Abstract: The application of vacuum tube dewatering technique was used in Contract Package IIB of water tunnel of the YellowRiverCrossing project in MidRoute of SouthtoNorth water transfer project. The principles as well as results of applying this dewatering method in the low permeability aquifer soils are introduced throughout theoretical approach, construction monitoring and laboratory testing results. The mechanism, range of applications and expected results are also evaluated in the paper. The results indicate that the vacuum tube dewatering method can be effectively applied in soils high water retention, such as, silty loam, silty clay, clay and mucky clay. This dewatering method can effectively drain the capillary and gravity water in the soil and accelerate the consolidation process in a relatively shorter time. It is also cost effective.

Key words: Vacuum Tube Well, Deep Excavation Dewatering, Deep Aquitard