Geotechnical Special Publication No.

221 © ASCE 2011 48

Properties of Chemical Foamed-sand Modification Tests for Metro

Shield Tunneling Engineering
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G.G. Qiao1, D.J. Yuan1 and B. Liu2

1
Ph.D, School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, P. R. China; Beijing 100044;
bjqgg@163.com
1
Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, P. R. China; Beijing
100044; yuandj603@163.com
2
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, P.
R. China 100083; dr_boliu@163.com

ABSTRACT: As the most advanced soil improvement technique, foam modifying soil
measures always be taken when the EPB shield tunneling in the water-rich sand and
complex strata. Experimental research on foam-modified fine sand and coarse sand
was carried out using self-developed foam agent, conclusions were drawn that foam
can not only reduce the permeability coefficient and shear strength significantly, but
also it can enhance the fluidity of the sand greatly; If appropriate quantity of bentonite
or clay is injected in the sands, the water-holding capacity and liquidity will be further
enhanced while the permeability coefficient of modified sands will be further reduced.
Combining the experimental results of permeability, direct shear strength and fluidity
of foam-modified sand, the corresponding quantitative indicators were proposed and it
will provide reference for the parameters selection of sand modification in the shield
tunneling construction. And some field experimental results of metro construction are
introduced to show the performance of foam.

INTRODUCTION

The water-rich sand stratum are widely distributed in Guangzhou and Suzhou, shield
tunneling in the complex strata is prone to result in spewing and blocking, it has
frequently induced ground failures and collapse accidents. Tunneling in the poor
fluidity, high water content and high permeability strata often encounter the following
technical problems: The water and sand prone to separation after the stratum is
squeezed and disturbed by the shield, the excavated soil in the chamber can not form a
"plastic fluidity" media, so the dumping problems often appears; the sand in front of the
face consolidates due to water losing, the density of the sand at the bottom of the
chamber is higher because of the sedimentation of sand particles, while the upper
density is relatively lower, so it is difficult for the face pressure to maintain dynamic
balance, and it affects the posture control; because of the large internal friction of the
sand, arch effect is prone to form due to high pressure, it often leads to blocking and the
torque and thrust increasing, and the wearing of the cutter head and the cutter drum is
serious.

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 Geotechnical Special Publication No. 221 © ASCE 2011 49

Soil improvement is the most effective way to solve the above problems at present, of
which the chemical foamed-soil is the most advanced method. In the GeoHunan
International Conference 2009, the author et al (Liu B., Li T. & Qiao G. G. 2009)
introduced the microstructures of Guangzhou red clay, and the chemical foamed-clay
modification experimental results were presented. In this paper, the author’s latest
research on the foamed-sand will be introduced.

SOIL MODIFICATION EXPERIMENTS AND RESULTS ANALYSIS

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More than 100 groups of tests were conducted on the foamed sand, which involve 35
groups of permeability tests, 25 groups of liquidity tests, 40 groups of shear strength
tests, only part of the experimental results are presented in this paper.

Permeability modification experiment

The constant head permeability method is adopted. It was determined that the
permeability coefficient of the adopted experimental fine sand is 2.54×10-3cm/s, and
that of the coarse sand is 1.66×10-2cm/s. All of the permeability coefficients stated in
this paper were adjusted to the standard temperature.
Permeability Coefficient (cm/s)

-6
6.0x10
Fine sand
Coarse sand
-6
4.0x10

-6
2.0x10

25 30 35
Fine Particle Ratio (%)

FIG.1 Permeability of foam & bentonite modified saturated fine sand & coarse
sand

The experimental result of foam and bentonite improved saturated fine sand and
coarse sand is shown in Fig.1. The data showed in Fig.1 are the permeability coefficient
of 2h later after the sand was improved, the adopted foam concentration C is 3%, and
the foam injection rate (FIR) is 20%. The experimental results show the permeability of
single foam improved sand is 3.85×10-4cm/s, it exceeded the scope of
10-5cm/s~10-6cm/s (S. Queband et al 1998 & Zhang G.J., Liu Y 2005). After the
bentonite is mixed into the sand until the fine particle components reaches 30%, the
permeability coefficient of the improved sand reaches the magnitude of 10-6~10-7, the
modification effect is very good.

