Application of new theories and technology for grouting of dams and foundations on rock

Permeation grouting is used to improve rock conditions under dams and foundations. During recent decades, there has been a substantial increase of understanding of the mechanism behind grout spread in fractured rock. It is the penetrability of the grout mix and the spread in the joints which will be the governing factors for the quality of the grout curtain. The flow properties and the pressure will give the required time to achieve the quality. The empirical based refusal and completion criteria of today can be replaced by a more engineering based grouting process. An active control method has been developed in order to govern the grout spread during the grouting operation based on the new theory of spreading of grout. The concept is called the “real time grouting control method”. The concept and the latest finding of the mechanism of spreading of the grout in the fractures of the rock mass are presented in the paper. The application of the method on two dam projects is also presented.