Permeation grouting, also known as cement grouting or pressure grouting, fills cracks or voids in soil and rock and permeates coarse, granular soils with flowable particulate grouts to create a cemented mass.
Process
Depending on the conditions, Portland cement or ultra-fine cement grout is injected under pressure at strategic locations through single-port or multiple-port drilled valve pipes fitted with packers, via injection lances, or directly through the casing during borehole drilling. The grout particle size and suspension viscosity must be properly matched to the existing pore and void sizes to allow effective penetration and permeation of the cement grout. The grouted mass exhibits increased strength and stiffness, improved soil parameters, and reduced permeability.
Common uses
- Create barriers to groundwater flow
- Underpin foundations
- Provide excavation support
- Stabilise and strengthen granular soils
Advantages
- An economic advantage for underpinning applications over alternative approaches such as removal and replacement or piling
- Allows you to maximise the footprint of excavations compared with piled solutions
- Can be done where access is difficult and space is limited
- Since effectiveness of permeation grouting is independent of structural connections, is readily adaptable to existing foundations
- Can typically be accomplished without disrupting normal facility operations
Quality assurance
Keller has provided permeations grouting solutions for decades. Its fleet of low headroom, tight access rigs minimises disruption to normal facility operations. Automated digital systems can also be used to monitor and record flow rates, grout volumes and grout pressures ensuring the grouting specification is achieved.
Quality assurance on the materials side is carried out through daily checks of the grout parameters.
Related techniques
Related projects
Infrastructure
DS 413/2 Sewerage & Drainage Tunnel
TAM grouting successfully delivered along a major tunnel alignment in Dubai, with approximately 1,000 m³ of grout injected under controlled pressure to support safe and reliable micro-tunnelling operations.
Infrastructure
Doha Metro
Keller has worked on several stations on the Gold and Red line.
