Assessment of the Influence of the Type of Filler Materials on the Properties of Cement Grouts

Cement grouts have many purposes in various civil engineering applications such as precast construction, soil stabilization and structural rehabilitation. Using filler materials as a component in cement grouts has been increasingly implemented. The incorporation of such fillers not only does improve the fresh and hardened properties of grouts but also contributes to the decarbonization of grouts by reducing the amount of Portland cement, thereby lowering the carbon footprint of grouting materials. This study aims at assessing the influence of various filler materials on the properties of cement grouts. Three different fillers were used in this study: commercial limestone, commercial pure dolomite, dolomitic quarry dust. These fillers were assessed in terms of their effect on the spread, flowability, cohesion and compressive strength at 3, 7 and 28 days. The results show that fresh properties of the grout were dependent on the type of fillers. Dolomitic quarry dust improved the workability and flowability more than the commercial limestone and dolomite did. The compressive strengths of cement grouts did not change significantly with the incorporation of the fillers. However, cement grout samples including quarry dust exhibited slightly higher 28-d compressive strength than other samples although the same mix had lower 1-d compressive strength than other mixes. This study highlights the benefits of utilizing quarry dust in cement-based binders without compromising the performance.

Influence of Water-Cement Ratio on Viscosity Variation of Cement Grout in Permeation Grouting

Diffusion radius is an important construction parameter, because it can significantly influence the grouting effectiveness. Theoretical models in predicting diffusion radius have been practiced, but there are still significant discrepancies between theoretical calculations and realistic results in the practical construction. One of the critical reasons for the misprediction is the time-dependent behavior of the cement grout, which is significantly affected by the water-cement ratio (W/C). Therefore, this paper experimentally and numerically studies the influence of W/C on the viscosity variation of the grout and grouting process. Firstly, the apparent viscosity of the cement grout under different W/C is tested by a rotational viscometer in a laboratory experiment. Subsequently, based on the laboratory tests, numerical models are established to investigate the influence of W/C on the diffusion process of cement grout in sand layers. According to the laboratory results, the apparent viscosity of cement grouts decreases with the increase of W/C. Besides, the apparent viscosity increases with time, while the increasing range of apparent viscosity firstly increases and then decreases as W/C increases. Based on the simulated results, when W/C changes from 0.8 to 1.1, the diffusion radius at 60 min experiences a less and less obvious increase under the given grouting pressure for permeation grouting in the sand layer. When W/C is 0.9, the relative error reaches to 37.65% at 60 min, which is slightly lower than that of 0.8. However, when W/C changes from 0.9 to 1.0, the relative error becomes very narrow (21.36%), and this figure is much lower than that of 0.8 or 0.9. The simulation results are verified by field test, and the relative error is 6%, which proves the effectiveness of the analysis. Therefore, the cement permeation model considering viscosity variation of the grout is a reasonable alternative in the real project. At the same time, the time-dependent behavior of cement grouts should be considered, especially when using cement grouts with a low water-cement ratio in the practical engineering.

Comprehensive Effect of the Time and Water-Cement Ratio on the Rheological Properties of Power-Law Cement Grouts

The rheological properties of cement grouts are significantly affected by the changes of the time and the water-cement ratio, which determine the diffusion state of grouts in rocks and soils and influence the outcome of projects. In this study, Portland cement grouts with water-cement ratios of 0.50, 0.55, 0.60, 0.65, 0.70, and 0.75 at six moments, including 0 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes, were evaluated to figure out the comprehensive effect of the time and the water-cement ratio on the rheological properties of power-law cement grouts. The results showed that the water-cement ratio had a great influence on both the consistency coefficient and the rheological index of the power-law cement grouts. The former appeared to have a downward trend with the increase of the water-cement ratio, and the latter appeared to have an upward trend. There was a rising tendency between the time and the consistency coefficient, while the rheological index was less affected by time. The difference between its maximum and minimum values was within 5%. Combined with the perspectives of statistical theory, practical applicability, and accuracy, the exponential model was the optimal model for showing the relationship between the comprehensive effects of the time, water-cement ratio, and consistency coefficient of the power-law cement grouts. The linear model was the optimal model of the rheological index based on the comprehensive effect of time and the water-cement ratio. Based on this, a power-law rheological equation with consideration of the comprehensive effect of time and water-cement ratio was established. The research results could not only improve the rheological theory of power-law cement grouts but also provide technical support for engineering practice.

Designing Cement-Based Grouting in a Rock Mass for Underground Impermeabilization

Fractured rock masses below the water table are a problem in underground excavations because of their low strength and high permeability. Nowadays, these negative connotations can be reduced with techniques such as injection of cement, microcement, or resins grouts. These materials increase the rock mass cohesion while reducing the flow of water through the discontinuities. This paper describes the work carried out to design a waterproofing screen for a three-storey underground basement located in a building near the Bilbao estuary (Northern Spain) and with problems of water seepage from the river. First, a survey of the rock mass is carried out. This survey shows the presence of highly fractured zones and the variability of the permeability as functions of the fractures. Subsequently, the effect on permeability caused by the injection of cement grouts and microcement is studied by means of two pilot injection boreholes and eight control boreholes. Finally, a behavioural model is proposed to explain the heterogeneity observed in the radius of influence of the injection. As a result, a waterproofing screen with three types of treatment is designed: An ordinary treatment with cement grouts, an intensive treatment with microcement grouts, and an isolation treatment with cement-bentonite grouts.

Effect of Cement Grouts Containing Irradiated Polyethylene Terephthalate on Properties of Semi-Flexible Mixtures

The seme-flexible pavement surface is a hybrid type of pavement surface that combines the effect of both asphalt mix skeleton and cement grout. The current study investigates the influence of cement grouts containing irradiated waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on the performance of semi-flexible mixtures. The ordinary Portland cement was partially replaced by regular and irradiated PET as well as with fly ash (FA) in cement grouts. The air voids analysis, degree of grout saturation, Marshal stability, indirect tensile strength (ITS), and tensile strength ratio (TSR) of semi-flexible specimens were evaluated. The semi-flexible mixtures showed superior performance in terms of strength properties. The results indicate that with the irradiation process more waste PET (almost double) can be recycled as compared to regular waste PET in cement grouts for semi-flexible pavement surfaces. This approach will lead to a sustainable solution for recycling waste PET in highway materials for the construction of a hybrid type of pavement surface.

Study on High Performance Polymer-Modified Cement Grouts

Engineers worldwide use various additives or chemical admixtures, such as polymer latexes, to improve the properties of cementitious materials for many construction projects. In this paper, the influence of acrylic or epoxy resin emulsions, along with a polycarboxylate superplasticiser on some basic properties (rheological behaviour, setting time, bleeding, strength) of thick cement grouts is presented. The experimental approach included the use of different polymer dosages mixed with grouts made of low water to cement ratios. The laboratory tests revealed that the incorporation of acrylic resin in grouts marginally affected the viscosity, whereas a significant increase in viscosity was obtained when an epoxy resin was added. Regardless of the prolonged setting times, both polymers improved the development of early or final strength. An acrylic resin dosage ranging from 0.25% to 0.75% and an epoxy resin dosage from 5% to 7.5% displayed the highest strength values, at all water to cement ratios. Additionally, all the polymer-modified grouts exhibited a higher bleed capacity, a fact that is significantly important where the bleeding of the grouts is crucial.