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Rock bolts are commonly used to stabilise slopes and underground excavations but their installation can sometimes be difficult in challenging grounds due to excessive leakage or washout of the grout. To manage these problems, tubular geotextile socks have been adopted in the industry but there has been a lack of research on their properties. To advance the understanding of sock behaviour, the water permittivity and filtration properties of two types of grout sock have been investigated in their unstretched state. From the permittivity tests, it is shown that water flow through these socks will be laminar and that using more than one layer in a setup can effectively reduce the flow velocity. Moreover, it has been shown that the effect of the tester should be considered in the analysis or else the permittivity of the geotextile could be underestimated. From the filtration tests, it is shown that both types of grout sock tested are effective in minimising grout loss and that the permittivity of the filter cake will be many orders of magnitude lower than that of the socks. The results also show that the water–cement ratio of the grout will be reduced as a result of the dewatering process.

Understanding the mechanism of progressive debonding of bolts is of great significance for underground safety. In this paper, both laboratory experiment and numerical simulation of the pull-out tests were performed. The experimental pull-out test specimens were prepared using cement mortar material, and a relationship between the pull-out strength of the bolt and the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of cement mortar material specimen was established. The locations of crack developed in the pull-out process were identified using the acoustic emission (AE) technique. The pull-out test was reproduced using 2D Particle Flow Code (PFC2D) with calibrated parameters. The experimental results show that the axial displacement of the cement mortar material at the peak load during the test was approximately 5 mm for cement-based grout of all strength. In contrast, the peak load of the bolt increased with the UCS of the confining medium. Under peak load, cracks propagated to less than one half of the anchorage length, indicating a lag between crack propagation and axial bolt load transmission. The simulation results show that the dilatation between the bolt and the rock induced cracks and extended the force field along the anchorage direction; and, it was identified as the major contributing factor for the pull-out failure of rock bolt.

Jet grouting is one of the most widely applied soil improvement techniques. It is suitable for most geotechnical problems, including improving bearing capacity, decreasing settlement, forming seals, and stabilizing slopes. One of the difficulties faced by designers is determining the strength and geometry of elements created using this method. Jet grouted soil-cement columns in soil are a complicated issue because they are dependent on a number of parameters such as soil type, grout and water flow rate, rotation and lifting speed of monitor, nozzle jetting force, and water to cement ratio of slurry. This paper discusses the effect of the water-cement ratio on the physical and mechanical characteristics of soilcrete. In the laboratory, sandy soil mixed with cement grout with water-cement ratio varies from (0.7:1 to 1.4:1). To evaluate the characteristics of soilcrete, 96 specimens were prepared in the laboratory and tested at different curing times. The results indicate that the Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) of soilcrete decreases with increasing the (W/C) ratio of the grout, where the soilcrete strength of W/C ratio of 0.7 is higher about 237% of W/C ratio of 1.4 at 28-day; the evolution of the (UCS) is proportional to the logarithm of the curing time; the ratio between the modulus of elasticity (Etg50) to the maximum UCS varies from 113 to 175; when the water-cement ratio increases, the dry density of soilcrete decreases, as a result, the (USC) of soilcrete decreases.

A two-dimensional grouting model considering hydromechanical coupling and fracturing in fractured rock is proposed and implemented in an GPU parallel multiphysics finite element-discrete element software named MultiFracs. The model can simulate the grout flows in existing and induced fractures in the rock media. The fracture network is represented by broken joint elements, which is updated to simulate fracture initiation and propagation during grouting. Therefore, both the hydromechanical coupling effect and rock fracturing are considered in the grouting model. A single-fracture grouting example is presented to verify the grouting model. Finally, the model is used to simulate the grouting process in a rock mass with a complex fracture network. The effects of grout yield stress, amount of injection holes, injection pressure, aperture, and especially hydromechanical coupling on grout penetration are studied. The results show that the grouting model can simulate the interaction between grouting-induced fractures and pre-existed fractures.

Colloidal silica (CS) is a kind of nanomaterial used in soil/rock grouting techniques in different branches of civil engineering. Many studies have recently been performed to investigate the potential of CS in improving the mechanical behavior of cohesionless soils and mitigating the risk of seismic liquefaction in urbanized areas. CS grout is chemically and biologically inert and, when injected into a subsoil, it can form a silica gel and stabilize the desired soil layer, thus representing an attractive, environmentally friendly alternative to standard chemical grouting techniques. This paper firstly describes the characteristics of CS grout, the gelation process and the main features of the behavior of the pure gelled material. The grout delivery mechanisms through porous media are then explained, pointing out the crucial issues for practical application of CS grouting. All the grouting-induced effects on the soil behavior, which have been investigated by laboratory tests on small-sized soil elements, are reviewed, including the modifications to soil strength and stiffness under both static and seismic loading conditions, to soil compressibility and hydraulic conductivity. Published results from physical model tests and in situ applications are also presented. Finally, some aspects related to the mechanism of soil improvement are discussed. A critical discussion of each topic is presented, drawing particular attention to the controversial or not yet fully examined aspects to which future research on colloidal silica grouting should be directed.

Grout curtains are commonly constructed under dams to reduce the seepage through the rock foundation. In the design of grout curtains, empirical methods have mainly been used since the introduction of dam foundation grouting. Although empirical methods have been used with success in several projects, they have their limitations, such as poor control of the grout spread, only an indirect consideration of the threat of internal erosion of fracture infillings in the grouted zones, and the risk of hydraulic jacking. This paper presents a theory-based design methodology for grout curtains under dams founded on rock. In the design methodology, the grout curtain is designed as a structural component of the dam. The risk of erosion of fracture infilling material is explicitly accounted for along with the reduction of the hydraulic conductivity of the rock mass, and an optimization of the total uplift force. By applying the proposed design methodology, engineers can create a design better adapted to the prevailing geological and hydrogeological conditions in the rock mass, resulting in more durable grout curtains. The proposed methodology also enables cost and time estimates to be calculated for the grout curtain’s construction. Applying the principles of the observational method during the grouting execution also allows the design to be modified via predefined measures if the initial design is found to be unsuitable.

