Lecture # 5

Civil Engineering Practice

Foundation Grouting
Instructor:

Engr. Dr. Attaullah Shah

Department of Civil Engineering

Swedish College of Engineering and Technology-Wah Cantt.
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 Grouting
Grout is a construction material used to embed rebars in
masonry walls, connect sections of pre-cast concrete, fill
voids, and seal joints (like those between tiles).
Grout is generally composed of a mixture of water, cement,
sand, often color tint, and sometimes fine gravel (if it is
being used to fill the cores of cement blocks). It is applied
as a thick liquid and hardens over time, much like mortar.
Initially, its application confines mainly in void filling,
water stopping and consolidation. Nowadays, it extends to
alleviate settlement of ground caused by basement and
tunnel excavation works, to strengthen ground so that it can
be used as a structural member or retaining structure in
solving geotechnical problems.

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 Grouting
Grouting is the process to inject grout into the ground. Hence, the volume
of the ground ready to accept grout is the primary consideration before
any other considerations.
GROUT can be defined as a solution, an emulsion or suspension in water,
which will harden after a certain time interval. It can be divided into two
main groups:
a. Suspension Grout
b. Liquid Grout or Solution Grout.
Suspension grout is a mixture of one or several inert materials like
cement, clays etc. suspended in a fluid -- water. According to its dry
matter content it is either of the stable or unstable type. suspension grout
is a mixture of pure cement with water.
Liquid grout or solution grout consists of chemical products in a
solution or an emulsion form and their reagents. The most frequently used
products are sodium silicate and certain resins.

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 Use of Grouting in Civil Engineering
Its traceable record can be as early as in the beginning of 1800s.
In 1802, the idea of improving the bearing capacity under a sluice by the injection of
self-hardening cementitious slurry was first introduced
In 1864, Peter Barlow patented a cylindrical one-piece tunnel shield which could fill
the annular void left by the tail of the shield with grout. It is the first recorded use
cementitious grout in underground construction.
In 1893, the first systematic grouting of rock in the USA as performed at the New
Croton Dam, in New York.
In 1960s, jet grouting technique was developed.
In 1977, first application of compaction grouting for controlling ground movement
during construction of the Bolton Hill Tunnel.
In 1995, the first industrial application of the compensation grouting concept was
conducted at the construction site of the Jubilee Line Extension Project in London.

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 Types of Grouts
Cement-based Grouts:
Cement-based grouts are the most frequently used in both water
stopping and strengthening treatment. They are characterized by their
water cement ratio and their Total Dry Matter / Water weight ratio.
The properties and characteristics of these grouts vary according to
the mix proportions used. However, they have the following
properties and characteristics in common.
Stability and fluidity according to the dosage of the various components
and their quality
Unconfined compressive strength linked to water cement ratio
Durability depending on the quantity and quality of the components
Easy preparation and availability
Ease of use
Relatively low cost mixes

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 Pure cement grout
It is an unstable grout. However, bleeding can be avoided
with water cement ratio less than 0.67.
Usual mix proportions are from water cement ratio 0.4 to 1
for grouting. Very high mechanical strength can be attained
with this type of grout.
During grouting, cement grains deposit in inter-granular
voids or fissures is analogous to a kind of hydraulic filling.
The grout usually undergoes a significant filtration effect.
The grain fineness is an important factor for fine fissures.

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 Bentonite cement grout
It is a stable grout. When bentonite is added to a cement
suspension, the effects are: -
Obtain a homogeneous colloidal mix with a wide range of
viscosity.
Avoid cement sedimentation during grouting.
Decrease the setting time index and separation filtering
processes.
Increase the cement binding time.
Improve the penetration in compact type soils
Obtain a wide range of mechanical strength values.
In water stopping, grout will include a lot of bentonite and
little cement. In consolidation works, grout will contain a
lot of cement and little bentonite. Ideal mixes should be
both stable and easy to pump.

