A new clay-cement composite grouting material for tunnelling in underwater karst area

Abstract

A new clay-cement composite grouting material (CCGM) for tunnelling in underwater karst area was developed through the excellent synergistic interactions among cement, clay, meta-aluminate and lignin. The probable formation mechanism of the material was proposed based on a series of experimental tests. The results show that with an optimal mass ratio (2:1:1:0.024) for water, cement, clay and additives, the obtained CCGM displayed an excellent grouting performance for karst in an underwater condition. Compared with neat cement grouts and clay-cement grouts, CCGM has faster gel time, lower bleeding rate and bulk shrinkage rate, greater initial viscosity, and a strong resistance to water dispersion. A successful engineering application indicates that CCGM not only fulfils a better grouting performance for karst in underwater conditions but also reduces the engineering cost and environmental pollution.

Keywords

tunnel / karst / underwater / new grouting material / clay-cement composite

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