Engineering properties and application of MSG grouting material for tunnel reinforcement

B. S. Chun Hanyang University J. C. Kim Institute of Geo Technology Inc. ABSTRACT: The objective of this study is to determine the engineering properties and application of MSG (Micro Silicate Grout) that was developed recently for tunnel reinforcement. In this study, MSG-N type was mainly used as grout materials for tunnel reinforcement, and the chemical components, grain size distribution, mineral characteristics were analyzed. Moreover, the properties of active silica and ordinary Portland cement acting as coagulating agent were analyzed and compared with each other. To determine the engineering properties, the bleeding test, viscosity test, coagulation test, optical judgement, photographing by performing SEM, uniaxial compression test and in-situ application test for reclaimed ground were carried out. Tests results showed that the strength of MSG was about twice that of ordinary sodium silicate grout materials. Especially, based on the evaluation of the application of the MSG method in the tunnel construction field, this method would be very effective in the increment of strength and the reduction coefficient of permeability due to its excellent permeability. 1. INTRODUCTION After Joseph Aspdin (UK) invented Portland cement in 1824, grouting method with cement was applied to the field of hydraulics and mining. And the technique of injecting cement suspension into the crack of rock mass has been developed. As the grouting effect of Portland cement was proved, grouting was started be used in construction work. But the particle diameter of cement, average 15~20 and maximum 80~100, was large and it was main reason of reducing permeability in grouting (Kim, 1999). Therefore, cement grouting was used very restrictively. The type of injection as soil condition is shown in Table 1(Japan Chemical Grouting Association, 1995), and it is divided into cavity grouting, penetration grouting, and fracture grouting in sand or sandy silt layer. The mixing method of soil stabilization by high pressure jetting is applied in clay layer at which grouting is impossible (Table 1). In case of using the ordinary Portland cement as grouting material, penetration grouting can be applied in coarse sand layer with gravel or layer with coefficient of permeability, about 10-2/s. But in case of using fluid type grouting material with low viscosity, penetration grouting can be applied in silt sand layer. Lately, micro -cement, having no environmental pollution and the groutability of fluid type, was developed in domestic and has been put to practical use. Basic research of production and using technique with micro-cement has been made great progress by Kim et al. (1997).
Table 1. Relationship betwe e n s o i l c o n d i t i o n a n d injection type

After 1990s, though the particle size of grouting material has been microlized, this made problems such as cost increase and reduction of permeability. Now, to solve these problems, the studies about field grinding of grouting material, control of hydration velocity, improvement of detachability, etc. are in progress (Karol, 1990). And in case of using water glass as grouting material, impermeability was considerably reduced after three month or one year. Therefore, the silicate grouting material, excluding sodium that occurs leaching and using only silica as cementing agent, are used to prevent impermeability being reduced. But in domestic, water glass is commonly used, so the safety of ground improvement with grouting is low. The objective of this study is to evaluate the field application of micro-composite silica cement (mainly N type); N type is defined as normal geltime coagulation. In this study, the characteristics of micro-composite silica method were evaluated from

laboratory test for 1.0 shot system, 1.5 shot system, standard mixture (W/C: 2 0 0wt%) using microcomposite silica as primary material and specialised tricalcium silicate as coagulator. 2. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATION 2.1 Influence characteristics of groutability by flowable

And shear stress -velocity relationship of mortar, cement paste and cement suspension having small water-cement ratio can be represented using equation (1).
y = p y

(1)

The main factors affecting permeability of suspension type grouting are the particle size and the viscosity of suspension. If the particle size of grouting material is microlized, it is possible to permeate into silt ground, otherwise the viscosity of suspension increases suddenly and permeability of grouting reduces. Because the particle size of material can not be controlled in field but the viscosity can be controlled, the methods such as increasing water combination rate or using chemical admixture, which i n d u c e s e l e c t r o -chemical dispersion, are applied in field to lower the viscosity. Up to now, the method increasing water combination rate has been generally used. But if fluidifier is used in grouting, water-cement ratio of injected suspension lowers and from this, the volume decrement by bleeding and drying shrinkage is largely reduced. Therefore, velocity of construction is f a s t e r b e c a u s e r e-injection is unnecessary. 2.1.1 Relationship between viscosity and shear stress Pseudo -Bingham plastic flow is one of nonNewtonian flow to be in need of minimum shear stress (yielding value) inducing flow. Most of cement or clay suspended grouting material are shown pseudo-Bingham plastic flow. Figure 1 shows the relationship of water-cement ratio, viscosity and shear stress in cement grouting.

