Dead Sea Works pumping station P5

General:

The station is a critical link in a system of eighteenth pumping stations at the DSW, which provide Dead Sea solutions to be used as a raw material in DSW. Pumping continues for 10 months a year and is discontinued for two months in the winter.

The P5 pumping station was built in 1989 in its current form. The station has to be adapted to changing environmental conditions. A significant change in a regional scale is the decrease in the Dead Sea water level and the lowering of the drain base. In contrast, water levels in pool 5 rose, resulting in changes in the ground conditions. Due to the above changes and maintenance considerations, the Dead Sea Works decided to perform major maintenance works.

The different elements of the station include:

1. Pile walls – which are used to design and support the surface, to base the station and reduce the water pressures in it.

There are two pile walls in the station (a wall at the suction side, and a wall at the delivery side). Each wall is divided into two parts: the main wall through which the pipeline passes and a secondary wall with flaps to design a suction or delivery basin and to adjust the geometry of the site.

The main walls are connected through a series of steel tighteners. The secondary pile walls, the "flaps," are anchored using a rear anchoring wall made of piles.

5. Underground drainage system - This system drains underground water to prevent the rise of water level in the station's area and increase the pressure on the different elements.

The work included:

1. Elevating the pile walls.

2. Elevating the existing piles.

3. Replacing the existing steel pipes with new ones.

4. Restoration and upgrading of the underground drainage system.