B.

Tech Seminar on
CURTAIN GROUTING
For the subject of
Advanced Foundation Engineering
By
Devendra Singh Shekhawat (11BCL061)
Ayush Misra (11BCL073)
Ritika Kashyap (11BCL089)
Submitted to
Dr. Trudeep N Dave

Dept of Civil Engineering

School of Technology
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University
Gandhinagar Gujarat

GROUT
Grout is a construction material used to embed rebar's in masonry walls, connect sections of
pre-cast concrete, fill voids, and seal joints (like those between tiles). Grout is generally a
mixture of water, cement, sand, often colour tint, and sometimes fine gravel (if it is being
used to fill the cores of concrete blocks). It is applied as a thick emulsion and hardens over
time, much like its close relative mortar. Unlike other structural pastes such as plaster or joint
compound, grout, when mixed and applied correctly, creates a waterproof seal.

TYPES OF GROUTING
a. Penetration grouting
b. Displacement grouting
c. Compaction grouting
d. Jet grouting
e. Curtain grouting

a. Penetration grouting
Process of filling joints or fractures in rock or pore spaces in soil with a grout without
disturbing the formation. It refers to the replacement of water in voids between soil, particles
with a grout fluid at low injection pressure so as to prevent fracturing.

Fig.1 Penetration grouting

b. Displacement grouting:
It is the injection of grout into a formation in such a manner as to move into the formation, it
may be controlled, as in compaction grouting or uncontrolled. As in high pressure soil or rock
grouting which leads to splitting of the ground, also called hydro fracture.

Fig.2 Displacement grouting

c. Compaction grouting:
It is a very stiff (say 25-mm slump) mortar is injected into loose soils, forming grout bulbs
which displace. and densify the surrounding ground, without penetrating the soil, pores.

d. Jet grouting:
It is a technique where high speed water jets emanating from a drill bit cut into alluvial
soils: as the drill but is withdrawn grout is pumped through horizontal nozzles and mixes with
or displaces the soil. The original foundation material is thus replaced with a stranger and/or
more impermeable grout-soil mixture. Jet grouting may be used to form cut off walls, form a
deep foundation.

Fig 3. Jet grouting

e. Curtain Grouting
A Grout curtain is a barrier that protects the foundation of a dam from seepage and can be
made during initial construction or during repair. Additionally, they can be used to strengthen
foundations and contain spills.

Fig 4. Grout curtain

CURTAIN GROUTING
A Grout curtain is a barrier that protects the foundation of a dam from seepage and can be
made during initial construction or during repair. Additionally, they can be used to strengthen
foundations and contain spills.
A grout curtain usually consists of a row of vertically drilled holes filled with
pressurized grout, a process commonly known as pressure grouting. The holes are drilled in
intervals and in such a way that they cross each other, creating a curtain.
In earth / rock fill dams, curtain grouting is usually completed before a dam is constructed
and involves filling a narrow excavated trench in the foundation with concrete. The exception
to the timing of the grouting operation is grouting after construction for a grouting cap at the
upstream heel of a dam.
Curtain grouting of the foundations of concrete dams is most effective after completion of the
dam, at a time when the full load is being applied to the foundation. Under such
circumstances higher pressures may be used in grouting so as to assure maximum travel of
grout in all directions along flow paths intersected by grout holes.
In gravity and gravity arch dams of moderate to large size it is common practice to construct
a gallery inside the dam for drilling curtain grout holes and drainage holes. Foundations of
small gravity and thin arch dams are efficiently grouted from grout caps along the contact of
the upstream face of the dam with rock.
Where there are no geological controls the depths of curtain pattern grout holes are
determined by a formula. A frequently used formula is: the vertical depth of grout holes shall
be a third of the dam height at the location of the hole plus (15 - 20m).

Fig. 5

CURTAIN GROUTING IN DAM

Quantitatively Engineered Grout Curtains

Grouting designs must be site specific to address the specific project goals. The performance
criterion from the quantitative design identifies the maximum permissible residual
permeability and minimum width of the grouted zone. Prerequisite information required to
perform quantitative design of a grout curtain include:
Thorough geologic investigations identifying structure, stratigraphy, weathering, and
hydraulic conductivity of the foundation rock.
Establishment of project performance requirements in terms of seepage quantities and
seepage pressures. Design requirements should consider dam safety, cost, and political
acceptability or public perception as they relate to residual seepage.
Seepage analyses to determine the need for grouting, the horizontal and vertical limits of
the cut-off, the width of the curtain, and the location of the curtain.
Where relevant, the value of the lost water should be compared to the cost of more
intensive grouting in a cost benefit analysis.
Specifications written to require best practice for field execution of every element of the
work.
Quantitative design of grouting requires that the curtain be treated in seepage analyses as an
engineered element. The specific geometry of the curtain in terms of depth and width must be
included in the model and the achievable hydraulic conductivity of the curtain must also be
assumed.

GROUT MIX DESIGN

The vast majority of grout curtains in prior to 1990 utilized neat cement grouts with little
consideration of the grout properties other than the water cement ratio. Today, grout mix
designs are tailored to the application and desired results. Most rock grouting is performed
with high mobility grouts (HMG). Fundamental properties of HMG to be considered when
developing a mix design include the grain size of the particulate constituents, viscosity,
cohesion, sedimentation or bleed potential, segregation, resistance to pressure filtration,
particle agglomeration minimization during injection, resistance to washout, matrix porosity,
and durability. The desired grout is one that will penetrate the fractures a sufficient distance
to provide overlap of grouted zones, but will have sufficient cohesion to not travel too far
while having a viscosity that permits the grout to be injected in a reasonable amount of time.
During injection the grout will have a constant or nearly constant rheology and once in place
the grout will not bleed or washout prior to hardening. Once hardened, the grout will be
resistant to leaching and provide permanent seepage control.