Where y i s p s e u d o-Bingham shear stress at yielding point and p is plastic viscosity. Suspension type grouting material has the resistance of y on the contact surface between soil particle and grouting material. In the initial stage of injection, grouting material is affected by viscosity but affected by shear stress in progress. Permeation stops when effective injecting pressure is equal to the shear stress of injection material. 2.1.2 Flow properties The latest tendency in grouting is by using a fluidifier to lower the viscosity of cement grouting material (Yonekura, 1996). The cement particles are dispersed by fluidfier inducing electrostatic repulsion, steric repulsion, wetting effect, etc. The dispersion effect by electrostatic repulsion is based on DLVO (Derjaguin Landau Verwey Overbeek) theory. That is, the flocculation is disjointed by the repulsion generated between cement particles having negative electrons. Generally, fine cement particles contacting with water, have the tendency to unify to reduce its surface energy. If the fluidifier is added in cement, electrification layer occurs on the surface of cement particle by the absorption of fluidifier. Therefore, electrostatic repulsion, occurs between particles having similar electric potential, increase the flowability of suspension (Mun et al., 1997) - -- - - Repulsion Wate r - Cement Particle
Flocculation

Dispersion of cement particle

Figure 2. Flow model of cement particle by fluidfier

Figure 1. W/C, apparent viscosity and shear stress relationship of cement suspension

2.1.3 Bleeding stability Soil particles in water are in a suspended state only when it is being agitated. But AgI colloid particle is always being in dispersed state. When a spherical particle is sinking into suspension, Stokes equation as like equation (2) is derived from the relationship between particle diameter and sedimentation velocity.

v =

1 ( s 18

(2 )

Where, v = the terminal settling velocity, s = the mass density of suspended solid, w = the mass density of water, = the dynamic viscosity of suspension, r = the diameter of suspended solid particle. According to Stokes law, as particle size and density difference between particle and fluid increase, the sedimentation velocity decrease, but as viscosity of fluid increase, the sedimentation velocity increase. The viscosity of cement based suspension changes with time. Specially, the high viscosity of suspension that has many particles smaller than 10 will decrease the sedimentation segregation of materials. 2.2 Durability deterioration mechanism In the seawater, about 35g/l of salt of various kinds are dissolved. In the various kinds of salts, Cl and SO have major influence on the deterioration of cement hydrate. Figure 3 shows the deterioration process of cement hydrate in the seawater and a hot spring circumstances. From Figure 3 , t h e monosulfate, hydrate product changes to Friedels salt which h a s m o r phology with very poor crystallinity and Friedels salt reacting on nonreaction gypsum or the sulfate in the seawater or ground changes to expansible ettringite hydrate. Therefore, it is advantage to use the sulfate resistant cement, which could endure sodium and sulfate, as grout in the seawater or contaminated ground condition. For this reason, the use of cement has increased recently.

2 4

The chemical structural model of sodium silicate is shown as Fig. 4. When the sodium atom is removed, the siloxane bond (Si-O-Si) will generate and develop into a polymer of solicic acid. Furthermore, the silanol radicals (Si-OH) will dehydrate and polymerize, and thus polymers will form a sort of three dimensional mesh or colloidal particles. Therefore, the stud ies on develop ing the durability of the grout using silica sol extracted Na or specialized tricalcium silicate are going on actively (Yonekura, 1996).

