Engineering properties of environmentally friendly grout materials

Abstract

Ground improvement methods such as Lablies Wasserglass and Space Grouting Rocket methods are widely used for ground improvement and water-resistance, in which the water glass and ordinary portland cement are main components of the grouting material. The chemical liquids can potentially contaminate ground water and the soil, as well as cause safety problems due to the weakening durability caused by the non-reacting substances of the liquid and leaching of the alkaline components. Leaching can even result in possible contamination of the ground water and soil. This paper studies the effectiveness of a new grouting material termed silicate compound as a substitute for the widely used sodium silicate. Results of laboratory and in-situ tests show that the use of the proposed material is more environmentally friendly, increasing initial strength and minimizing leaching. Copyright ?2007 by The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers(ISOPE).