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PROPERTIES OF CEMENT GROUT
(1996). This implies that precautionary measures for minimizing segregation effect, such as continuous stirring by using an agitator prior to injection should be provided in the application of light grout mixes (i.e. water/cement ratio ranging from 0.8 to 1.5) in permeation grouting work.
4.4
Rheological Properties of Cement Grout
Rheology is the study of flow of materials. For cement grout, the rheological properties are primarily the yield stress and the viscosity which need to be properly measured in view of the possible influence from the handling and testing process (e.g. sample preparation and method of test, etc.) on the accuracy of measurement.
4.4.1
Experimental Programme for Rheological Measurement
For ensuring the accuracy of rheological measurement for cement grout, necessary verification of the possible influence of mixing time, stability and set time to the accuracy of viscosity measurement are included in the experimental program to ensure that the determined grout parameters are representative for practical use.
4.4.1.1 Measuring Device for Viscosity of Cement Grout 4.4.1.1.1 Marsh Cone Marsh Cone or Marsh Funnel is the simplest device commonly used for the measurement of viscosity of cement grout in term of time (i.e. second) which is usually co-related with the viscosity values of various grout mixes for quality
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PROPERTIES OF CEMENT GROUT
control at the site because of its simplicity and easy operation. Figure 4.4 shows the details of Marsh Cone according to API standard and the measurement of Marsh Funnel Viscosity for the five (5) different grout mixes prepared in the present study. In this case, the viscosity is expressed as the time in seconds needed for the discharge of 947 c.c. of suspension from a test specimen of 1,500 c.c. in volume placed in the cone. As pointed out by Lombardi (1985), the Marsh Cone measures a combination of rheological properties, rather than viscosity alone, and its results should be termed apparent viscosity. As indicated in Figure 4.4, the Marsh Funnel Viscosity value was found increasing slightly with reducing water/cement ratio (W/C) between W/C = 0.8 and W/C = 1.5. The measured value for grout with W/C = 0.6 was found very much larger than those recorded for the other grout mixes (W/C = 0.8 to 1.5). As shown in Figure 4.4, this observed trend was found consistent with that reported by Burgin (1979) based on 1000 c.c. flow.
MARSH FUNNEL
100 90 Marsh Funnel Viscosity, sec 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 W/C Ratio 1.6 1.8 2 2.2
Present Tests Burgin, 1979
Fig. 4.4 Marsh Cone Viscosity of Various Cement Grout Mixes
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Chapter 4
PROPERTIES OF CEMENT GROUT
4.4.1.1.2 Viscometer
There are several types of viscometers (Tatterall & Branfill, 1983) which provide more accurate measurement on the viscosity of cement grout as compared with the performance of Marsh Cone. Figure 4.5 shows one of the well known and
commonly used devices, i.e. Rotary Viscometer with immersion cylinder (ISO 2555). The device consists of a coaxial-cylinder which is submerged in the test fluid and rotated at different rotational velocities during the test. The resistance of the fluid against movement as measured in the test gives the values of viscosity and yield stress of the tested fluid. For the type of cement grout with water/cement ratio below 2.0 investigated in the present study, the cement suspensions show Binghams fluid behavior (Kutzner, 1996) with the flow curve intercepting the stress axis at a value called yield stress or flow limit or threshold resistance. A series of viscometer tests was conducted on various cement grout mixes to investigate its rheological properties as presented in the following sections.
4.4.1.2 Sample Preparation
4.4.1.2.1 Cement Grout Mix
For the study of permeation grouting in the present study, cement based grout mixes with water/cement ratio, W/C (by weight) of 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5 were prepared by using a high speed power stirrer (Figure 4.6) at a constant stirring
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PROPERTIES OF CEMENT GROUT
Fig. 4.5 Rotary Viscometer (Rheometer) with Coaxial-cylinder
Fig. 4.6 Mixing of Cement Grout using High Speed Power Stirrer
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Chapter 4
PROPERTIES OF CEMENT GROUT
speed of 1300 -1500 rpm. The range of W/C ratio adopted in the present study was selected based on the flowability of cement grout in sand for practical and effective improvement. The unit weight of various grout mixes with W/C of 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 & 1.5 determined from the laboratory tests are 1.72, 1.60, 1.49, 1.41 & 1.37 kg/cm3, respectively.
4.4.1.2.2 Influence of Mixing Procedure
Not much information on the influence of mixing time is available from the literature review. Mixing time of 5, 6-12 and 1-10 minutes were adopted by Banfill (1983), Paoli et al. (1992) and Schwarz (1992), respectively but the volume of mix was not known. For the purpose of quantifying the effect of mixing procedure on the viscosity of cement grout, three (3) specimens stirred at 1500 rpm for a duration of 5, 10 and 15 minutes were prepared for each grout mix for the viscosity measurement using a rotary viscometer (Rheometer) with immersion cylinder (ISO 2555) in the laboratory. Minor differences in temperature (i.e. 0.7 to 2.6qC) was found between same mix of grout stirred for 5 and 15 min in the present study. The temperature of grout at the end of stirring was generally found to decrease slightly with increasing stirring time except for grout of 0.6 water/cement ratio which showed increase with increasing stirring time. This observation could be attributed to the completed hydration process in the light cement grout mixes (W/C = 0.8 to 1.5). Figures 4.7 to 4.11 show the plots of viscosity value of grout measured during the Viscometer Tests.
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PROPERTIES OF CEMENT GROUT
The temperature of grout as measured in the viscometer during testing was generally found between 24.9 and 25.1qC except for grout of W/C = 0.6 stirred at 5 min and 10 min which showed a temperature fluctuation of 24.7 to 24.8qC and 25.2 to 25.5qC, respectively. As shown in Figures 4.7 to 4.11, fluctuation of viscosity value measured during the test was found to be not sensitive to the effect of stirring time for grout with W/C ratio ranging from 0.6 to 1.0 under the high stirring speed of 1500 rpm. Some fluctuations in the measured viscosity were observed during test for the grout mix with water/cement ratio above 1.0. The fluctuation was found to be more obvious for grout with high water/cement ratio, it is especially during the first 25 seconds of measuring time. However, it tends to stabilize after a measuring time of 175 seconds. The development of shear stress measured during the up-ramp
1500
Viscosity of Cement Grout (W/C=0.6)
Stirring Time = 5 min Stirring Time = 10 min
1250
1000
Stirring Time = 15 min
Viscosity (mPas)
750
500
250
0 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225
Time (sec)
Fig. 4.7
Plot of Apparent Viscosity of Cement Grout (W/C = 0.6)
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