Ground improvement by permeation grouting is widely utilized for improving engineering properties of soil. The accurate evaluation of a region improved by grouting is a critical issue to ensure the performance of grouting; nevertheless, current methods to evaluate the area of grouted bulbs under the ground are not well-documented. This study aims to use cross-hole electrical resistivity tomography (CHERT) to evaluate a grouted bulb region by considering the effect of electrode configuration at laboratory scale using a cylindrical container filled with saturated sand. Curing time monitoring was also conducted on grouted bulbs with various recovered Carbon Black (rCB) concentrations. Based on the inverted result, the predicted area of the grouted bulb was addressed, and then the error value between the actual and predicted areas was examined. The results of this study show that CHERT can be employed to assess the location and area of a grouted bulb. Also, it was observed that electrode spacing, damping factor, and curing time had significant influences on the image resolution and error value. Unlike the above-mentioned factors, change of rCB concentration ratio had only a slight effect on the image resolution. Thus, the use of a small amount of rCB as an additive material to enhance the grout strength can also provide a distinct contrast of measured resistivity between the grouted bulb and surrounding soil. In this study, a grouted bulb containing 3% of rCB is recommended based on the test results on strength characteristics. In addition, CHERT measuring can be conducted even in early stages of curing, during which it exhibits a better electrical resistivity contrast between the objective area and the surrounding soil.

The design of grouting engineering in practice is either based on conventional soil mechanics or empirical procedures ignoring the effect of degree of saturation (water content). In this study, a series of laboratory-pressurized grouting tests were conducted on unsaturated sand to reveal the influence of soil water content on the grouting characteristics. With combination of direct shear tests at constant water content, water retention tests as well as microscopy observations, the mechanisms that controlling the strength and in turn the grouting characteristics in unsaturated sand were interpreted from the perspective of water–air interface. It was found that the non-monotonic phenomena of grouting characteristics (injectability and diffusion characteristics) with increasing water content were strongly dependent on the shear strength, which is influenced by the apparent cohesion induced by capillary mechanisms relating to the water–air interface. The threshold value of the injectability and diffusion pattern is corresponding to the boundary of the two transition zones (two different desaturation mechanisms) in the water retention curve. In the primary transition zone, the water phase is interconnected with air bulbs entrapped. With the drainage of bulk water in the large pores, the amount of water menisci increases, generating larger and larger surface tension force between particles. Therefore, less and less grout was injected as the bearing capacity and shear strength increase. However, in the second transition zone, with the drainage of menisci water, the menisci area of each pores decreases, inducing less and less surface tension force. Thus, more and more grout was injected as the bearing capacity and shear strength decrease. It is hoped that the work in this study will facilitate researching the grouting mechanisms in unsaturated soil, thus optimizing the grouting parameters in engineering practice.

A numerical simulation method of shield tunnel excavation is developed to capture the time-dependent deformation behaviour of surrounding soil. The simulation method consists of four parts: (i) an elastic-plastic-viscous constitutive model that can not only reasonably describe the viscous deformation behaviour of soil, but also appropriately calculate the plastic deformation under typical stress paths of excavation; (ii) simulation of main factors related to shield tunnel excavation, including the shield machine, face pressure, lining, grout behavior, and contacts between multiple media; (iii) a simulation procedure for excavation to reflect the process of shield tunnel excavation and achieve reasonable stress and strain fields at the end of the construction stage; (iv) a creep process that is used to investigate the long-term mechanical behaviours of the surrounding soil and tunnel lining. Taking the CK570H tunnel project in Taipei as the background, a numerical simulation is conducted by adopting the developed simulation method. Based on the simulation results, the radial and circumferential stresses acting on the lining, which are induced by the surrounding soil viscosity, are analysed. The rule of the mechanical response of lining, including its deformation, bending moment, and axial force, with time is revealed. On this basis, the long-term safety of the lining is evaluated.

Synchronous grouting has a very important effect on shield tunnel, which directly affects the stability of excavation face and the safety of segment structure. Testing the setting time and early strength of mortar is conducive to timely control the surface settlement and prevent the segment from floating. The flow table test can ensure that synchronous grouting can fill the excavation gap of shield machine to the greatest extent. Oedometer test can obtain physical and mechanical indexes such as elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, compression and drainage of slurry at different ages. The test results showed that the use of well-graded, small-sized machine-made gravel (0–5 mm) and natural sand (0–2 mm) with high-efficiency additives promoted the formation of early strength in grout and reduced the probability of plugging in the grouting pipe at the tail shield. The oedometer test results indicated that the quantity of water drained from a grout mixed for more than 2 h was stable and the grout deformation within 1 h of compression accounted for 80% of the total deformation. The Young’s modulus of the grout reached 10 MPa when the grouting pressure was > 0.2 MPa, meeting the requirements for field injection. In this study, an efficient synchronous grouting mixture proportion suitable for calcareous sand layer is proposed, and the performance of slurry in fresh state is obtained through a variety of tests, which can be widely used in shield tunnels in similar strata.

Jet grouting methods have recently become one of the soil enhancement technologies utilized to provide strength improvement and solve most problems of weak soils. In this study, a full-scale 1 m diameter and 5 m length jet grout (soilcrete) column was constructed in the field with a water-to-cement ratio of 1 and 400 bar pressure injections. A mechanical, physical, and microstructural investigation was performed on jet grout samples taken from six different depths (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 m) and at the same depth at five different locations, including the center. For normal conditions, samples were prepared for six periods to study dry and saturated conditions. The following tests are performed on each sample: compressive strength index (I-s) in all conditions, water absorption, density, porosity, and interface friction. Additionally, SEM was performed on selected samples to investigate the microstructures of jet grout columns (JGCs). The test results showed that the I-s varies with depth, and within the same depth, the variation is approximately 20%. Other properties also vary with depth and location; for example, the average percentage of water absorption and porosity are considered minimum values at the same location, which are 53 and 30%, respectively. However, the interface friction angle of organic soil-cement grout gains 48 degrees and 10 kPa cohesion. The theoretical part of this study is to predict the diameter of JGC in organic soil.

