Overview on Rock Grouting

(For Guidance to our Engineers only)

The following are general overviews on two methods of rock grouting; packer
method and grout tube methods.

I. Packer method
Step 1: drill the hole to cover the required depth to be grouted.
Step 2: Flush the hole with water to remove cuttings and mud. This can be achieved by
inserting a pipe or hose into the hole, so that point of discharge of the wash water is at far end of
the hole. Continue flushing until the return water is clean.
Step 3: Insert the used packer (mechanical or inflatable) into the hole and install valve
assembly.
Step 4: Water test each of the holes on the stage that is being grouted to help in determination
of the suitable mix grout required and to indicate the effect of the previous grouting activity when
the hole is in the second or third phase of grouting.
Step 5: A suitable grout mix of 2:1(water: cement by weight) is prepared in the mixer, the
materials should be added to the mixer in the following order:
1-Water.
2-filling agent (if needed).
3- Cement.
4- Super plasticizer (if needed)
After adding all components to the mixer, the mixture should be mixed for 1-3 minutes, depending
on the type of mixer. The mix may be thickened or thinned as grouting proceeds. Generally,
cement grouts will be thickened when the pressure cannot be built up.
Step 6: Close the valve to the grout hole and begin circulating grout in the lines. Check there are
no blockages by ensuring the grout is returning to the agitator tank. The pressure loss can be
calculated
Step 7: Continue grouting to refusal pressure which depends on the rock quality or to a cretin
volume according to the estimated cracks/voids volume.
Care should be taken to keep equipment and lines clean during grouting operations. Flush out all
equipment and lines after grouting each stage in a hole.
 II. Grouting tubes method:

Step1: A pore hole of a suitable diameter to get a bundle of grouting tubes (1/2” each) to be
drilled to cover the required depth.
Step 2:A bundle of grouting tubes (each tube grout only 2.0m high of the total depth) to be
lowered in the hole.
Step 3:The hole to be filled with cement mortar(2:1) from bottom to top using a filling hose
attached with the bundle.
Step 4:After sitting of the filling mortar(at least 24 hours) the grouting procedure to be started
from top to bottom.
Step 5: A suitable grout mix of 2:1(water: cement by weight) is prepared in the mixer, the
materials should be added to the mixer in the following order:
1-Water.
2-filling agent (if needed).
3- Cement.
4- Super plasticizer (if needed)
After adding all components to the mixer, the mixture should be mixed for 1-3 minutes, depending
on the type of mixer. The mix may be thickened or thinned as grouting proceeds. Generally,
cement grouts will be thickened when the pressure cannot be built up.
Step 6: Use water to open the tube valves (initial pressure needed to open the valve and crack
the around mortar is to be record).
Step 7: Close the valve to the grout hole and begin circulating grout in the lines. Check there
are no blockages by ensuring the grout is returning to the agitator tank. The pressure loss can be
calculated
Step 8: Continue grouting to reach one of the following:
1- The max. pressure which depends on the rock quality( up to 50 bars).
2- A cretin volume according to the estimated cracks/voids volume
In case of no significant increase in pressure the gout to be stopped and re grout after 24
hours, the tube to be flushed with water and closed.
Step 9: Repeat the same steps with the other tubes until complete the hole bundle.