F i g u r e 4 . Str u c t u r e o f s o d i u m s i l i c a t e s y a t e m i c polymerization body

C3 A+Gypsum Hydrates

The durability of grout will decrease by the fracture of chemical structure and chemical erosion. The cement-based grouts and hardening agent have been widely used in soil injection at the coastal area. But the durability of treated soil at that place decrease compared with that of inland area. Because salinity in the marine clay, organic reactant and SO result in the expansion fracture of cement based hydrate, the shearing resistance of sodium silicate based grout grows weak in three months of curing time. The reason of these shearing resistance decreasing phenomena was resulted from adversely effects of alkali solution (J. J. Kim, 1993).
2 4

C3 ACaSO 4 12H2 O Extra C 3 a seepage

C3 A3CaSO 4 32H2

Table 2. Comparison of characteristics bet ween general grouting and durable grouting
sort Characteristics Small equipment a n d n o i s e , e a s y t o c o n s t r u c t despite of close suburbs or obstruction. Small generating of industrial waste. Economic. High cut -o f f r a t e a n d c o n t i n u i t y between cakes. Enhanced ground improvement under pressure. Include all the upper characteristics of regular grouting. It is possible to get durable ground improvement because strength can be activated over 40 50kg/cm2. Large amount of economic grouting for protection of liquefaction is possible by mixing for continuous grouting through dozens of hours. Since leaching of polluted material is rare, there is no polluting underwater and disturbing the growth of plant.

Cl - ion
C 3 A CaCl2 10H2 O (Firedel s salt ; metalstable crystal) reaction

General Grouting

none reactive plaster in the cement sulfate came from outside

seepage

C3 A3CaSO 4 32H2 O inflation

Destruction of hydration system

Microsilica Grouting

Figure3. Deterioration process of a cement hydration in seawater environment

3. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM 3.1 Materials

In this paper, MSG divided into three different types (early, normal and retarding hardening type) according to the needs of construction work and reaction time of grout is called gel time. The chemical composition, particle size distribution and mineral characteristics of each type were analyzed, and the properties of specialized tricalcium silicate and OPC were also analyzed. The chemical composition analyses using XRF, particle size analyses using Malvern mastersizer and mineral characteristics analysis using XRD and SEM were performed. 3.2 Test mixture and measurement contents Standard type of MSG was mixed as shown in Table 3 based on the criteria of the mixing ratios of 1.0 shot system that has been widely used in the field. To compare MSG with OPC, the same mixing ratios were applied to OPC. At water cement ratio with 200%, the bleeding test, viscosity test and permeability test using sand column injection apparatus were performed to confirm the stability for the segregation of materials, permeability and low viscosity of MSG. The appending quantity of fluidifier was restricted to 03.5% based on the critical injection viscosity suggested by Karol (1990) and the increase of material costs. The optimal appending quantity of fluidifier was evaluated by means of preliminary test, and melanin based powder type fluidifier was used in this study because of its high quality and easy control. The mixing ratio of 1.5 shot system, mainly used in LW method and SGR method in Korea, was presented in Table 4. For the aim of confirmation the strength, durability and workability of MSG, the strength of homo gel, gel time and transformed shape of specimen were evaluated.
Table 3. Cement milk mixture ratio of 1.0 shot system
W/C (%) 100 200 300 400 Microsilica -N type Water( ) 300 343 360 368 Cement(kg) 300 171 120 92 Ordinary Portland cement Water( ) 304 345 363 372 Cement(kg) 304 173 121 93

3.3 Experimental method and Measurement 3.3.1 Bleeding test In this study, bleeding test for suspended grout was performed in following methods. First, materials were mixed in the high-speed mixer according to fixed number of rotations, then, mixed materials were put into 1000 ml mess cylinder, and lastly sedimentation quantities were measured at 30min., 60min., 90min., 120min., and 180min. In case of sedimentation quantity not being constant, sedimentation quantity was measured until it was constant. 3.3.2 Viscosity test After materials were mixed and put into 1000ml beaker according to the same method of bleeding test, viscosity was measured within 1 minute with viscometer (VISCOMETER VT-03 made in RION Co., Japan). 3.3.3 Congelation test For evaluating congelation characteristics of suspended grout, congelation test was carried out based on KS L 5103. After suspended grout was fixed in cylindrical barrel ( 8cm H 5cm), bleeding was removed carefully. Cement paste obtained by the method previously stated was selected as sample for congelation test. 3.3.4 Optical judgment for observing displacement state For observing appearance of layers separations, cementation state was observed after suspended grout was put into cylindrical barrel ( 8cm H 5cm) during 7 days. 3.3.5 SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) For analyzing organizations of Microsilica-N type and specialized tricalcium silicate, XRD and SEM were performed. Scanning was carried out to 20,000 times magnification for investigating the state of particles in same conditions. 3.3.6 Unconfined compressive strength test Samples for Unconfined compressive strength tests were made in size of 5cm 5cm 5cm, and unconfined compressive strengths of samples in 1, 3, 7, and 28 days were measured by digital UTM (Universal Testing Machine). 4. A N A L Y S E S OF RESULTS 4.1 Used materials LABORATORY TESTS