This paper presents an experimental investigation of propagation and fluid pressure of grouting in a two-dimensional fractured network replica. Two-dimensional fracture network models with a rough profile were simulated based on Barton’s standard roughness curves, and an orthogonal experiment of chemical grouting was conducted to explore the relationship between the sealing efficiency and different factors, including the joint roughness coefficient, initial water flow rate, gel time of slurry, and grout take rate. The results show that the initial water flow rate had the greatest influence on the sealing effect, followed by the joint roughness coefficient, grout take rate, and gel time of slurry. Together with the grouting quality and slurry diffusion form, the grouting sealings were divided into two types, i.e., partial plugging with edge unfilled and completely plugging with fracture fully filled. The slurry propagation sequence in the intersected fractures indicates that the slurry first diffuses downstream of the current fracture, then downstream of the cross fracture, and finally upstream of the cross fracture. The grouting pressure on the later stage of grouting was greater than that at the beginning of the grouting, resulting in a better grouting effect.

Grouting is an important and convenient technique to improve rock properties. The grouting effectiveness depends on quantities of complex influencing factors. The investigation on the effects is essential for engineering applications. This study focuses on the evaluation of shear strength with experimental and numerical approaches. Firstly, the shear test of rock sample with cement grouting was carried out. Based on the tests, the numerical modelling of grouting was conducted. The effect of normal stress, grouting thickness and strength parameters of grout on the shear strength was studied, respectively. Then, the critical condition of effective grouting was proposed. Lastly, the mechanism in the influencing factors was discussed. Results show that the strength of grouted rock could be improved by increasing the normal stress and the grout parameters and decreasing the grouting thickness. The critical condition of effective grouting involves the grouting thickness and the strength parameters of grouting material. When the condition of effective grouting is satisfied, the grouting effect would be remarkable with additional supports, such as bolts. According to the opening of the dominant structural plane, the grouting parameters should be reasonably designed to meet the critical condition. The results could provide experimental and theoretical methodologies for the grouting design.

In FLAC3D, cable element or modified pile element can be used to build slope anchoring model. However, the difference between the two structural elements and their influence on the calculation results have not been studied in depth. In order to solve this problem, the Xiashu loess slope anchoring models based on cable element and modified pile element were constructed respectively. A variety of anchoring schemes were designed by orthogonal experiment method, and then they were brought into the model for calculation and the calculation results were analyzed by range analysis and variance analysis. The results show that the modified pile element can bear the bending moment and reflect the strain softening property of the grout. From the perspective of slope safety factor, the anchorage length and anchor bolt spacing are the main factors affecting the stability of the slope, and the anchorage angle is the secondary factor. The grout in cable element is assumed to be an elastic-perfectly plastic material, so the safety factor of the slope can be significantly increased by increasing the length of the anchor bolts. This will bring potential risks to the slope treatment project. Therefore, in the calculation of the slope anchoring model, the modified pile element is more suitable for simulating the anchor bolt.

Estimating surface settlement induced by excavation construction is an indispensable task in tunneling, particularly for earth pressure balance (EPB) shield machines. In this study, predictive models for assessing surface settlement caused by EPB tunneling were established based on extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), artificial neural network, support vector machine, and multivariate adaptive regression spline. Datasets from three tunnel construction projects in Singapore were used, with main input parameters of cover depth, advance rate, earth pressure, mean standard penetration test (SPT) value above crown level, mean tunnel SPT value, mean moisture content, mean soil elastic modulus, and grout pressure. The performances of these soft computing models were evaluated by comparing predicted deformation with measured values. Results demonstrate the acceptable accuracy of the model in predicting ground settlement, while XGBoost demonstrates a slightly higher accuracy. In addition, the ensemble method of XGBoost is more computationally efficient and can be used as a reliable alternative in solving multivariate nonlinear geo-engineering problems.

The rapid increase in tunneling projects in the metropolitan cities located in the young alluvium deposit has urged the need for studying the effects of its construction on the existing structures in those areas. In general, the major concern of tunnel construction in urban areas is the maximum surface settlement developed and the studies on the response of tunneling induced settlement on young alluvium deposit are very rare. This study captures the impact of vital factors like grout pressure, face pressure, C/D ratio, tunnel diameter and elastic modulus of soil using a numerical approach that governs the maximum surface settlement. Evaluation of governing parameters, particularly for young alluvial soil will be handy in understanding the impact of each parameter and lead in formulating new or modify existing relationships suitable for predicting maximum surface settlement. For the numerical approach, a model was developed with the PLAXIS three-dimensional finite element software and validated with field data. The findings are also compared with analytical and empirical approaches developed by different researchers.

This paper presents the results of field tests performed to investigate the compressive bearing capacity of pre-bored grouted planted (PGP) pile with enlarged grout base focusing on its base bearing capacity. The bi-directional O-cell load test was conducted to evaluate the behavior of full scale PGP piles. The test results show that the pile head displacements needed to fully mobilize the shaft resistance were 5.9% and 6.4% D (D is pile diameter), respectively, of two test piles, owing to the large elastic shortening of pile shaft. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the PHC nodular pile base and grout body at the enlarged base could act as a unit in the loading process, and the enlarged grout base could effectively promote the base bearing capacity of PGP pile through increasing the base area. The normalized base resistances (unit base resistance/average cone base resistance) of two test piles were 0.17 and 0.19, respectively, when the base displacement reached 5% Db (Db is pile base diameter). The permeation of grout into the silty sand layer under pile base increased the elastic modulus of silty sand, which could help to decrease pile head displacement under working load.

