# Diaphragm Wall Calculator

Panels, concrete, slurry and reinforcement for a deep-excavation wall.

- Page: https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/diaphragm-wall
- Category: Construction (https://jianzhujisuan.com/en/c/construction)
- Chinese version: https://jianzhujisuan.com/zh/diaphragm-wall.md
- Data checked: 2026-10-25

## Quick result

With the default inputs (Wall length 100 m, Wall depth 25 m, Wall thickness 800 mm, Panel length 6 m, Waste 8%): **Concrete volume 2160.0 m³**

## Inputs

| Parameter | Type | Default | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall length | number | 100 | m |  |
| Wall depth | number | 25 | m |  |
| Wall thickness | select | 800 mm | — |  |
| Panel length | number | 6 | m | Grab width per bite, usually 2.5-8 m |
| Waste | number | 8 | % |  |

## Formula

- **Panel count**: n = ⌈length ÷ panel length⌉
- **Concrete**: V = length × depth × thickness × (1 + waste)
- **Slurry**: ≈ concrete × 1.5
- **Reinforcement**: ≈ concrete × 80 kg/m³

## Worked example

A 100 m wall, 25 m deep and 800 mm thick, 6 m panels, 8% waste: 17 panels, 2000 m³ net, 2160 m³ with waste, about 3240 m³ of slurry and 172.8 t of reinforcement.

## Questions

### Diaphragm wall or soldier piles?

Depends on depth, surroundings and cost. A diaphragm wall is stiff, watertight and can double as the basement wall (top-down), suiting deep pits, sites tight against buildings or metro, and top-down construction - but it is costly and needs a grab and a slurry plant. Soldier piles with jet-grout cut-off are cheaper and simpler for moderate depth on less sensitive sites. High water table, deep soft clay or tight settlement limits point to a diaphragm wall.

### Why can a panel not be too long?

Both the grab width and trench stability cap it. A grab bites a limited width (usually 2.5-8 m), and the longer the panel the harder the slurry has to work to keep the trench open before it collapses. Panels are kept short in soft and sandy ground, so panels are sized as a few bites each, keeping every panel excavated and concreted before the slurry loses the trench.

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