Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE NILE DAMS AND THE ASSOUAN RESERVOIR. 401 Fig. 21.—THE NILE FLOOD COMING THROUGH A SLUICE OPENING, ESNEH BARRAGE. {Photo, Sir John Aird and Company.) The following method was gener- ally employed in getting in the foun- dations at Assiout. Temporary sudds to enclose portions of the foundation site were constructed of sand-bags,loose sand, and silt. So poor was this material that the thickness of the base of each sudd had to be practically twelve times greater than the height. In the course of a season no _ , . less than li million sand-bags Foundations. were employed for these tem- porary dams. On the water being pumped out of the enclosed space, excavations were carried down for about 13 feet. Along each edge of the trench screens of cast-iron sheet piling were driven in a further 13 feet, and the trench itself was filled to a depth of 3 feet with concrete. Seven feet of rubble were then superimposed, and the masonry platform and piers built upon this to a level above that of the river in sum- mer. While this work was proceeding, aprons of puddle and pitching were laid up- stream and down- stream of the masonry- floor. (Fig. 29.) Considering the composition of the sudds, it will be easily understood that they could not withstand a flood season ; and that, as the time available wherein they could be used dur- ing low Nile was short, the work depending upon them had to be carried out quickly. During May and June in 1900, on an average, 13,000 labourers were daily employed in sudd- Fig. 22 (1.408) 2G —A LOCK IN THE NAVIGATION CANAL, ASSOUAN DAM, VOL. II.