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Concrete Construction Article PDF - Designing Grout Mixes PDF
Concrete Construction Article PDF - Designing Grout Mixes PDF
Design criteria
Unfortunately, most specifiers
and contractors don’t give ade-
quate attention to the design cri-
teria for a grout mix. As with a sider using a corrosion-inhibiting ing no voids. Although a flow
concrete mix, the design criteria admixture (calcium nitrite). cone or flow table can be used to
for a grout mix are specific for Grout space. According to measure consistency, most test
each job. A grout mix that worked ASTM C 476 (Ref. 2), grouts are labs use a slump cone.
well on the last job may not be classified as fine or coarse depend- The grout slump should be be-
suitable for the next job. ing on the maximum aggregate tween 8 and 10 inches. Use about
Don’t go overboard on the de- size. If the maximum aggregate an 8-inch-slump grout for mason-
sign criteria, though. Use two, or size is 3⁄8 inch or larger, then the ry units with low absorption and
at most, three grout mixes on a grout is classified as coarse; less about a 10-inch-slump grout for
single job. Any more than this re- than 3⁄8 inch is classified as fine. masonry units with high absorp-
quires careful planning and atten- Grout must flow easily into tion. Be prepared to adjust the
tion to make sure the right mix is confined spaces, so the smaller grout’s consistency for masonry
placed in the right location. Con- the space, the smaller the grout’s units of different absorption ca-
sider the following design criteria. maximum aggregate size must be. pacities and rates, for varying
Compressive strength. Most However, coarser grout is more temperature and humidity, and
specifications require grout to economical. It shrinks less and for different size cavities. Cavity
have compressive strength equal requires a smaller proportion of size affects the surface area that
to or exceeding the specified cement. Therefore, coarse grout comes in contact with the grout.
compressive strength of the ma- is preferred wherever conditions The greater the surface area, the
sonry, from, but not less than allow it. more water will be absorbed.
2000 psi. The compressive Table 1 shows recommended
strength is measured in accor- grout types for various grout Material selection
dance with ASTM C 1019 (Ref. 1). spaces. Based on this table, two The contractor selects a ready
Durability. The durability of different grout mixes probably mix producer who chooses the
grout is seldom an issue. The would be used for a project that suppliers of cementitious materi-
grout usually is protected from required grouting of both a collar als, aggregates, and admixtures
moisture saturation and thus not joint and cells of masonry units. based on product quality, service,
susceptible to freeze-thaw deterio- Consistency. Grout needs to be and price. The contractor then
ration. If freeze-thaw is a problem, very fluid to be pumped or must arrange to have material
add an air-entraining admixture. poured, to flow around reinforc- samples delivered to the test lab.
To minimize rebar corrosion, con- ing steel, and to fill a cavity leav- If the ready mix producer changes
material suppliers during the These blended admixtures ex- proportions by volume (Table 3),
project, then a mix design should pand the grout, retard its set, and most specifications don’t allow
be made with any new materials. act as a water-reducer. This com- batching of grout by volume in
The test lab, if necessary, can bination minimizes grout volume the field. Today, test labs and
check each product to make sure loss and gives workers more time ready mix companies batch by
it conforms to ASTM standards. to vibrate the grout before it stiff- weight. Volume proportions can
Cementitious materials. Use ens. Table 2 shows the admix- be changed to equivalent weight
portland cement meeting ASTM C tures typically used for grouting, proportions (pounds per cubic
150 (Ref. 3) or blended cements their applications, and costs. yard) by using the specific gravity
meeting ASTM C 595 (Ref. 4). Al- of each ingredient.
most all masonry grouts contain Trial batches
fly ash as a partial replacement After the architect or engineer Don’t experiment
for portland cement. Fly ash con- sets the design criteria and the at the jobsite
tributes strength, acts as a water- contractor obtains the material A mix design that uses three tri-
reducer, and costs less than ce- samples, the testing lab suggests al batches costs from $800 to
ment. ASTM C 595 permits up to mix proportions that meet the de- $1,200. Some contractors try to
40% fly ash by weight of the ce- sign criteria. Then the lab makes avoid a mix design to save $1,000,
mentitious materials. trial batches to determine the but they often pay for it later with
Aggregates. Aggregates used in most economical grout mix. ASTM a grout that has low strength and
grout must conform to ASTM C C 476 serves only as a rough doesn’t pump. One ready mix sup-
404 (Ref. 5). This standard defines guide to mix design. It expresses plier tried volume proportioning a
gradation for both fine and coarse proportions in ranges to account grout mix in accordance with
aggregate and sets limits on dele- for material differences through- ASTM C 476 but found that the mix
terious substances (lightweight out the United States. The test lab segregated when pumped. Don’t
and friable particles), organic im- bases its trial mix proportions on try to design a mix at the site; pay
purities, and soundness. experience. a test laboratory for a mix design.
Although ASTM C 404 limits the Though ASTM C 476 lists grout You’ll sleep a lot better.
maximum aggregate size to 3⁄8 inch,
some engineers allow up to 3⁄4-inch
aggregate for grouting columns,
pilasters, or large voids. The larg-
er aggregate takes up more vol-
ume, reduces grout shrinkage,
and requires less cement for
equivalent strength. Some grout
pumps, however, may not pump a
4⁄ -inch rock mix.
3