Groutability enhancement by oscillatory grout injection: Verification by field tests

Abstract

Grout injection is mainly used for permeability reduction and/or improvement of the ground by injecting grout material into pores, cracks, and joints in the ground. The oscillatory grout injection method was developed to enhance the grout penetration. In order to verify the level of enhancement of the grout, field grout injection tests, both static and oscillatory tests, were performed at three job sites. The enhancement in the permeability reduction and ground improvement effect was verified by performing a core boring, borehole image processing analysis, phenolphthalein test, scanning electron microscopy analysis, variable heat test, Lugeon test, standard penetration test, and an elastic wave test The oscillatory grout injection increased the joint filling rate by 80% more and decreased the permeability coefficient by 33-68%, more compared to the static grout injection method. The constrained modulus of the jointed rock mass was increased by 50% more with oscillatory grout injection compared to the static grout injection, indicating that the oscillatory injection was more effective in enhancing the stiffness of the rock mass.