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Simultaneous Backfill Grouting, Pressure Development in Construction Phase

and in the Long-Term

Article · May 2006

DOI: 10.1201/9781439834268.ch15

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Simultaneous Backfill Grouting, Pressure Development in
Construction Phase and in the Long-Term
T. Hashimoto1, J. Brinkman2, T. Konda1, Y. Kano3, A. Feddema2
1
Geo-Research Institute, Osaka Japan
2
GeoDelft, Delft The Netherlands
3
TAC Corporation, Okayama Japan

ABSTRACT

Over the years it has become clear that simultaneous backfill grouting is of major importance to the
design of the tunnel lining and TBM process control. Considerable research has been conducted in the
last 20 years to get a grip on these two aspects. They are the key to successful settlement control,
reducing the differential displacement between segments and rings, moments in the lining (in both
ring- and longitudinal direction), and for optimisation of the tunnel boring process. In this paper a
historical overview is given for simultaneous backfill grouting with the use of 2-component grout. An
overview is given of the development of the grouting pressure with TAC (ETAC) grout in the
construction phase and in the long-term, and the resulting bending moments in the lining.

1. INTRODUCTION

Simultaneous backfill grouting was carried out in shield tunnelling for the first time in 1982 in the
construction of No. 4 line of the Osaka Subway in Japan. The conventional tunnelling method using
mortar grouting had been expected to cause a ground settlement of 50 - 100 mm while tunnelling
through very sensitive soft clay. The use of simultaneous backfill grouting kept the settlement in the
range of 10 - 30 mm (Hirata, 1989). Since then, this method has been introduced in many regions of
the world, such as Asia, Europe and America, reducing the settlement associated with shield
tunnelling. The next step was the optimisation of the material properties of the grout.

Extensive research resulted in the development of a 2-component grout TAC (in Europe: ETAC)
which gave:
1) A more efficient tunnel boring process because there is no clogging of the grout in the injection
system
2) Fast, and uniform support of the tunnel lining (Hashimoto et al., 1997) (Hashimoto et al., 2002)
3) Settlement in the range of 0 - 15 mm, through of the better control of the grout injection.

A lining pressure meter with a large diaphragm (750 x 450 mm) was developed to accurately measure
the plastic backfill grouting pressure as well as the pressure acting on the lining after the grout
hardening. By analysing the results of this monitoring, the mechanism of the lining pressures and their
magnitude are now better understood (Hashimoto, 1993).

2. SIMULTANEOUS BACKFILL GROUTING METHOD WITH TAC AND ETAC

In Japan at present, the simultaneous injection method is usually performed with two grouting liquids.
In recent years, this method has also been adopted on some projects in Asia and Europe. In Europe this

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type of grout is called ETAC and was developed in the Netherlands, using local materials and was first
applied in the soft-ground EPB excavation of the Botlek rail tunnel (Feddema, 2001).

Figure 1 shows properties of TAC, 2-component grout. This system uses liquid A (cement, clay-sand,
water and others) and liquid B (water-glass). After mixing of the two liquids, they become semi-solid
(plastic state) in a few seconds, and keep this state for about half an hour. Then they become hard,
generally 0.05 - 0.1N/mm2 by 1 hour. The gel- and hardening time can be set to meet specific project
requirements.

Figure 2 shows typical equipment for simultaneous backfill grouting with TAC. The injection pipe is
attached to the tail of the TBM. If the two liquids are injected through one pipe, the pipe is often
clogged due to the short hardening time of the liquids. Therefore, the pipe and the system were
equipped with two extra mechanisms: one for mixing the two components just before entering the tail
void and one for cleaning.

100kN/m2
(1 hour)
strength

5 `10sec. 10 `25sec.min.
A-liquid
B-liquid gel time
¨ hardening
(mixing)
Time
liquid plastic solid
mixing
nozzle tail void
plant and pipe

Fig. 1 Properties of TAC two liquid grout Fig. 2 Equipment for simultaneous TAC grouting

In the case of soft clay, a typical composition of backfill grouting is shown in Table 1, and Figure 3
shows an example of the ground deformation with this method.