This paper presents three comparative in situ grouting tests for long-term settlement treatment of a cut-and-cover tunnel of Nanjing Metro Line 10. The characteristics of the tunnel settlement and induced structural damage are described in detail. Comparative grouting tests were conducted to identify the effects of the grouting sequence and grouting material on the tunnel settlement treatment. The test results show that the total amount of uplift of the tunnel associated with the bottom-up grouting sequence is greater than that associated with the top-down grouting sequence. When a mixture of cement and water glass was used as grout, the average cumulative deformation and average deformation rate of the tunnel 6 months after the completion of grouting were −11.2 mm (uplift) and 0.018 mm/day (settlement), respectively. These values satisfy the control requirements and are better than those obtained using a cement and bentonite mixture as grout. Hence, a bottom-up grouting sequence and a cement and water glass grout mixture are advised. The findings presented in this paper provide useful guidance for similar projects.

Tunnel lining stiffness, grout strength and shield-driven speed are important parameters that influence ground surface settlement during tunnel excavation. Optimising these parameters would allow effective control of ground settlement during tunnel construction, specifically the maximum settlement. This paper investigated the influence of tunnel lining stiffness, grout strength and shield-driven speed on ground settlement in heterogeneous soil. Consequently, a 3D nonlinear finite element model was developed using Abaqus which accurately predicted the ground settlement during the construction of the Nanjing WeiSanLu tunnel. Furthermore, the influence of the shield-driven speed, modulus of elasticity of grout and tunnel lining stiffness on ground surface settlement was studied. Statistical analysis was performed to investigate the level of impact of each influencing factor and their two-way interaction on the maximum ground settlement. It was revealed that ground surface settlement is greatly influenced by the properties of tail voids grouting and stiffness of tunnel lining. The result also indicated that the relationship between the prediction factor and the maximum settlement on the ground differs according to the level of the studied factors.

Tunneling in karstic geology confronts numerous challenges due to unpredictable occurrence of voids. The current approach of karstic void risk assessment is qualitative or semi-quantitative and lacks consideration of the spatial variability and distribution of voids. This often influences the pricing strategies, and design and construction activities on tunnel projects. This paper presents a geostatistical modeling-based methodology to develop a quantitative assessment of karstic void risk for a tunnel project in a karstic geological setting. The methodology is applied on an actual mixed-ground tunnel project situated in a karstic geological environment in Malaysia. The geology at the tunnel project site consists of sedimentary rock formations with limestone as the predominant rock type overlain by weak sedimentary residual soils. Pluri-Gaussian simulation (PGS) technique, a stochastic geostatistical-modeling algorithm, is applied to characterize the spatial distribution of voids in 3D along tunnel alignment. Simulations from PGS take into consideration the anisotropic distribution of voids on the tunnel project site. PGS utilizes void data from borehole investigations to model different void sizes (Vs) as categorical variables. The variability in multiple realizations from PGS technique is used to quantify the uncertainty in occurrence probabilities, number, and frequency of karstic voids. The proposed methodology demonstrates the ability to develop probabilistic estimates of occurrence frequency of different void sizes. Probabilistic assessments indicating 95% confidence interval (CI) on number of voids and respective occurrence probabilities are presented. The probabilistic assessment results are applied to estimate the grout quantity required for void treatment, while considering uncertainty in void occurrence. A minimum, mean, and maximum cumulative grout volume of about 2000 m3, 4000 m3, and 8000 m3 (for 95% CI), respectively, is estimated along the alignment.

This paper analyzed the ultimate grout-to-soil bond strength based on a database of 40 full-scale static load tests conducted on micropiles in glacial deposits in the province of Ontario, Canada. The Decourt extrapolation method was used to extrapolate the field load–settlement curves to identify the ultimate limit state. The elastic length method was modified by considering the shear stress influence to more accurately predict the failure loads of micropiles. A set of the ultimate bond strengths were correlated with the field standard penetration test blow count for different types of micropiles in different soil conditions. The results were compared with existing design values recommended by the Federal Highway Administration manual. The findings will help to improve the design of micropiles in similar soil conditions and the development of a reliability-based design method for soil-bonded micropiles.

Pressure grouting method can significantly enhance the strength of soil, and is widely used in foundation reinforcement. There already have some theoretical studies on pressure grouting, but the actual diffusion process of grouting can not be reflected exactly. Firstly, this paper conducts a field permeation grouting test on undisturbed loess of late pleistocene of quaternary, and acquires the pressure effected relationships of quantity vs. time. The test reveals that the grout quantity approximately increases linearly with the pressure until a certain grouting time point. The time point increases with grouting pressure and we try to define the pressure effected time point as the effective grouting time. After the effective grouting time, the grouting quantity remains constant due to the approaching of max migration radius and the stopping of grout migration. And then, considering the piston-like displacement effect of grout on porous mediums due to pressure, this study introduced the effective grouting time into the theoretical derivation process based on porous mediums’ fluid percolation pore pressure equation and Darcy’s law. The author combined the initial conditions and boundary conditions of pore pressure with the continuity conditions of permeation velocity, and performed the Boltzmann’s transformation and reduced-order processing to derive the equation for the migration velocity of the grout front and the migration radius of grout. Finally, by substituting the effective grouting time and the effective grouting quantity into the equation, we could obtain the grouting reinforcement radius. The equation can accurately predict the actual grouting reinforcement radius, and the applicability of the equation is verified by verification test.