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 Grouts with fillers
Fillers are added in order to modify the viscosity of a given grout so as to
obtain a low cost product to substitute the cement. The most commonly
used fillers are the natural sands and fly ash from thermal power stations.
The term mortar is commonly used to specify grouts with fillers that
have a high sand content. Adding fillers reduces the grout penetrability, as
the fillers are of larger grain sizes.
Grouts with fillers are used when water absorption and/or the size of
voids are such that filling becomes essential and when the leaking of
grout into adjoining areas should be limited.
In addition, fillers in grout will produce low slump grout with high
viscosity for certain grouting purposes.

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 Silicate based grouts
Slicates based grouts are sodium silicate in liquid form diluted
and containing a reagent.
Their viscosity changes with time to reach a solid state that is
called the gel.
They are used in soils with low permeability values such that all
suspension grouts cannot penetrate. According to the type of
grout used, the gel obtained will be water-
Tightness and/or with strength that are temporary or permanent.
When the temperature of a silicate decreases, its viscosity
increases very rapidly. This temperature should not fall below 0
degree C in order to eliminate any risks of modification of its
properties.

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 Soft gels
It is mainly for water stopping purpose. They are gels with a
very low dosage in silicate in which the gelling process is
most generally obtained by adding a mineral reagent
Their very low degree of viscosity (close to water) ensures
the injection of very fine sand to achieve the water stopping
purpose.
Reduction in permeability can be up to 1 x 10-6 m/s and, in
some case even up to 1 x 10-7 m/s when more lines of grout
holes are added. There is also a slight improvement in
strength, about 0.2 MPa.

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 Grout Injection Methods
Different grout injection methods have been developed for different grouting
techniques. There are four main injection methods to inject grout into the
ground.
Drill Hole Method
A hole is drilled through the pores/voids of the ground. Then grout is
pumped via the grouting line into the surrounding ground of a section with
the use of single or double packers.
Drill Tool Method
It is a one-stage grouting method by means of the drill casings or rods.
There are two injection methods.
A very permeable soil maybe injected during rotary drilling. During the
drilling of the grout hole, each time a re-determined distance has been
reached the drill rod is withdrawn a certain length and the grout is injected
through the drill rod into the section of soil drilled. During each injection the
top of the grout hole, a collar is used to seal the gap between the hole and
the drill rod.
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 Grout Pipe Method
Grout pipes are installed in drilled hole for later on gout injection
operation. The gaps between the grout pipe and the drilled hole
are normally sealed. When compared with above Drill Tool
Method, it is more flexible as the drilling plant is not engaged in
the grouting operation.
For multiple-stage grouting, the sealed-in sleeve pipe injection
method (the tube--manchettes method) is used. It allows several
successive injections in the same zone.
The method is to place a grout pipe with rubber sleeves into a
grout hole, which is kept open by casing or by mud. This pipe is
then permanently sealed in with a sleeve grout composed of a
bentonite-cement grout.

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 Jetting Method
Finally, a different type of injection method, the jet grouting
method, is introduced in the 60s, which has a revolutionary
change to the grouting concept so far.
The grout, with the aid of high pressure cutting jets of water or
cement grout having a nozzle exit velocity >= 100m /sec and
with air-shrouded cut the soil around the predrilled hole.
The cut soil is rearranged and mixed with the cement grout. The
soil cement mix is partly flushed out to the top of the predrilled
hole through the annular space between the jet grouting rods and
the hole wall. Different shape of such soil cement mix can be
produced to suit the geotechnical solution. The cutting distance
of the jet varies according to the soil type to be treated, the
configuration of the nozzle system, the combination of water,
cement and shrouded-air, and can reach as far as 2.5m.

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 Different Types of Grouting Mechanisms
There are lots of names as far as grouting techniques are
concerned. They can be categorized according to their
functions, their grout materials used etc. Five major techniques
are:
the Rock Fissure Grouting,
TAM Grouting,
Compaction Grouting,
Compensation Grouting and
Jet Grouting.
The five selected grouting techniques should have covered the
basic mechanisms of all existing grouting techniques.