Table 1 Typical proportion of backfill grout for TAC grout

B-liquid
A-liquid materials compressive strength (kN/m2)
materials
clay- bubble
hardening stabilizing entrained regulated
sand forming water 1 hour 1 day 28 days
material agent air set agent
material Agent
270 kg 130 kg 0.5 kg 2.2 kg 630Lit. 13.5 % 100Lit. 100-150 500 2500

3. DEVELOPMENT OF LINING PRESSURE

The pressure due to simultaneous backfill grouting starts acting on the circumference of the lining
immediately after the passage of the shield tail. The grouting pressure distribution becomes uniform
shortly after the grouting because the grout is in the plastic state. With hardening, the grout holds the
earth pressure and the water pressure in the ground and conveys them to the tunnel lining as shown in
Figure 4. After the hardening of the grout, the lining pressure changes depending on the compression
of the grout, the deformation of the lining, stress relaxation, and so on, and then reaches a steady
value. The magnitude of the pressure change depends on the ground condition, e.g. hard or soft soil,
and also on the magnitude of injection pressure. In the case of soft soil, the lining pressure approaches
the initial stress with time regardless of the injecting pressure’s magnitude. In the case of hard soil,
lining pressure approaches the active earth pressure.

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 Ver t i cal def or mat i on Hor i zont al def or mat i on
Dest ance at t he si de of TBM

‚ P
mont h l at er ver y sof t
Gr out i ng Condi t i on
Cl ay
2
pressure
pr essur e 150kN/m
vol.
vol . rate
r at e 178%
2
pressure
pr essur e 200kN/m
ª Scal e
vol.
vol . rate
r at e 185%
TBM f r ont
ª
TBM end
TBM cr own topview of TBM
i nj ect i on

TBM

Fig. 3 An example of backfill grouting pressure and deformation of ground (Nagata Shield)

3.1 Development process of lining pressure and its change

3.1.1 Case on the Okawa Shield in soft clay (Hashimoto., 2001)

The construction was carried out with the slurry shield method; the TBM outer diameter was φ7,150
mm. The simultaneous backfill grouting method was implemented to fill the tail void. The overburden
was approximately 15.3 m.

The excavated ground around the monitoring section was mostly Holocene clay, with strength
increasing with increasing depth. The unconfined compression strength of the clay was approximately
c = qu/2 = 50 kN/m2 and SPT N-value = 0 - 6. The ground was very sensitive with a high liquidity
index (IL = 0.9).

Figure 5 shows the soil profile and the tunnel position at a monitoring section. Major monitoring items
were: earth pressure, water pressure and stress of the RC segments.

soft soil
high grouting pressure hard soil
Lining Pressure p

initial stress

low grouting pressure

water pressure
0 Time T
hardening

Fig. 4 Conceptual figure on lining pressure change Fig.5 Soil profile at the monitoring section

3.1.2 Observed lining pressure and earth pressure in the ground

Figure 6 shows the change in pressure with time during the tail passing, and for the following 2nd ~
6th rings. The pressure during the tail passing showed a remarkable change in 4 phases as follows:

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1) During the passing of the tail brush over the lining pressure meter
2) From the tail brush passing over the lining pressure meter to the end of excavation
3) Assembling the segments
4) After the process is completed

