Rheological Properties of Cement-Based Grouts Determined by Different Techniques

Abstract

The rheological properties of cement-based grouts containing talc or palygorskite were investigated for optimizing fluidity and quick strengthening at injection. The fluidity controls the ability of grout to penetrate fractures and can be determined by pipe flow tests, Marsh funnel tests, mini-slump cone tests and rheometer tests. The grouts were 1) Talc for fluidity and strength by reacting with cement, 2) Palygorskite (attapulgite) for early gelation by being thixotropic, and 3) Powdered quartz for chemical integrity. The freshly prepared grouts behaved as Bingham fluids with viscosities from 0.151 to 0.464 Pas and yield stresses 5.2 Pa to 36.7 Pa. Statistical analysis of the flow test data converted Marsh flow time into viscosity. The pipe flow tests gave 26.5% higher values than the viscometer for grout with Portland cement and talc, and about 13.7% lower than the viscometer data for the grout with low-pH cement and talc. The big Marsh funnel gave values differing by 5.2%-5.3% from those of the viscometer for grout with talc and Portland, and Merit 5000 cements. For grout with palygorskite the viscosity was at least twice that of the other grouts. Grout fluidity was positively affected by talc and negatively by palygorskite and early cement hydration.

Marsh cone coupled to a plexiglas horizontal channel: Rheological characterization of cement grout

“…Several authors have demonstrated the existence of correlations between the plastic viscosity and the Marsh cone flow time [25][26][27]. Other authors have shown, in an experimental way, that the comparison of the Marsh cone flow time and yield stress values at the saturation dosage are similar [22].…”

Condensed summary of current R&D on cementitious sealants for deep boreholes with HLW

“…The experiments highlight the role of the rheological properties and the filtering behaviour of certain grouts (Mohammed et al, 2014b). The following observations were drawn from the study of the low-pH cement-talc grout types:…”

Numerical, Experimental and Analytical Studies on Fluid Flow through a Marsh Funnel

“…Thus, accurate measurement of the grout rheological properties is of great importance. Therefore, several instruments and methods have been developed to measure grout properties, among which the Marsh funnel is the most common, applicable in both the lab and field in the construction and oil industries (Balhoff et al, 2011;Benaicha, Jalbaud, Hafidi Alaoui, and Burtschell, 2015;Guria, Kumar, and Mishra, 2013;Le Roy, 2004;Mohammed, Pusch, Knutsson, and Hellström, 2014;Nguyen, Rémond, Gallias, Bigas, and Muller, 2006;Pitt, 2000;Roussel and Le Roy, 2005;Schwarz, 1997). The Marsh funnel, developed in the late 1920s, is an orifice meter, that is, a simple draining cone under gravitational force without replenishment for measuring the viscosity of drilling mud, grout, and any sort of slurry or cement paste (Marsh, 1931).…”