Table 4. Grout mixture ratio of 1.5 shot system

Microsilica N type Specialized water tricalcium silicate Solution A (coagulator) 200 Solution B (hardener) 200 171kg 86kg 173kg 87kg 100 100 100 100 cement water

Ordinary portland cement

disodium disilicate (waterglass) Cement

An analysis was conducted on the chemical components, mineral characteristics, grain size

distribution, and physical properties of MSG, and tests results are as followed. 4.1.1 Analysis of Chemical Components Table 5 presents the result of analysis that is classified with type. A feature of MSG is that the mix proportion is adjusted complexly for the control of silica, alumina, lime, gypsum, and ignition loss. Ignition loss and gypsum are controlled b y admixture that is used for prevention of the increase of viscosity and the acceleration of setting times as composite silica is fined. Silica, alumina, and lime are controlled by admixture that is used for the control of hydrates reaction ratio and for the improvement of durability. Disodium disilicate, setting control agent, used ready -made goods. Specialized tricalcium silicate, used in this study, is specially treated by the mixing of ordinary tricalcium silicate and alkali. It is compounded for the prevention of alkali leakage and for the improvement of durability. Table 5. Analyse results of chemical components in MSG
Sort Microsilica E Microsilica N Microsilica R 32.2 16.9 0.2 41.8 5.6 0. 22 0.42 0.5 2.1 26.3 11.4 1.6 50.2 3.6 0.17 0.52 3.5 2.8 SiO2 Al 2 O3 Fe2 O3 CaO MgO Na 2 O K2 O SO3 Ig.loss 20.2 5.1 3.3 60.1 3.5 0.14 0.69 3.8 3.5

(b) Specialized tricalcium Figure 5. XRD chart In figure 5, it was judged that micro silica-N type and specialized tricalcium silicate will be of more use than ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in the strength revelation and durability aspects, because these are organized shapes of uncrystalline structure. Also, it is presumed that micro silica-E, R type will be similar to crystal properties.

4.1.2 Mineral Characteristics X-ray diffraction analysis and photographing of electron microscope were accompanied for the analysis of mineral characteristics. These results were followed in Figure 5 and 6.

(a) Micro silica-N type

(a) Micro silica-N type (b) Specialized tricalcium silicate Figure 6. SEM photograph

Figure 6 present that fined particles, less than 10 were distributed homogeneously in micro silica-N type and glassy atypical particles were developed in specialized tricalcium silicate. 4.1.3 Grading Analysis The grading of micro silica-N type was analysed by Malvern Mastersizer and OPC analysed simultaneously of the comparison. Results of cement grading analyse followed in Table 6. In table 6, penetration grouting will be possible from fined sand layer to silty sand in grouting at sand layer. Because averag e grain diameter is 3.7 and Table 6. Results of cement grading analyse (unit : %)
m sort Microsilica -N OPC 1 2 3 4 6 8 10

ratio of 1.0 shot system in table 3 about micro silicaN type and OPC. Gel-time, the property of alkali leakage, degree of specimen deformation, homogel compressive strength were tested by using mix proportion ratio of 1.5 shot system in Table 4. Each test result is shown in Table 8 and 9. 4.2.1 Analysis of superplasticizer appending test The results of various viscosity of cement by adding superplasticizer that are shown in Table 8. As known from Table 8, reducing viscosity was possible by using superplasticizer and raising water-cement ratio. Also, Karol (1990) suggested that the limit viscosity of suspended grouting material in