Soil rock mixture (SRM) is a common geo-material, which usually needs to be treated by grouting reinforcement. The grouting effect is tied to the grouting method, grout property, and geological condition, which are difficult to be quantitatively analyzed. The main obstacle in developing a rigorous theory for evaluating the grouting effect is the heterogeneity of SRM. This paper aims at developing a preliminary theoretical model and an empirical formula for predicting the overall strength of grouted SRM based on the actual morphological structure of grout-rock skeleton and its heterogeneity. A discrete element model was established for analysis of grout vein structures and validation of the theoretical approach. Two morphological parameters called “grout vein uniformity” and “block-skeleton conversion ratio” were proposed to quantify the influence of spatial distribution of grout vein and rock blocks in grouted SRM. Finally, an empirical formula was established for estimating the uniaxial compressive strength of grouted SRM, with a complete description of rock conversion ratio as a function of grout proportion and rock proportion. The ability of the approach to capture the influence of the grouting effect was verified by comparing the predicted values with the numerical values and the laboratory test results of this study. The improvement of the mechanical property of the stratum can be quickly assessed according to the obtained correlations as a general rule. Specifically, the normalized UCS increases in a linear fashion over grout proportion at a rock-soil ratio between 0.6 and 0.8. However, the theoretical model may overestimate the strength when the rock-soil ratio is higher than 0.9. It is open to improvement by further studies for the systemization of a more rigorous and robust approach in estimating and accommodating the uncertainties when applied in grouting operation guidance in the real world.

Formulating solution to obtain the required engineering properties by means of stabilizing the soil for placing infrastructural unit without undergoing large settlement, grouting is widely used restoration method for improving the relative density of the soil strata. This paper has analyzed two case scenarios about soil stabilization to accommodate reinforced cement concrete (RCC) structure to facilitate production units. Considering the soil characteristics and to avoid further collapse of the nearby establishment, injecting lime–cement composition to strengthen the loosen earth bearing capacity at certain depth has been followed. Accordingly, researchers have shown to mend on the discrepancy happened in both cases regarding strengthening of disturbed soil strata up to 2 to 2.5 times with respect to Standard Penetration Test-Number of Blows (SPT-N) values after carrying out pre- and post-dynamic cone penetration tests (DCPT) up to an average depth of 6 to 6.5 m from finished ground level (FGL), by using of grout injection procedure. Following methodology has been emanated and after conducting several trials resulted in appreciable improvement in soil consistency. Researchers believe that the study will be comparatively more suitable for improving problematic soils in South-Asian continent. In both cases, desired soil bearing capacity has been attained in most economical way and within stipulated time frame.

The massive mechanized and irrational coal mining has generated many goafs (i.e., mined-out areas) in China. To manage these goafs effectively, grouting technique has been commonly used to fill the fractures in the overburden strata. However, little is known about the development and distribution of fractures in the overburden strata above the goaf. The lab-scale simulation of fracture development, as well as the grouting process, can provide valuable information for managing a real goaf by the grouting technique. Based on the mechanical properties of rocks and soils in the goaf of Kangjiagou coal mine in Shanxi Province, an experimental system was designed to simulate the development of fractures in the overburden strata above the goaf and study the diffusion behaviors of the grout slurry under different conditions (such as grout volume, grouting pressure, porosity, and water-solid ratio). The physical model test showed that more fractures were found in the fractured and caved zones, with fracture porosity ranging from 15.05 to 40.79%. The grouting experiment showed that, when the water-solid ratio was smaller than 1.15 and the grouting pressure was lower than 0.3 MPa, the changes in diffusion radius were stable during the grouting process. To maintain the stable changes in diffusion radius and reach a high filling ratio, the grouting pressure should be controlled in the range of 0.2–0.4 MPa at the porosity of 24.8% and 0.5 MPa at the porosity of 35.1%. The findings derived from this study are widely applicable under real engineering contexts.

The development and construction of offshore wind farms requires the correct estimation of the friction that can be mobilised at the rock/grout interface. In conventional studies, the shear behaviour of a joint is usually investigated with laboratory tests under constant normal load/stress (CNL), however, in engineering practice, direct shear testing under constant normal stiffness (CNS) has been proved to be more realistic in the assessment of the development of the side shear resistance in rock grouted pile design. In this work, an extensive experimental campaign on the shear response of a weak carbonate rock (limestone) interface with grout is presented, in the frame of offshore wind turbines. First, basic mechanical testing is performed on the two interface materials in order to evaluate their mechanical properties. The output of these tests reveals not only the contrasting properties of the two interacting materials, but also the decreased response of the limestone in the presence of water. A series of monotonic shear tests (both under CNL and CNS conditions) on wet rough limestone/grout interfaces reveal the high impact of adhesion between the two materials to the mechanical response. Based on the monotonic results, a number of CNS shear tests under cyclic loading takes place, where different failure modes are observed dilatant and contractant response. The variability of the failure mode is strongly related not only to the adhesion created with the cast grout, but also to the limestone’s micro-structural heterogeneity that manifests already after consolidation. The post-shear morphological state of the interface is analysed, while the variability of the failure surface and the presence of water gouge creation do not allow a clear correlation of the morphologfy to the mechanical response. Overall, the response of this type of weak rock interface where the properties of the grout are significantly higher, is governed by the behaviour of the rock.

In the loose and fractured coal seam with particularly low uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), driving a roadway is extremely difficult as roof falling and wall spalling occur frequently. To address this issue, the jet grouting (JG) technique (high-pressure grout mixed with coal particles) was first introduced in this study to improve the self-supporting ability of coal mass. To evaluate the strength of the jet-grouted coal-grout composite (JG composite), the UCS evolution patterns were analyzed by preparing 405 specimens combining the influential variables of grout types, curing time, and coal to grout (C/G) ratio. Furthermore, the relationships between UCS and these influencing variables were modeled using ensemble learning methods i.e. gradient boosted regression tree (GBRT) and random forest (RF) with their hyperparameters tuned by the particle swarm optimization (PSO). The results showed that the chemical grout composite has higher short-term strength, while the cement grout composite can achieve more stable strength in the long term. The PSO-GBRT and PSO-RF models can both achieve high prediction accuracy. Also, the variable importance analysis demonstrated that the grout type and curing time should be considered carefully. This study provides a robust intelligent model for predicting UCS of JG composites, which boosts JG design in the field.