In the first phase, when the tail brush passed the lining pressure meter plate, the pressure (brush
pressure included) decreased. The monitored value of the lining pressure when the tail brush
completely passed the pressure meter corresponded to the backfill grouting pressure. This pressure
was equivalent to the total overburden pressure (263 kN/m2). In the second phase, the pressure
decreased by 70 - 150 kN/m2 when the tail brush passed beyond the plate. In the third phase, the
pressure increased and slight change was recognized when retracting the jacks while assembling the
segments. In the forth phase, the pressure decreased. During tunnelling for the subsequent 2 - 5 rings,
the lining pressure changed due to grouting and jack operation. A very steep inclination of 31‰ made
it difficult to control the TBM jack operation. These difficulties caused fluctuation in the pressure on
the lining. However, after the tail had passed the 6th ring, there was little further effect on the lining
pressure due to the TBM excavation. Lining pressure distributions (a) after the tail passing, (b) five
rings after tail passing, (c) one month after tail passing, and (d) six months after tail passing are shown
in Figure 7.

Fig.6 Lining pressure variation at tail passing and the 2nd - 6th rings after the tail passing

Fig. 7 Lining pressure distribution at four phases

In the first phase the pressure was distributed evenly all around the segment, however at the 5th ring,
the pressure increased in the base of the ring because of the shore pressures required to steer the TBM.

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3.2 Distribution of backfill grouting pressure

3.2.1 Tendency of distribution of backfill grouting pressure on lining

The pressure on the tunnel lining due to the backfill grouting is analysed here based on observation
(Hashimoto, 2002). Figure 8 shows the notion used for each pressure pvg, phg and pv0 , and parameters
Kv, Kh.

For the case grout is injected at one point a typical observation of lining pressure distribution due to
backfill grouting pressure is shown in Figure 9. With simultaneous backfill grouting, generally, the
pressure reaches a maximum just after grouting. This is because the backfill grouting pressure is
increased at the last stage of thrust jacking in order to ensure a sufficient amount of backfill grout. The
pressure tends then to decrease until the backfill grouting of the next ring starts. It begins to increase
again under the influence of backfill grouting pressure of the next ring. The pressure tends to be large
around grouting point just after backfill grouting. The farther from the grouting point, the smaller the
pressure. The pressure distribution tends to become almost isotropic two days after the tail has passed.

γt p pvg;t=0
pvg;t=2days v0
ƒÏt h Injecting
pvg

phg
D

phg;t=0days phg;t=2days

pvg = pressure on the tunnel crown

phg = pressure at the tunnel spring line t=0t=0
day,day,
justjust
after injecting
after injectingbackfull grout
backfill grout
pv0 = overburden pressure(pv0 = (∑γt·h)) t=2t=2 days
days after
after backfillgrouting
backfull grouting
Kv = pvg/pv0
Kh = phg/pv0

Fig. 8 Tunnel lining pressure due to backfill grouting Fig. 9 Lining pressure due to backfill grouting

3.2.2 Relation between vertical pressure and overburden pressure

Figure 10 shows the relation between Kv = pvg/pv0 and pv0 based on observed data. In soft clayey
ground, many lining pressures observed two days after backfill grouting are distributed in the range Kv
= 0.75 to 1.2, which is approximately the overburden pressure. In stiff clayey ground or in sand/sandy
gravel ground, the pressure varies widely, but Kv is generally lower than 1. This reflects the common
practice in stiff ground where ground, settlement is not significant, that backfill grouting pressure is
controlled based on water pressure and not overburden pressure.

3.2.3 Relation between horizontal pressure and vertical pressure

Figure 11 shows the relation between Kh and overburden pressure based on observed data. Many of the
measurements, are in the range Kh = 0.7 - 1.5, with an average value Kv = 1. That means the pressure

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distribution becomes more isotropic. Kh is affected by several factors, such as backfill grouting
pressure, position, the loss of backfill grouting pressure behind lining, fluidity of grout, and so on.

horizontal earth pressure ^obverburden pressure Kh

vertical earth pressure ^obverburden pressure Kv

2.0 2.0

soft clayey ground soft clayey ground

stiff clayey ground stiff clayey ground
sand/sandy gravel ground sand/sandy gravel ground
1.5 1.5
<2 days after tail passing>