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 Geotechnical Special Publication No. 221 © ASCE 2011 50

Shear strength modification experiment

The internal friction angle of the unimproved fine sand is 39º, the coarse sand is 43º.
Fig.2 shows that with the increasing of foam agent concentration, the internal friction
angle of the foamed sand reduces gradually, but the decreasing range of the foam
improved coarse sand is lower than that of the fine sand.

38
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Fine Sand
36
Internal Friction Angle (° )

Coarse Sand
34 FIR=30%

32

30

28

26

1 2 3 4 5
C (%)
FIG.2 Internal friction angle of foamed fine sand and coarse sand vs. C

Fluidity experiment

Fig. 3 showed the slump test pictures. Picture A is the slump of unimproved fine sand,
it shows that the fluidity and water retention are poor, the water and sand prone to
separation. Photo B shows the slump of foam improved fine sand, it proofs that the
fluidity and water retention of the foamed-sand is enhanced greatly, but the slump
value is more than 20cm, it do not meet the requirement upon Zhang’s opinion of
10~15cm (Zhang F. X., Zhu H. H., Fu D. M. 2004). Photo C shows the slump picture of
foam and bentonite modified coarse sand, the improved coarse sand gains a good
"plastic fluidity", and the "plastic fluidity" can maintain a relative long time.
According to the experimental results, Fig.4 and Fig.5 are obtained. Raffaele Vinai
(Raffaele Vinai et. al.) also obtained similar graphics with Fig.5.

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 Geotechnical Special Publication No. 221 © ASCE 2011 51

A) Unimproved fine sand B) Foamed fine sand C) Foam & bentonite improved coarse sand

FIG.3 Pictures of slump tests

60
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50

FIR (%) 40

30

20

10

0 5 10 15 20 25
Sl ( )
FIG.4 Slump statistic of the foamed improved fine sand

60

50 A a
C B
40
FIR (%)

30 C E
b
20
D
10

8 10 12 14 16 18
W (%)
FIG.5 Optimization figure of foam modifying sand
In Fig.5, because of the low soil moisture of zone A, the slump value is small and the
liquidity is poor; zone B obtains large slump values, the foamed-sand is thin; zone C
says the slump is between 10~16cm, the slump value of the foamed sand is ideal; zone
D indicates the slump value of the foamed-sand is small and the liquidity is poor; zone
E expresses the high water content of soil, the sand is saturated or near saturated.
By analyzing the slump experimental results of the foam improved sand, the relative
ideal slump value range of foamed-sand was obtained, and foam injection rate and the
soil water content codetermine the "plastic fluidity" of the foamed-sand. For coarse
sand, the higher the fine ingredients, the better the fluidity of the foamed-sand.

The proposal on "plastic fluidity" of foamed-sand applied in the laboratory

Based on the international and domestic research result, the author put forward the
evaluation criteria proposal on the "plastic fluidity" of foamed sand applied in the lab:
the ideal "plastic fluidity" of foamed sand has to simultaneously meet the following

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 Geotechnical Special Publication No. 221 © ASCE 2011 52

criteria: when the "fluidity" of foam modified sand is determined by slump, the slump
value should fall into the scope of 10cm~16cm, when the muck delivery method is
pipeline, a larger slump value of 20cm may be appropriately; the critical of
permeability coefficient of foamed sand should fall into the scope of 10-5~10-6cm/s; the
internal friction angle of foam-sand should reduce more than 8°.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF FOAM MODIFYING SAND

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In the Yushan Park of Suzhou subway line one, shield tunneling in the full-face
saturated fine sand strata, the tunnel depth is 10.7m~11.3m, the groundwater level is
1.5m~2m. The total thrust and cutter torque is higher, and larger surface subsidence is
obtained. The driving parameters are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Driving parameters in the full-face saturated fine sand strata

Items Parameters
Chamber pressure 0.17~0.19 Mpa
Total thrust 15000~19500kN
Driving speed 4.6~5.5cm/min
Conveyer rotational About 13.2 r/min
speed
Grouting volume 3.0~3.6m3
Grouting pressure 0.40~0.50MPa
Cutter torque 2000~4000kNm
27000
Total Thrust (KN)

24000

21000

18000
No Foam Injected
15000

160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195

Ring Number
FIG.6 Total thrust

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 Geotechnical Special Publication No. 221 © ASCE 2011 53

Cutter Torque (kNm)