Quick-setting grout has time-varying characteristics, and the space porosity of the injected medium changes after being grouted. The above two points need to be considered when loose and broken coal rock masses are grouted with rapid-setting grout. In other words, the coupling effect of the slurry-coal rock mass causes the slurry to exhibit the temporal and spatial characteristics of slurry viscosity (TSCSV). Based on the Bingham fluid constitutive model, a capillary group model with a linear increase in diameter was created, and a one-dimensional penetration grout diffusion model was established considering the TSCSV. The one-dimensional visualization splitting-permeation grout diffusion simulation test system was designed to obtain the space porosity of the broken coal rock mass under different final grouting pressures to obtain the law of the changes in grouting pressure and diffusion height with time under the condition of a fixed grouting rate. Furthermore, the mechanism of splitting-permeation grouting in loose and broken coal rock masses is analysed in depth considering the TSCSV. The results showed that the space porosity of coal rock masses increases linearly. In addition, the calculated value of the slurry diffusion distance was 0.93 – 1.1 times the experimental value considering the TSCSV. The calculated value was in good agreement with the experimental value. The calculated value of the final pressure of orifice grouting was approximately 1.5 times the test value without considering the unevenness of the space porosity distribution (USPD). The grouting pressure was overestimated without considering the USPD. Therefore, the TSCSV of the quick-setting slurry should be fully considered in the grouting design.

Grouting is a common method used to fill rock joints to improve the stability and integrity of rock mass in geotechnical engineering, and the filling has been observed to have an effect on crack behavior and mechanical property. To investigate this topic, a numerical study of crack behavior and mechanical property of rock samples with two parallel open flaws or infilled flaws under uniaxial compression was conducted in this research. The smooth joint model was proved to be suitable to simulate the interface between rock material and grout material. The occurrence of shear cracks at the interface between rock material and grout material as well as the occurrence of tensile cracks in the grouting material has been successfully simulated in this research. Numerical results indicate that grouting can reduce the tensile force near the flaws, suppress the generation of tensile cracks, and improve the initiation stress of the sample. The tensile force in the specimens with infilled flaws is smaller than that with open flaws, which lead to the improvement of the peak strength of the sample. Moreover, crack development and mechanical properties of samples are affected by bridge inclination angle and flaw inclination angle.

In coal mines, under high in situ stress and strong mining activity, roadway surrounding rock commonly contains large amounts of larger fractures and microfractures. Along with the large deformation and continuous rheology of the soft rock roadway, the fractures in the surrounding rock are likely to be compressed and closed, forming undeveloped microfractures, which hinder conventional grouting support methods. Based on the fluid-solid coupling between slurry seepage and microfracture deformation, a theoretical model of microfracture grouting seepage is established. A program for the analysis and calculation of microfracture grouting is developed to quantitatively describe the variation in slurry seepage distance and fracture opening. Numerical experiments are carried out to study the grouting seepage of microfractures under different grouting pressures and fracture opening conditions, and the variation rules for the spatial distribution of fracture opening and slurry seepage distance during grouting pressure are obtained. Fluid-solid coupling has a significant influence on grout seepage characteristics. The grouting pressure and the fracture opening changes are nonlinearly attenuated along the grout seepage direction.

Portland cement-based grouting compound is called GP-Grout employed to produce a sort concrete as a replacement from the weight of cement in mixes and strengthened with steel nails to enhance the mechanical properties. GP-Grout replaced cement by 25%, 50% and 75% while the steel nails as locally steel fibres were used with 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2 % and 3% by volume of concrete. GP-Grout powder enhanced mechanical properties of ordinary concrete especially; the compressive strength by increasing from 34 to 70 MPa as well as other properties including tensile and flexural strength with clear improvement by adding the steel nails at a ratio of 3% by volume and the results were 5.67, 9.81 MPa respectively.

Grouting is a commonly used technique in rock engineering to enhance the joint strength and improve the stability of surrounding rock. Grout penetration characteristic is controlled by grouting parameters and has a significant role on practice. In the study, a numerical manifold method (NMM) for grout penetration process simulation in fractured rock mass is firstly proposed. The fluid flow behaviour of the grout is assumed to be a Bingham fluid and control equations are established using discrete fracture network model. The global discretization equation, element sub-matrixes and NMM simulation algorithm for grouting are presented. Then, numerical tests for grouting process in a single fracture and a regular fracture network are conducted firstly to verify the proposed NMM grouting model by comparing with analytical solutions and experimental results. Furthermore, the effects of mesh size, fracture and slurry parameters on the grouting performance are systematically investigated using a random fracture network example. The numerical results indicate that the grouted zone and propagation depth decrease as the mesh size of numerical model and yield strength increases, while it increases as initial fracture aperture and grouting pressure increases.

The development of water-conducting fractures from underground coal mining is a geological cause of groundwater loss. Sealing mining-induced rock fracture channels through borehole grouting is an effective way to protect groundwater resources. A ground-based engineering test was conducted at the Gaojiabao coal mine that utilized horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to grout and seal water-conducting overburden fractures. This study carried out a theoretical and experimental exploration using HDD to evaluate the development characteristics and grout hydraulic conductivity of these mining-induced fractures. The results showed that, as a result of varying fracture morphologies in different zones of the mining overburden, multiple fracture types were sequentially exposed as the HDD borehole advanced from the original rock mass outside the mining area towards the mining-induced fractured rock mass. The fracture types were exposed in the following order: compressive shear fractures, tensile failure fractures, and bed separation fractures. Moreover, the void characteristics of the exposed fractures in the borehole were significantly different at different drilling horizons, which affected the flow behavior and sealing performance of the injected grout. Lastly, three typical orders in which the different types of fractures were sequentially exposed by the borehole were summarized, and further analysis of the orders led to a scheme for determining drilling horizons favorable for efficient fracture sealing. The results of this study will enable efficient grout sealing of the fractures caused by mining and reduce groundwater loss.

