What is Brick-lined well?

A brick well is a hand-dug well with walls of brick, sometimes called "Dutch brick" if trapezoidal or site-made.The technique is old, but still applicable in developing countries where labor costs are low and materials are expensive.

Ancient

Wells dug by hand are mentioned in the Bible.Mesopotamian inscriptions tell of the construction of brick wells prior to the reign of Sargon in Akkad (2334 BC to 2279 BC).Brick wells were dug at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa in the Indus Valley.Well-established Harappan (2600-1900 BC) techniques included brick wells, probably derived from earlier designs.A well could have served a community.Clay bricks are trapezoidal, with one end smaller than the other.The bricks are arranged in circles, pointing inwards.The smaller end forms the inner wall.At the settlement of Lothal, a brick building on an elevated mound includes a well lined with baked bricks, a bathing facility, and a drain.Newer dated brick wells have been found all over the world.

They were found at Sanjan in Gujarat, India, and were built around the 11th century AD.During archaeological digs in Virginia, USA, what appears to be a brick well from the 17th century was found.Brick wells were typical of farmsteads in rural Illinois in the 19th century.In Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China, well irrigation was very developed before the revolution.Five or six people can dig a brick well to a depth of 7 to 10 meters (23 to 33 feet) a week.This can irrigate crops up to 20 acres.The same person can dig an unlined well in a day, basically digging a pit in the ground, but with one-fifth the irrigation capacity of a brick well.

Comparison to other linings

In West Africa, tree branches are traditionally used to line hand-dug wells, but this requires the use of now often scarce forest resources. Older 55 US gallon (210 L; 46 imp gal) steel drums can be used for lining.These can be lowered from the surface when the well is dug, and reduce risk when the well is sunk into sand, gravel or some other unstable formation.However, they are prone to corrosion and deformation.The cement brick lining is stronger and not easily deformed, and the layers can be connected structurally.They are usually cost-effective, although more expensive than barrel liners.Rebar-reinforced wells are again stronger and can be drilled deeper, but they are often prohibitively expensive in developing countries.Precast concrete pipe is also an excellent liner, especially if it has tongue and groove joints and a smooth exterior, as it can be used as a fence as the well deepens.Likewise, cost may limit its use.