4000

3500

3000

2500

2000
No Foam Injected
1500
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160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195

Ring Number

FIG.7 The cutter torque

0
Surface Settlement (mm)

-5

-10
No Foam Injected

-15

Z160 Z165 Z170 Z175 Z180 Z185 z195

Ring Number

FIG.8 Ultimate ground settlement of tunnel axis

After foam agent of 20L/Ring is injected, the situation is improved, Fig.6, Fig.7 and
Fig.8 show that in the case of injected foam, the total thrust, cutter torque and surface
settlement are reduced, and the following construction experiences were achieved:
1) The EPB shield tunnelling in the water rich fine sand strata, the driving speed must
be controlled; neither too fast, nor too slow, downtime should be avoided, particularly
in the higher surface settlement requirement section.
2) The grouting volume and injection pressure should be strictly controlled. In the
higher settlement requirement section, some modified silicate sodium should be
grouted, and the second grouting should be adopted where it is necessary to improve
the filling density, so as to controlling the ground subsidence further.
3) Tunneling in the fine sand strata, shield posture is difficult to control, so the
operator should pay close attention to the horizontal and vertical deviation, to avoid
possible over digging.
4) Strengthening the monitoring of the surface settlement, timely feedback, timely
adjustment, to find the optimal driving parameters.

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 Geotechnical Special Publication No. 221 © ASCE 2011 54

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the permeability, fluidity, shear strength test of the foamed fine sand and
coarse sand, the following conclusions are drawn:
1. Foam can significantly reduce the permeability of fine sand and coarse sand, but
for the water-rich sand, the permeability and fluidity of foamed-sand is not satisfied,
bentonite or clay slurry should be injected to increase the percentage of the minute
particles to fill up sand pores, this can both improve the water blocking performance
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and simultaneously improve the fluidity and water retention, which can effectively
avoid the "spewing" and other accidents.
2. Foam can dramatically reduce the permeability and shear strength of sand,
enabling the internal friction angle reducing more than 8°. And foam can significantly
improve the fluidity of the sand, when injected foam and bentonite slurry, the modified
sand can get a good "plastic fluidity", and this performance can keep even longer.
3. The evaluation criteria proposal on "plastic fluidity" of foamed sand applied in the
lab was put forward: the ideal "plastic fluidity" of foamed sand has to simultaneously
meet the following criteria: when the "fluidity" of foam modified sand is determined by
slump, the slump value should fall into the scope of 10cm~16cm, when the muck
delivery method is pipeline, a larger slump value of 20cm may be appropriately; the
critical of permeability coefficient of foamed-sand should fall into the scope of
10-5~10-6cm/s; the internal friction angle of foamed sand should reduce more than 8°.
4. Field tests showed that the foam can not only reduce the permeability of sand, but
also can effectively reduce the friction, cutter torque, thrust, cutter wear and surface
settlement.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China

(50878015).

REFERENCES

Liu B., Li T. & Qiao G. G. (2009). "SEM Microstructure and Chemical Foamed-soil
Modification Tests for Swelling Red Strata in Subway Shield tunneling
Engineering." Recent advancement in recent soil behavior, In situ test methods, Pile
foundations, and tunneling, ASCE: 20-26.
S. Queband, M..sibai and J. － P. Henry. (1998). "Use of Chemical Foam for
Improvements in Drilling by Earth－Pressure Balance Shields in Granular Soils."
Tunneling and Underground Space Technology, Vol.13 (2): 173-180.
Zhang G.J., Liu Y. (2005). "Plastic Technical of Soil in EPB Shield Construction."
Municipal Technical, Vol.23(5): 293-296.
Zhang F. X., Zhu H. H., Fu D. M. (2004). "Shield Tunneling." China Communications
Press, Ver.1
Vinai R. et al., (2008). “Soil conditioning of sand for EPB applications: A laboratory
research.” Tunneling and Underground Space Technology, Vol.23: 308–317.

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 Geotechnical Special Publication No. 221 © ASCE 2011 55

Xu Q.W., Zhu H. H, Liao S. M. (2006). "Model Test Research on Shield Construction

in Sand" Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering, Vol. 2(3):
361~364.
Markus Tuller, Dani Or. (2003). "Hydraulic functions for swelling soils: pore scale
considerations." Journal of Hydrology, Vol.272 (1): 50-71.
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