DESIGN CONSIDERATION

1. Geological Considerations
The data already obtained from the exploration of the foundation should be analysed to assess
the characteristics of foundation rocks and the location and orientation of faults.. seams,
cavities, joints and bedding planes and discontinuities. The permeability values of foundation
strata at various depths should be used for the design since the stages and spacing of the holes
for grouting should be based on this data.

2. Drilling of Grout Holes

Percussion drills can be used for drilling the grout holes, provided the foundation rock is of a
type that will produce granular cuttings, rather than slimes. In case of rocks having
weaknesses such as faults and seams it is recommended that at least one hole should be bored
with suitable boring machines which are capable of recovery of rock cores and which will
facilitate inspection of bore hole walls. Diamond core drilling permits the examination of
cores and the location of seams by means of a TV borehole camera.

3. Inclination of Grout Holes

The holes may be either vertical or inclined. The orientation, plan and inclination of grout
holes depends upon the type of joints and other discontinuities in the foundation rock. The
most common practice is to drill holes inclined towards upstream at 5 to 10 degrees with the
vertical.

4. Spacing of Grout Holes

Single line grout curtains are generally used. The usual practice is to try a widely spaced
system of primary boles at a spacing of 6 m to 8 m, followed by secondary and tertiary holes
at a progressively smaller spacing till the desired results are obtained. However, hole spacing
less than one meter should be avoided.

5. Depth of the Grout Curtain

The depth of the grout curtain depends upon the type and conditions of the rock mass with
respect to its permeability. The following empirical criteria may be used as a guide which is
based on going practice:

where
D = 2/3 H + 8
D == Depth of the grout curtain in m, and
H = Height of reservoir water in m.

6. Grout Procedure
i. Curtain grouting is normally done from the foundation cum drainage gallery after
masonry/ concrete is laid up to half of the design height or 20 m from the bottom of the
gallery, whichever is earlier. However in special cases an additional grout curtain can also be
provided at the heel of the dam.
ii. Drainage holes should be drilled in the foundation gallery. Drainage holes should,
however, not be drilled in the foundation gallery till curtain grouting is completed within 30
m from the location of the drainage holes.

Patterns of Holes for Curtain Grouting

a. Single Line Grout Curtains

Single line. grout curtains are effective only in rocks having a fairly regular network of
discontinuities with reasonably uniform size of openings. In such cases a curtain of adequate
width can be achieved by grouting a single line of holes.
In single line curtains it is customary to drill a widely spaced system of primary holes,
subsequently followed by secondary and tertiary holes at a progressively smaller spacing.
The initial spacing usually varies between 6 m to 12m but the choice of spacing should be
based on the geological conditions and on experience.
Spacing's below one metre are rarely necessary and the requirement of a spacing closer than
one. metre may often indicate an unsuitable orientation and inclination of holes.

b. Multiple Line Grout Curtain

In rocks with a wide range of sizes or openings. cavities and discontinuities which are
irregularly distributed, a single line curtain may not be effective. The larger openings may
absorb excessive volumes of grout if high pressures and thin grouts are used.
In such cases it may be advantageous to use a multiple line curtain consisting of' outer lines
which are drilled and grouted initially with thicker grouts.
The final spacing of Inner and outer rows may be different in a multiple line pattern, the
spacing in each row being governed by the nature of rock discontinuity, intended to be treated

by the particular row. In any case in the central row the split spacing method should be
followed until the desired degree of impermeabilization is achieved.

APPLICABILITY

Grout curtains may be used up-gradient of the contaminated area, to prevent clean water from
migrating through waste, or down-gradient, to limit migration of contaminants. Grout
curtains are generally used at shallow depths (30 to 40 ft maximum depth). High-pressure
jetting appears to be a cost effective means to place physical barriers in unstable soils, near
foundations, and around underground obstructions.

LIMITATIONS

An underground injection permit may be required.

Keeping nozzles clear, maintaining air flow, and effectively creating a wall without
defects have been problematic in certain environments and operating conditions. For
instance, if very coarse-grained materials are encountered, defects in the curtain may
occur. Therefore, the site must be well characterized to minimize unexpected geologic
conditions. Additionally, if the jets are turned on and off, they may become clogged.

The orientation of the jets must be precise to ensure the curtain is continuous. At one
demonstration, magnetic anomalies created problems with the orientation of the
directional tool.

REFERENCES

Grout curtains

(http://www.cpeo.org/techtree/ttdescript/grocur.htm)

CONCRETE WALLS AND GROUT CURTAINS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST

CENTURY: THE CONCEPT OF COMPOSITE CUT-OFFS FOR SEEPAGE
CONTROL by Dr. Donald A. Bruce1,Trent L. Dreese, Douglas M. Heenan

(http://www.geosystemsbruce.com/v20/biblio/241%20Concrete%20Walls%20and%20
Grout%20Curtains%20in%20the%2021st%20Century.pdf)

IS 11293 ( Part 2 ) : 1993;Indian Standard GUIDELINES FOR THE DESIGN

OF GROUT CURTAINS.

IS 6066 : 1994; Indian Standard PRESSURE GROUTING OF ROCK

FOUNDATIONS IN RIVER VALLEY PROJECTS- RECOMMENDATIONS