1.0 1.0

0.5 0.5

<2 days after tail passing>

0.0 0.0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 0 200 400 600 800 1000
2 2
overburden pressure pv0 (kN/m ) overburden pressure pv0 (kN/m )
Fig. 10 Relation between Kv and Pv0, Fig. 11 Relation between Kh and Pv0,
2 days after shield passing 2 days after shield passing

4. COMPARISON BETWEEN DESIGN AND OBSERVATION ON LINING PRESSURE

4.1 Conventional design method in Japan

In Japan, the conventional model and the full-circumferential spring model are usually used for
designing shield linings. Figure 12 is a conceptual figure of the conventional model (Japan Society of
Civil Engineers, 1996). This model is based on active earth pressure, water pressure and soil reaction
(triangular distribution shape corresponds to the lining deformation).

In this design method, there are two different loading conditions depending on the amount of
groundwater pressure. One is the total stress condition that is employed in soft clayey ground. The
other is for the effective stress condition for sandy and stiff clayey ground.

4.2 Simulation on coefficient of lateral earth pressure λ and coefficient of soil reaction k

To design the lining, member force will change depending on the combination of the deviatory load
which deforms segments (λ) and the soil reaction which prevents deformation (k). For the
backanalysis presented in this section, the conventional method was used. In the simulation various λ -
k combinations were applied in the calculations.

The presented monitoring locations are in Kadoma, Osakajo A, and Osakajo B (Hashimoto et al.,
1997). Figure 13 shows the soil profile at monitoring sites and locations of shield excavation. Table 2
indicates each ground condition around tunnels.

The observed lining pressure at 3 –5 meters after TBM passed in clayey ground at Kadoma and
Osakajo A was approximately 50 - 70% smaller than the total overburden pressure. The vertical lining
pressure was almost equivalent to Terzaghi’s loosening pressure plus water pressure in sandy ground,
such as at Osakajo B.

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 Water pressure

Earth pressure

Soil reaction
g1
R0
45 ‹
Re
45 ‹
Ri

Water pressure
Earth & water pressure

Soil reaction by dead weight

Fig. 12 Conventional lining design method in Japan Fig. 13 Soil profile at monitoring sites and
locations of shield tunnels

Table 2 Soil characteristics

Kadoma Osakajo A Osakajo B
wn (%) 71.6 49.8 to 56.2 -
liquid limit wL (%) 92.66 59.3 to 80.5 -
plastic limit wP (%) 28.73 25.8 to 27.5 -
gravel (%) 0 0.0 1 to 18
grain size sand (%) 1 0.4 to 0.9 72 to 87
distribution silt (%) 34 19.7 to 48.4 7 to 11
clay (%) 65 50.7 to 79.7 5 to 8
SPT N-value 1 to 5 8.0 to 9.0 50+
unconfined compressive strength qu(kN/m2) 168 to 198 540 23

ƒKadoma „ ƒOsakajo A „ ƒOsakajo B „

120 200 80
total stress effective stress Original design total stress effective stress
Origunal design conditon condition 180 conditon condition
effective stress condition
Bending moment at crown(kNm/ring)

Bending moment at crown(kNm/ring)

ă=0.35 ă=0.5
Bending moment at crown(kNm/ring)

100 ă=0.55 ă=0.3 ă=0.55 ă=0.3 ă=0.4 ă=0.6

ă=0.6 ă=0.4 160 ă=0.6 ă=0.4 Original design
ă=0.7 ă=0.5 ă=0.7 ă=0.5
ă=0.8 ă=0.6 ă=0.8 ă=0.6 60
140
80 ă=0.7 ă=0.7
120
60 100 40
80
40
60
20
40
20
20 Observation
Observation Observation
0 0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
3 3 3
Coefficient
Coefficientofofsoil
soilreaction
reaction(MN/m
k(kN/m)) Coefficient
Coefficient of
of soil
soil reaction k(kN/m3) )
reaction(MN/m Coefficient of of
Coefficient soilsoil
reaction (MN/m
reaction
3 3
) )
k(kN/m