12

16

24

32

44

64

88

100

d50

19.1

27.3

41.9

54.1

78.4

91.8

96.7

98.9

99.9

100

100

100

100

100

100

3.7

4.9

7.3

10.2

14.3

21.5

27.1

33.2

37.0

45.3

62.3

84.7

92.1

96.0

98.8

100

18.2

maximum diameter is 10 in micro silica-N type. Also, penetration grouting will be possible in the case of grouted rock. 4.1.4 Physical properties of grouting materials KS (Korean Standard) were used to test the physical properties of micro silica-N type and OPC. Tests results are shown in table 7. Table 7. Physical properties of grout
Flocculation Blaine Sort Gs (cm /g)
2

Compressive strength (kg/ ) Flow Last (h:m) w/c (%) 1 days 3 days 7 days 28 days

w/c (%)

First (min)

Micro silica Ntype OPC 3.15 3210 26.1 180 7:40 105.2 48.5 94 187 265 375 3.0 8650 30.2 160 7:10 107.5 51.2 126 305 428 668

penetration grouting was less than 10cps. So, as shown Table 8, it could be known that the viscosity of composite silica grouting material was reduced less than 10cps by adding superplasticizer more than 3% when it was rich mix and by adding superplasticizer about 1% when it was lean mix. So, it was judged that profitable mix of composite silica grouting material was that water-cement ratio was more than 200% and superplasticizer was used about 1.5%. The viscosity of cement could be reduced less than 10cps if water-cement ratio was 100% and superplasticizer was used about 1.5%, water-cement ratio was 200% and superplasticizer was used 1%, and water-cement ratio was more than 300% and superplasticizer was not used. Therefore, grouting materials with low viscosity can be used when water-c e m e n t r a t i o i s m o r e t h a n 2 0 0 % a n d superplasticizer is added about 1%. Table 8. Amount of liquefaction manufacture and viscosity of suspension (unit : cps)

In table 7, micro silica-N type is similar to OPC in the properties of setting and flux. But micro silica-N type is more hardening than OPC from 34% to 78% in early and long time strength. Therefore, micro silica-N type can be applied at cut-off construction as well as ground reinforcement in fields that need high strength. 4.2 Physical properties of grouting material B type viscosity, bleeding ratio, infiltration capacity of sand column were measured using mix proportion

Adding amount of liquefaction manufacture (cwt%)

4.2.2 Physical analysis of 1.0 shot system ( w/c: 200% ) Testing results of B type viscosity, bleeding ratio, infiltration capacity of sand column about micro silica-N type and OPC by rotated frictional resistances are shown in Table 9. The procedures of sand column test are as followed; acryl column, 10H25 is filled with standard sand (Jumunjin, Korea), grouting materials are absorbed by vacuum pressure about 5torr, and injection test is carried. This testing apparatus was designed as simple infiltration capacity testing apparatus by writer and this apparatus could compare indirectly infiltration capacity. Because, as shown in Table 9, micro silicaN type was lower viscosity and bleeding ratio, was good infiltration capacity, and more improved cementation, liquidity, and prevention of bleeding, grouting could be performed more effectively. 4.2.3 Physical properties of 1.5 shot system Testing results of gel-time, properties of alkali leakage, degree of specimen deformation, and homogel compressive strength are shown table 10. Table 9. Physical properties of cement milk
B type Sort Be ginning viscosity Standard range MicrosilicaN OPC Under 10cps 4 cps 12 cps About 3% About 40% Bleeding rate Infiltration capacity(Osmosis) Time Material separation Smaller is better Caking

