69

4. G R O U T I N G T E C H N O L O G Y

G r o u t i n g is a p r o c e d u r e w h i c h c a n n o t b e strictly s t a n d a r d i z e d b e c a u s e o f t h e e r r a t i c n a t u r e a n d
variability of the soil. Grouting consists of a sequence of different operations:

• d r i l l i n g a h o l e o f a n a p p r o p r i a t e d i a m e t e r in t h e e s t a b l i s h e d a r r a n g e m e n t a n d d e p t h ,

• preparation, proportioning, weighting and mixing of the selected grout suspension,

• injecting the prepared suspension into the designated section of the b o r e hole from which
t h e fissures a r e filled.

T h e r e is a v a r i e t y o f p r o c e d u r e s w h i c h m a y b e a p p l i e d i n o r d e r to a c h i e v e t h e b e s t g r o u t i n g result
economically, depending o n the local conditions of the rock, which normally vary within a wide
range. Practical decisions can b e based on s o m e general k n o w h o w rules, but a bit of intuition based
o n p a s t e x p e r i e n c e is n e v e r t h e l e s s f u n d a m e n t a l . G r o u t i n g is t o s o m e e x t e n t a n a r t , for t h e b e s t ful-
f i l l m e n t o f w h i c h a c l o s e c o o p e r a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e d e s i g n a n d t h e c o n t r a c t o r e n g i n e e r s is e s s e n t i a l .
Both of t h e m should b e well acquainted with the m e a n s and the methods of grouting, they must have
s o m e f e e l i n g for t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e l o c a l r o c k p r o p e r t i e s w h i c h , i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e r e s u l t s of
field e x p l o r a t i o n s b e c o m e e v i d e n t d u r i n g t h e p r o g r e s s o f d r i l l i n g a n d g r o u t i n g a c t i v i t i e s . It is p o s s i b l e
to s t a n d a r d i z e v a r i o u s p h a s e s o f a c t i v i t i e s w h i c h a r e r o u t i n e l y c a r r i e d o u t as s h a l l b e d e s c r i b e d in
s o m e d e t a i l s i n C h a p t e r s 6 , 7 a n d 8, s o t h a t t h e a c t i v i t i e s a r e r a t i o n a l l y d i r e c t e d t o t h e i n t e n d e d p u r -
p o s e - p e r m e a b i l i t y r e d u c t i o n , i n c r e a s e d s t r e n g t h a n d r e d u c e d d e f o r m a b i l i t y o f t h e injected r e g i o n .
T h e effect t h a t m a y b e a c h i e v e d b y g r o u t i n g is n a t u r a l l y l i m i t e d to a l o w e r b o u n d , b e c a u s e p o r e s
a n d fissures n a r r o w e r t h a n s o m e l i m i t s i z e c a n n o t b e p e n e t r a t e d b y t h e injected c o m p o u n d .

T h e l o w e r l i m i t o f p e r m e a b i l i t y w h i c h c a n b e r e a c h e d b y m e a n s of g r o u t i n g fissured r o c k is in the
r a n g e o f 1,0 - 0 , 1 L U s o t h a t t h e r a t i o o f t h e initial p e r m e a b i l i t y to t h e p e r m e a b i l i t y o f t h e g r o u t e d
r o c k is t h e l o w e r t h e l o w e r t h e initial p e r m e a b i l i t y . T h i s a p p l i e s a l s o to t h e effect o f c o n s o l i d a t i o n
g r o u t i n g . S i n c e t h e p e r m e a b i l i t y o f r o c k a l s o i n d i c a t e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f p e n e t r a t i o n o f t h e injected
g r o u t i n t o t h e p o r e s o r f i s s u r e s , it g i v e s a n i n d i c a t i o n w h e t h e r u n d e r t h e n a a i r a l c o n d i t i o n s g r o u t i n g
is n e c e s s a r y o r f e a s i b l e . T h e a r t o f g r o u t i n g c a n b e m a s t e r e d o n l y t r o u g h e x p e r i e n c e , c a r e f u l o b s e r -
v a t i o n s a n d e v a l u a t i o n s o f t h e b e h a v i o r of r o c k d u r i n g t h e a c h i e v e d i n j e c t i o n . S t r i c t c o m p l i a n c e w i t h
a formalistically conceived grouting plan generally causes a waste of material or an unsafe struc-
aire.

4 . 1 . Drilling a n d s e q u e n c e of w o r k s

T h e first i n t h e s e q u e n c e o f a c t i v i t i e s o n g r o u t i n g p r o j e c t s is d r i l l i n g t h e i n j e c t i o n h o l e s at s p a c i n g s
f o r e s e e n w i t h i n s o m e l i m i t s i n t h e d e s i g n . T h e s p a c i n g o f h o l e s is t h e n a d j u s t e d a c c o r d i n g to the a c -
tual r e s u l t s o b t a i n e d o n o n e o r m o r e test g r o u t i n g p l o t s injected at t h e s i t e .