Numerical simulation is a useful tool in investigating the loading performance of rock bolts. The cable structural elements (cableSELs) in FLAC3D are commonly adopted to simulate rock bolts to solve geotechnical issues. In this study, the bonding performance of the interface between the rock bolt and the grout material was simulated with a two-stage shearing coupling model. Furthermore, the FISH language was used to incorporate this two-stage shear coupling model into FLAC3D to modify the current cableSELs. Comparison was performed between numerical and experimental results to confirm that the numerical approach can properly simulate the loading performance of rock bolts. Based on the modified cableSELs, the influence of the bolt diameter on the performance of rock bolts and the shear stress propagation along the interface between the bolt and the grout were studied. The simulation results indicated that the load transfer capacity of rock bolts rose with the rock bolt diameter apparently. With the bolt diameter increasing, the performance of the rock bolting system was likely to change from the ductile behaviour to the brittle behaviour. Moreover, after the rock bolt was loaded, the position where the maximum shear stress occurred was variable. Specifically, with the continuous loading, it shifted from the rock bolt loaded end to the other end.

Liquefaction mitigation in already existing sites has become a cause of concern for geotechnical engineers across the world. One of the possible solutions for such sites is the recently developed technique called colloidal silica grouting. The technique utilises the slow injection of colloidal silica grout at the edge of the location through injection wells and delivers it to the required location through natural groundwater flow. Later, silica particles gel and bind the soil particle together by changing the pH that, in turn, increases the strength and rigidity of loose soil. The test results obtained from the laboratory and field studies are promising and feasible to recommend colloidal silica as a potential grout material for various soil engineering applications. The present review explains the use of colloidal silica stabilisation for ground enhancement and discusses the treatment method, together with the gelation and significant factors affecting the gel formation. The current paper reviews the tests performed in colloidal silica treated soil to determine the mechanical properties, hydraulic conductivity, and evaluation of liquefaction potential. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of colloidal silica treated soil was also included to explore the microstructural bonding of soil grouted with colloidal silica. Also, the advantages and challenges of colloidal silica grouting techniques in ground improvement are included in the study. Furthermore, future research scope of colloidal silica treated soil in unexplored areas is also mentioned based on the current literature review.

Semi rigid pavement is a composite pavement, in which porous bituminous mix with 20–30% voids are filled with cementious grout. In recent years performance of semi rigid pavement has drawn attention to researchers. The research problem in this project mainly focus on selection of aggregate gradations and mechanical performance of semi rigid pavement mix. The research contents included 3 adopted gradation and acceptable proportions of cementious grout, Strength properties were carried such as compressive, flexural, indirect tensile strength and performance evaluation by rutting and fatigue for 1 and 28 days with different binder content. The investigations showed that selected ASTM gradation with 4.5% bitumen content has better strength properties and fatigue life. The permanent deformation of ASTM gradation shows slight variation compared to New Zealand gradation. The selected gradations mechanical properties and performance characteristics met standards of semi rigid pavement, so suggested that semi rigid pavement can be an alternative pavement.

In the process of organizing new underground volumes in difficult engineering and geological conditions of the central part of the city of St. Petersburg, it is necessary to use technologies that ensure the safety of neighboring buildings, which supply work to the zone of influence. Due to the heterogeneity of the stress-strain state of soils, the uneven loading of foundations and the additional influence of technological processes on the arrangement of underground space, the structures of existing buildings experience a significant negative effect from the unevenness of vertical deformations. At the same time, there is a need for additional research of compensatory measures that exclude this type of deformation, aimed at studying the processes of soil grouting using modern injection materials on a cement and polymer basis, increasing the physicomechanical characteristics of weak silty-clayed soils, mainly the components of the sub-base of old buildings. The article discusses the method of injection reinforcement of a shallow foundation, folded by fluid silt sandy loam, as a compensation measure, eliminating additional vertical uneven deformations of the historical building caused by the construction of the pit enclosing structure. The performed laboratory research made it possible to determine the increment in the values of the strength and deformation characteristics of the soil mass after its strengthening, the experimental work allowed us to establish the most effective injection parameters of the injection solution and visually assess the degree of its distribution in soft soil, and the physico-mathematical modeling in the PLAXIS software package made it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of this technology as a preventive measure to eliminate uneven technological deposits during the construction of the «cast-in-place trench wall» foundation pit enclosing structure.

Studies on grout consolidation after synchronous grouting around shield tunnels have ignored the expansion of the grout–groundwater interface and the difference in the permeabilities of the grout a...

Rock bolts have been widely used for stabilizing rock mass in geotechnical engineering. It is acknowledged that the bolt profiles have a sound influence on the support effect of the rock bolting system. Previous studies have proposed some optimal rib parameters (e.g. rib spacing); unfortunately, the interface shear behaviors are generally ignored. Therefore, determination of radial stress and radial displacement on the bolt-grout interface using traditional pull-out tests is not possible. The load-bearing capacity and deformation capacity vary as bolt profiles differ, suggesting that the support effect of the bolting system can be enhanced by optimizing bolt profiles. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of bolt profiles (with/without ribs, rib spacing, and rib height) on the shear behaviors between the rock bolt and grout material using direct shear tests. Thereby, systematic interfacial shear tests with different bolt profiles were performed under both constant normal load (CNL) and constant normal stiffness (CNS) boundary conditions. The results suggested that rib spacing has a more marked influence on the interface shear behavior than rib height does, in particular at the post-yield stage. The results could facilitate our understanding of bolt-grout interface shear behavior under CNS conditions, and optimize selection of rock bolts under in situ rock conditions.

Side post-grouting bored-pile foundations are widely used in geotechnical engineering. However, few studies have focused on analyzing the shear behaviour of soil and concrete while considering the grouting process. A total of 48 groups of self-developed, large-scale direct shear experiments were conducted to investigate the shear behaviour of sand-concrete interface with side-grouting, focusing on the effect of soil stress unloading and the on-site roughness measurements of bored pile. The influence of the grouting volume V, unloading rate α and interface roughness R on the shear behaviour are discussed, and the grouting modes and shear band deformation are investigated. The experimental results indicated that the grouting volume has a limited effect on improving the shear strength, and an optimal grout quantity will exist in post-grouting engineering. In addition, the unloading has a non-negligible influence on the grouting modes.