Grout

w/c (%) 100

0 362 71 35 19 43 18 7 3

0.5 241 33 31 17 35 12 7 3

1.0 178 25 17 10 21 9 7 3

1.5 125 10 9 7 13 7 6 3

2.0 47 9 8 7 9 4 4 3

2.5 25 8 8 6 6 3 4 3

3.0 10 7 6 5 5 3 3 2

3.5 6 4 3 3 4 3 2 2

Microsilica-N

200 300 400 100

OPC

200 300 400

than OPC. Strength was increased at curing 28day when composite silica was used, but it was decreased at curing 28day when OPC was used, because alkali was leaked excessively in water curing. So, we could know that decrease of durability during short times was severed in ordinary [Sodium Silicate + OPC]. Therefore, accidents in construction fields will be occurred when disodium d i s i l i c a t e a r e a p p l i e d c u t -o f f a n d g r o u n d
GelSort Time (sec) Standard range Microsilica -N type Exclusio OPC 72 10.7 1.8 4.7 23.6 15.1 n in edge 609 0 67 pH at 96hrs after 78. 5 9.3 1 days Over 1 5.5 homogel compressive strength(/) 3 days 18.2 7 days 35.9 28 days Over 10 43.1 Cake variety for leaching None None

3 sec Over 90sec

None 70%

None much

improvement fields for a long time. Also, it will be profitable relatively in the protection of environment, because it is lower pH than established grouting materials. 5. CONCLUSIONS

In Table 10, micro silica-N type was judged that grouting construction could be done from similar experience, because this was similar gel-time of OPC. For indirect evaluation of alkali that leaked from cemented specimens, specimens soak in fresh water during 96 hours. Then, pH of micro silica-N type was about 9.3, but OPC was 10.7. This reason would judge that micro silica grout was less alkali and more high strength than OPC grout. As shown Figure 7, in this Phenomena, specimen deformation was severed with the lapse of curing day (Figure 7) and strength decline was vivid at [disodium disilicate + OPC]. Specimen deformation and strength decline, however, with the lapse of curing day did not occurred at [specialized tricalcium silicate + composite silica cement](Figure 7 and Table 10). Composite silica cement will improve durability because it shows more than twice strength

This study developed micro fine silicate grouting (MSG) that makes grout high technology, Table 10. Physical properties of 1.5 shot system then studied its engineering properties and in situ application. Summaries of this study are: (1) Microsilica is expected that it would optimise grouting in accordance to its object because it could control gel-time from a few seconds to s e v e r a l h o u r s b y c h a n g i n g i t s c h e mical compositions. (2) Microsilica, whose mean particle-size is about 4m, was expected to make permeation grouting possible up to silty sand layer in soil layer, and up to 30m crack zone in rock layer. Through seepage test using sand column, its effect was identified.

(3) Grout of MSG method consisted of microsilica and specialized try silica was estimated superior to classic methods in every feature as safety for environment, durability, etc. (4) In feasibility study of MSG method, it showed reasonable effect of reducing coefficient of permeability by grouting high permeative grout, for the waste landfill or cover layer. 6. REFERENCES Chung. J. J(1986), Study of Durability of Water-glass Type Grout, Dissertation to the Graduate Faculty of Hanyang Univ. for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, pp.6667 Kim. J. C (1999), Study of Grout Properties of Microfine Cement for Ground Improvement, Dissertation to the Graduate Faculty of Hanyang Univ. for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, pp. 16. 6972 Kim. J. C(1997), Study of Feasibility of Silica sole and Micro Cement For Ground Improvement, Ministry Construction and Transportation Study Report, R&D/95-0084, pp.5677 Japan Chemical Grouting Association(1995), Design of Chemical GroutingGuide of Carrying Out, pp. 114 Neville. A . M ( 1 9 8 2 ) , Properties of Concrete, Pitman, London, pp. 12 Karol, R. H. (1990), Chemical Grouting, 2nd Ed., New York and Basel, Marcel Dekker Inc., pp.4954. 429432 Moon. H. Y, Soe. J. W, Choi. J. W & Kim. K. H(1997), Concrete Admixture, Korea Concrete Institute, pp.5154 Ryozo Yonekura(1996), The Development Process and The New Concepts of Chemical Grout in Japan , P r o c e e d i n g s o f I STOKYO96 The Second International Conference of Ground Improvement Geosystems, Tokyo 1417 M a y 1 9 9 6 , Volume 2, pp.889901