Fig. 14 Comparison of bending moment between observation and parametric calculation with λ and k

Parameters of the original design were λ = 0.55, k = 10 MN/m3 at Kadoma and Osakajo A, and λ =
0.35 and k = 50 MN/m3 at Osakajo B. In the original design, the bending moment at the tunnel crown
largely depended on λ. As shown in Figure 14, a comparison between the observed bending moment
and the result of parametric calculations for Kadoma and Osakajo A demonstrates that the calculated
bending moment was close to the observations if λ is 0.7 - 0.8 under the total stress condition. The
bending moment of the original design was 1.7 to 6 times larger than those observed. In the sandy
ground of Osakajo B, the result of the original design calculated using λ = 0.35 and k = 50 MN/m3,

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 was, under the effective stress conditions, five times as large as the observations. The backcalculated λ
in this case is larger than 0.6 with k = 50 - 90 MN/m3. The results from these three cases show that the
original design, using the conventional design model, seems to be conservative. It is necessary to
improve and develop more rational design methods in the future.

5. CONCLUSION

With respect to ground deformations and lining pressures, the following results were obtained from in-
situ monitoring in recent shield tunnelling constructions using 2-component simultaneous backfill
grouting.

1) Simultaneous backfill grouting system is being widely adopted in shield tunnelling as it is very
effective in reducing the ground deformation.
2) The large diameter lining pressure meter, developed by authors, enables monitoring of the long-
term lining pressure as well as grouting pressure behind the TBM.
3) Lining pressure develops depending on the backfill grouting pressure during elapsed time.
Generally a few rings behind the TBM the lining pressure distribution is uniform.
4) After the construction stage (few ring behind the TBM) the lining pressures do not change
significantly in the long-term. This is based on observations, during 6 month.
5) It is proved that a vertical earth pressure smaller than the overburden pressure and a coefficient of
lateral earth pressure λ lager than λ based on the active earth pressure makes lining stress closer to the
observations, even in Japanese conventional designs method.

6. REFERENCES

Feddema, A, Möller, M, Zon, W.H., Hashimoto, T, 2001. ETAC two-component grout field test at
Botlek rail tunnel. Modern Tunneling Science and Technology, Swets & Zeitlinger, p.809-815.
Japan Society of Civil Engineers, 1996. Japanese Standard for Shield Tunneling, the 3rd edition, p35.
(in Japanese)
Hashimoto, T, Yabe, K, Yamane, A, Ito, H, 1993. Development of oil pad type earth pressure
transducer for shield tunnel segment. Proc. of 28th Annual Meeting of JGS, p.2055-2058. (in
Japanese)
Hashimoto, T, Nagaya, J, Ohta, H, Shintani, T, Sugihara, K, 1997. Consideration of design earth
pressure for shield tunnel based on measurement. Proc. of Tunnel Engineering, JSCE, Vol.9. p.37-42.
(in Japanese)
Hashimoto, T, 2001. Monitoring on lining pressure due to shield tunneling. IS-Kyoto, Modern
Tunneling Science and Technology, Short Course, p.137-143.
Hashimoto, T, Nagaya, J, Konda, T, Tamura, T, 2002. Observation of lining pressure due to shield
tunneling. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Geotechnical Aspects of
Underground Construction in Soft Ground – IS-Toulouse, p119-124.
Hashimoto, T, 2002. Experiences in monitoring in Japan for shield tunnels. Pre-proceedings of the
Workshop Measuring and Predicting the Behaviour of Tunnels, p.125-145.
Hirata, T, 1989. Study on behavior of cohesive soil in type shield tunneling work and on construction
technique. Doctoral Thesis, Kyoto University, p.45. (in Japanese)

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