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 Rock Fissure Grouting
Rock fissure grouting is the use of a hole drilled through the fissures and joints of a rock mass to allow grout to be injected
at close centers vertically and re-injecting, if necessary.
Grouting Mechanism
There is only one grouting mechanism for rock grouting. The following schematic diagrams show how is the
mechanism for grouting in rock. The grout is injected under pressure through the grout hole drilled into the rock mass
to be treated.

Rock fissure grouting technique has a long history of application in civil engineering.
Its main applications are:

1. Sealing rock mass underneath and at ends of dams to prevent seepage or

leaking of the reservoirs.

2. Sealing rock mass above and underneath a rock tunnel to prevent water
seepage into the excavated tunnel.

3. Cementing fractured rock mass.

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 Application

Rock fissure grouting technique has a long history of

application in civil engineering. Its main applications are:
Sealing rock mass underneath and at ends of dams to prevent
seepage or leaking of the reservoirs.
Sealing rock mass above and underneath a rock tunnel to
prevent water seepage into the excavated tunnel.
Cementing fractured rock mass. Although Rock Fissure
Grouting technique can be used to cemented sugar clubs rock
formation, like in slope stability projects, its main application
is in the field of water stopping, especially in tunnel
excavation project.

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 Tube-- Manchettes (TAM) Grouting
Tube--Manchette (TAM) grouting is the use of sleeved perforated
pipes in grout holes, soils or completely decomposed rock to allow
grout to be injected at close centers vertically, and re-injected, if
necessary
Grouting Mechanism
It is a grouting technique for grouting in soil formation only, with partial
or complete displacement of in-filling ground water. The pores/voids in
between the soil particles are filled with grout under pressure with
partial or complete displacement of in-filling ground water.
When the grout has set, the soil mass becomes a matrix of soil particles
cemented by the grout. In addition to the sealing purpose, it also changes
the property of the soil mass e.g. the strength of the soil mass The most
obvious change in ground property by this treatment method is the
reduction of permeability. Ground consolidation is also attained, but the
increase in strength is limited. For high strength improvement, it will be
very expensive.
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 Application of TAM
Main applications of the TAM grouting technique are: -
Sealing soil mass above and underneath a tunnel excavated in soil
under compressed air condition.
Sealing soil mass behind the soldier pile wall, pipe pile wall etc.
Sealing windows in cofferdams
Consolidation of loose soil mass (cohesion less granular sand)
Sealing underlying soil of dams

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 Jet grouting
Jet grouting is a grout injection that cuts and mixes the soil to be
treated with cement or cementitious grout.
With regard to the CUT and MIX grouting mechanism, the soil
particles are cut by the grout jetting under high pressure and
mixed with it to form a matrix. When the grout set, the matrix is
not only impermeable, but also possesses some kind of strength.
The strength of the matrix depends on the grout strength and the
degree of soil replacement.

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 Application
The jet grouting technique is developed in the 1960s. However,
because of its unique properties, it is becoming quite popular in
the civil engineering works. Its main applications are: -
Grouting of clay / silt soils which is not suitable for TAM
grouting technique.
Jet grout wall and roof are used to reinforce tunnel portal
excavation works.
Sealing of windows of coffer dams
Used as jet grout raft to reinforce cofferdam to limit its
deflection and thus decrease the settlement caused by the
excavation works.

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 Compaction Grouting
Compaction grouting is a single-stage grouting with high strength
mortar to the ground to create a grout-bulb at the end of drill pipe.
Grouting Mechanism
A stiff grout with a very low slump is injected under relatively high
pressure through pipes or casings into soil. The grout exiting the
bottom of the pipe forms a bulb-shaped mass that increases in volume.

Displacement of the soil is produced by the weight of the overburden

pushing back against the expanding grout bulb. Thus it densifies the
soft, loose, or disturbed soil surrounding the mass.

