The supporting effect of bentonite slurry was already used in the 19th century by deep drilling technicians and miners (Honigmann shaft drilling method, 1893). Patents for diaphragm walls constructed using bentonite slurry were first granted to Brandt in 1912 and Ranney in 1936. The latter also developed machinery for creating continuous soil trenches. However, it was not until the early 1950s that the diaphragm wall method became widely known through the patents of Professor Dr.-Ing. Veder from Graz (for uncased bored pile walls) and Professor Dr.-Ing. H. Lorenz from Berlin (for the diaphragm wall in its present standard form), and has since been used extensively.
Diaphragm walls are primarily used as retaining walls in large, deep excavations for multi-level basements, as well as in inner-city tunnels for public transport or road tunnels.
In the Federal Republic of Germany, diaphragm wall construction is regulated as follows:
- DIN 4127 (Soil and Foundation Engineering): “Bentonite slurries for supporting fluids – Requirements, testing methods, delivery, and quality control.” Edition: August 1986
- DIN 4126: “In-situ concrete diaphragm walls – Design and execution.” Edition: August 1986
- DIN 18313: “Diaphragm wall works with supporting fluids.” Edition: 1984
- Specifications in EAU and EAB