Instability on rock, one of many factors caused by joint. Decreased of rock strength occurred inline with existence a number of joints. Poor rock have a large number of joints. Therefore rock reinforcement such as grouting can be one of the solution. This research conducted on artificial sample Moldano Tara (dental stone type III). It had been given artificial joints with orientation 60o from axial and frequency 1 till 2. Furthermore, grout material with composition 4C;5W had been injected on joint and cured in 28 days. Triaxial test are done in all samples intact, jointed and grouted and its been analyzed with Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek Brown failure criteria. It is found, joint given negative contribution on shear strength, declining 65,75% and 73,48%, whereas on UCS declined 46,85% dan 56,19%. On the other hand, grouting had been given positive contribution on shear strength, increasing 166,15% and 188,07%, while UCS increased 46,60% and 60,92%

In Korea, earthquakes have continued to occur even after the occurrence of Gyeongju and Pohang earthquakes of 2016 and 2017, respectively, raising awareness of earthquakes. Because earthquakes cause damage to not only structures but also humans, it is essential to improve the seismic performance and design earthquake-resistant structures to minimize earthquake damages. If the seismic performance of a structure is improved through ground improvement and reinforcement, ground response analysis should be performed considering the dynamic properties of the site of the structure. In addition, cement has been widely used as a material for ground improvement, but recently, ground improvement methods in which biopolymers are utilized for ecofriendly construction have been investigated extensively. However, studies on the changes in the dynamic properties of ground improved using biopolymers, and the ground-response analysis has not been investigated in detail. In this study, resonant column tests were performed using samples mixed with cement and sodium alginate to evaluate the effects o f ground improvement using a biopolymer. In addition, the dynamic properties of the improved samples were adopted in performing the ground response analysis, which demonstrated confirmed the ground stability after ground improvement. From the results, the ground dynamic properties, shear modulus, and damping ratio were influenced when the biopolymer and cement were mixed with the soil. Furthermore, the ground response analysis confirmed that the maximum ground acceleration on the surface decreased.

In fracture or compaction grouting projects of sand layer, there exist many compacted sand regions on both sides of grout veins or around grout bulbs. It has an important effect on the final reinforcement effect of the sand layer that how much performance of the sand layer is improved after being compacted. Compression modulus, cohesion, and permeability coefficient are selected to be the performance indexes of the compaction reinforcement effect of sand. The relationship between the performance properties of sand and grouting pressure has been tested and analyzed. And influences of clay content and initial water ratio of sand on the compaction reinforcement effect have been studied. Results show that compaction can effectively improve the mechanical properties and impermeability properties of sand. Compression modulus of sand increases by 2∼18 times. The cohesion of sand increases from the scope of 9.4∼26 kPa to the scope of 40∼113.6 kPa. The permeability coefficient of sand decreases from the scope of 1.0 × 10−2∼ 8.33 × 10−4 cm/s to the scope of 2.19 × 10−4∼2.77 × 10−9 cm/s. When the clay content of sand is smaller than about 20%, sand cannot be reinforced effectively by compaction. Cohesion cannot be improved significantly and the permeability coefficient cannot be reduced markedly. A high initial water ratio of sand is beneficial to improve the compression modulus of compacted sand and goes against the improvement of cohesion of compacted sand. In addition, the initial water ratio has little effect on the permeability coefficient of compacted sand. In the end, fitting formulas have been developed to quantitatively describe the compaction reinforcement effect of sand by different grouting pressures.

In tunneling, rock mass grouting is a method applied to reduce water ingress. Grouting is influenced by rock mass conditions, especially apertures, frequency, and continuation of fracturing. These rock mass conditions can partly be determined by rock mass classification systems. At the Stockholm bypass, the Measurement While Drilling (MWD) Fracturing Index was applied to characterize the rock mass for grouting purposes, with a focus on adjusting the grout hole drill plan to minimize environmental impact. This study divided the rock mass in a 1.9 km tunnel into six categories based on rock mass conditions, identifying rock mass quality, apparent fracturing, and grout consumption. These categories were then compared with the mean fracturing index based on the coefficients of penetration rate and rotation pressure variations, as well as grout consumption at each grout umbrella. The fracturing index was 93% successful in assessing favorable and unfavorable rock mass conditions in the studied tunnel and 85% successful in determining grout consumption. Finally, a conceptual method was developed to reduce the grouting activities using the MWD fracturing index and water loss tests. The introduction of this conceptual method for grouting decisions could potentially reduce 59% of the umbrellas found in the case study.

The effectiveness of consolidation grouting for retaining surrounding rocks of the turbine hall at the Rogun hydro power plant (HPP) on the Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan is evaluated. The ultrasonic method is used to examine samples, informing the choice of a test site in the aleurolite zone, as well as a drilled grout and test hole scheme. The results of processing and analysis of the ultrasonic study results are presented.

A new method for treatment of dredger fill was proposed to address its low bearing capacity, high consolidation cost, and long treatment duration. In this method, cotton straw is used as both the draining and reinforcement material. Specifically, cotton straw bundles are driven into the dredged soil and vacuum preloading is then performed. Subsequently, environmentally friendly grout is poured into the cotton straw bundles, and solidified vertical reinforcements are thus formed, allowing dredged soil to be treated. Design parameters for the cotton straw draining were obtained from previous laboratory test. Based on a real-world project, a field test was performed to study treatment of dredged soil through cotton straw drainage and reinforcement, and a comparison was drawn with the traditional cement mixing vertical reinforcement method. The vacuum degree, settlement, and water content of reinforced soil suggested a good ability of cotton straw drainage to solidify dredged soil. The static load test indicated that vertical reinforcement after grouting demonstrated better strength than cement reinforcements. This study provides new insights into the treatment of dredger fill and can broaden the application of cotton straw and also reduce environmental pollution caused by cotton straw burning.