It can also be used to alleviate settlement problem during the

excavation of tunnel or deep basement as the hardened bulb-shaped
grout will induce an increase in the soil volume strain to the soil strata
and cause heaving of ground at the ground surface.

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 Application
Compaction grouting is a soil and foundation support
improvement system that increases the bearing capacity of
soils.
A major advantage of using compaction grouting is that its
maximum peak effect is realized in the weakest or softest
strata of the infrastructure support.
Its main applications are as follows:
a. Lateral static densification of soils.
b. Lifting and re-leveling roads, bridges, and other existing
structures
c. Blocking of flow-path of viscous liquids through stratum
layers and rock cracks, voids, and fractures
d. Construction of underpinning
e. The remediation of sinkholes
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 Compensation Grouting
Compensation grouting is a grout injection that can compensate
for stress relief and associated ground settlement.
Grout is injected through grout pipes, which are usually TAM
grout pipes, under high pressure into the soil. Fractures in soil are
created which are then filled with grout.
The fractures filled with grout will follow the plane with the
minor principle stress and formed in layers.
The increase in volume will compact disturbed soil surrounding
the mass, will compensate settlement caused by tunnel Excavation
works and can be used to lift up settle structures.

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 Grouting Equipment
Percussion Drilling. Percussion drills are operated by air-driven hammers .
The best known types are the jackhammer, drifter, and wagon drill. The drill
proper consists of a hollow steel rod, fitted with a fixed or detachable bit on one
end and a shank on the other.
Operation. Percussion drills are used for drilling in rock. The percussion drill
does not reciprocate. Its shank fits into and is held loosely in the chuck at the
forward end of the machine, where it is struck by a hammer-like piston actuated
by compressed air. During drilling the bit remains in close contact with the rock
at the bottom of the hole at all times except during the slight rebound caused by
impact of the hammer. Drills are provided with a mechanism that causes the
drill steel rod to rotate between blows of the hammer.
Cuttings or sludge are removed from the hole by air or water that passes
through the machine, down the hollow drill steel rod to the bottom of the hole,
and then rises up the hole to the surface. Removal of cuttings by water is
preferred for grout-hole drilling but is not mandatory.

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 Jackhammer drills, due to their light weight, are usually held in
position by hand. Drifter-type drills are designed for tripod or bar
mounts.
The wagon drill, as commercially available, is comprised of a drill
head mounted in leads that are supported on a track-,wheel- , or skid-
mounted chassis.

Application. Percussion drilling produces acceptable grout holes

and, generally, is the most economical method of drilling shallow
holes. This advantage decreases with depth and disappears at depths
from 75 to 125 ft depending on the type of rock. In operation, the
edges or wings of the bit wear away so that a progressively smaller
hole is drilled. Therefore, when pertinent, the specifications should
state the minimum acceptable size of grout hole.

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 Rotary Drilling. Rotary drilling is the process of making a hole
by advancing a drilling bit attached to a rotating column of
hollow drill pipe.
The drill pipe is turned by a motor at speeds ranging from a few
hundred to 3,000 or more rpm. Pressure on the bit is applied
hydraulically or mechanically. Water is forced through the drill
pipe to wash cuttings out of the hole.
Drill rigs vary in size from small lightweight machines capable
of drilling a few feet holes to several miles in depth.
Small rigs are suitable for grout holes.
A variety of rotary bits are used for various sizes of holes for
grouting.

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 Grout Mixer
Grout Mixers. Many types of grout mixers have been used, including
hand-turned dough mixers, concrete mixers of various sizes, and
especially designed grout mixers. Any machine is suitable that has the
desired capacity and that mixes the grout mechanically to a uniform
consistency.
Two mixers can be arranged to discharge into the same sump to satisfy
high capacity requirements. Manual stirring of cement and clay grouts
in a tub is not satisfactory except in emergencies. Hand-powered dough
mixers are not recommended because of their limited capacity.
(1) Central Valley-type grout mixer, 8-cu-ft capacity.
During the grouting at several dams of the Central Valley Project, a small,
air operated, lightweight grout mixer was needed that could be set up and
operated in a 5- by 7-ft gallery.

