 ft.
1200 ft.
1400 ft.
18 ft. in Sand
4 ft. in Sand
6 ft. in Sand
8 ft. in Sand
6 ft. in Sand
4 ft. in Sand
Dewatering for 5 months.
No drawdown observed in
Fill.
Southwest
Corridor
Project
Mass. Ave. to
Harcourt St.

Harcourt St.
to Berkeley St.
1981-1985el. -15.0
to el. -28.0
None required


Sumps in
excavation
Concrete
diaphragm walls

Sheet piles, soldier
beams & lagging
Top of Clay


Organic
Silt
None observed that was
attributable to corridor
tunnel construction.
Excavation open 1-2 yrs.
Observ. wells at each street.
See Table 4.
Rises to el. -4.0
east of Dartmouth St.
Buildings
Christian
Science
Publ. House
Norway St.1931-1934el. -3.0
to el. -6.0
Wellpoints
in Sand
UnknownSand300 ft.
300 ft.
1000 ft.
8 ft. in Sand
2.5 ft. in Fill
4-5 ft. (in Sand?)

New England
Mutual Life
Ins. Co. Bldg.
Clarendon St.
between Newbury
& Berkeley Sts.
1939-1940el. -21.0Sumps in
excavation
Soldier piles
& lagging
ClayNearby4-6 ft. in FillNo Sand at site.
John Hancock
Berkeley Bldg.
Berkeley St. between
St. James & Stuart Sts.
1946-1947el. -25.0Sumps in
excavation
Soldier piles
& lagging

90 ft.
140 ft.
10 ft.
7 ft. in Fill
No Sand at site.
Boston Herald
Traveler Bldg.
Harrison Ave. between
Herald & Traveler Sts.
1957Deep in sand
above bedrock


Unknown1 mi.30 ft. in
deep sand
Dewatering for
caissons to rock.
Christian Science
Publ. House
Underground
Equip. Rm.
Norway St.
adjacent to
Mother Church
1958el. -3.0Wellpoints
in Sand
Steel sheet
piles
Sand,
halfway
through
At excavation
500 ft.
1200 ft.
11 ft. in Sand
8 ft. in Sand
4 ft. in Sand
Little drawdown
in Fill.
Prudential
Center Tower
Center of Prudential
Center Complex
1959-1960el. -12.0Wellpoints
in Sand
Steel sheet
piles
ClayNearby16 ft. in Sand
1-2 ft. in Fill
Recharged Fill & Sand
outside sheeting.
Sheraton Hotel
at Prudential Center
Dalton &
Belvidere Sts.
1962-1963el. -4.0Wellpoints
in Sand
Steel sheet
piles
Clay400 ft.Initially,
3.5 ft. in Sand
Recharge system
correction eliminated drawdown.
180 Beacon St.
Apart. Bldg.
Beacon &
Clarendon Sts.
1964-1966el. -14.0UnknownConcrete
slurry walls
UnknownNearby12-15 ft. in SandSlurry wall leaked.
Recharged Sand outwash unsuccessful.
Christian
Science
Admin. Bldg.
Huntington Ave.
between Belvidere &
Cumberland Sts.
1967-1968el. -5.0Open pumping
in excavation

Unknown200 ft.
500 ft.
"Some" in Fill
0 ft. in Fill

Christian Science
Colonnade Bldg.
Clearway &
Belvidere Sts.
1968-1969el. 0.0Shallow,
probably by sumps

Unknown
"Minor" in FillNo data available
on off-site drawdown.
John Hancock
Tower
Clarendon, between
St. James &
Stuart Sts.
1968-1974el. -28.0Sumps
within site
Steel sheet
piles
ClayNearNegligible in FillNo Sand at site.
Christian
Science Church
New Portico
West Side of
Mother Church
1973el. -4.0Wellpoints
in Sand
Partially
sheeted
Sand40 ft.
90 ft.
230 ft.
8 ft. in Sand
4.5 ft. in Sand
5.5 ft. in Sand
No drawdown observed
in Fill.
Symphony Plaza
Apartments
Mass. Ave. at
St. Botolph St.
1977el. +4.0
to el. -3.0
Sumps in pile
cap pits

UnknownNearby3 ft. in Fill
Greenhouse
Apartments
Huntington Ave.
at W. Newton St.
1981el. -2.0Sumps in pile cap
& elevator pits
Soldier pile
& lagging
Organic
Silt
40 ft.3 ft. in Fill
Copley
Place
Huntington Ave
between Harcourt
& Dartmouth Sts.
1981-1982el. -4.0Sumps in pile
cap excavations
Soldier pile
& lagging
Organic
Silt
NearMinor in FillOnly pile cap
excavations went
below groundwater.
One Exeter PlaceBoylston & Exeter Sts.1982-1983el. 0.0Sumps in excavationSteel sheet pilesClayNearbyNegligible in Fill