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 Grand Coulee-type grout mixer, 21-cu-ft capacity.
In the grouting at Hoover Dam, considerable experimenting was done with various equipment for mixing
grout. Concrete mixers were first used but were later discarded for the type mixer.
High-speed colloidal-type mixers.
High-speed colloidal-type grout mixers are commercially available in both the single - and double drum types.
These mixers are equipped with small centrifugal pumps, which cause the grout to circulate at high speed
while being mixed. Particles of cement may be broken and rounded to a significant degree in high-speed
mixers. This results in an increase in pumpability and penetrability for Portland-cement grout. In an
emergency, grout can be pumped at low pressures into the foundation or other places with the centrifugal
pumps of these mixers.
Water meters.
A satisfactory water meter is the single-disk type, size 1-1/2 in., and threaded for pipe connection. This type
has a 6 -in. vertical register with a long hand that makes one revolution per cubic foot of water and a short
hand that indicates 10 cu ft per revolution. For use in grouting, the meter should have a reset knob to set the
hands to zero and a direct-reading totalizer. A screen should be provided if sand or rock particles are present
in the water supply

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Agitator sumps.
After mixing, grout should be agitated to prevent settlement while it is being
pumped. This can be done by pumping the grout into a sump equipped with
a stirring blade.
Agitator should have the same capacity as the mixer so that one batch of
grout can be pumped while the next batch is being mixed. When emptying
the grout from the mixer into the agitator, the grout should pass through a
1/8-in. -mesh screen to remove pieces of sacks, strings, wire, ties, or other
foreign matter that may be dropped into the mixer.
PUMPS.
Pumps for cement grouting should be sufficiently flexible to permit close
control of pressure and to provide for a variable rate of injection without
clogging of valves and feed lines. With constant speed pumps, special
arrangements of the supply piping systems and valves are needed to provide
close control of the grouting operation. Constant speed pumps are powered
by electric motors or internal-combustion engines. Variable speed pumps are
hand operated, steam driven, or air driven.

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Grout Agitator 39
 GROUT LINES.
a. General. There are two primary arrangements of piping used to
supply grout from the pump to the hole. The simpler of the two is the
single-line system. It consists of a pipe or a hose or a combination of
both, extending from the pump to the header at the hole.
The pump speed controls the rate of injection. The second arrangement is
the double -line or circulating system. This system has a return line from
the header to the grout sump in addition to the pump line of the single
-line system. Thus, if the header connection to the hole is closed, grout
can be continuously circulated from the grout sump to the pump, through
the pump line, through the header, and back to the sump through the
return line. While grouting, the amount of grout entering the hole
through the header can be varied by opening or closing a valve on the
return line without changing pump speed. The double-line system is
generally preferred because it permits better control of grouting pressures
and allows less material to settle out of the mix to plug the lines

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 Hose.
Flexible hose is most commonly used for suction and discharge lines. If the
length of the discharge line is such that pipe is necessary, a short length of hose
should be provided at the pump discharge and at the connection to the grout
header.
Piping.
Black steel pipe and fittings 1-1/2 in. in diameter are normally suitable for
pressure lines ; but where large quantities of grout are to be injected and the
supply line is long, it may be desirable to provide a larger size pipe and
connection hoses.
Grout Header.
The grout header is usually assembled as a unit in orderthat it may be moved
from one grout hole to another. The assembly consists of the operating valves, a
pressure gage, pipe, and the necessary fittings to attach the header to the hole and
to attach the grout supply and return lines.
Pressure Gages.
Reliable pressure gages are essential in pressure grouting. They constitute the
principal index to the behavior of the hole and the stresses that are being produced
in treated material.

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Schematic Plan of Grout Plant

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