Experimental study on the shear behavior of grout-infilled specimens and micromechanical properties of grout-rock interface

Abstract

The grout-rock interfacial property is one of the key factors associated with the strength of grouted rock masses. In this study, direct shear tests and nanoindentation tests were adopted to investigate the mechanical properties of the grout-rock interface at both the macroscale and microscale. The cohesion of the cement specimens was higher than that of the grout-infilled joint specimens, while their internal friction angle was lower than that of the grout-infilled joint specimens. A “separation method” for identifying the different phases according to the qualitative and quantitative estimations was introduced, and the irregular interfacial transition zone (ITZ) thickness and elastic modulus were estimated. The ITZ thickness of the grout-infilled sandstone specimen ranged from 0 to 30 µm, whereas it was within the range of 10–40 µm for the grout-infilled mudstone specimen. The average elastic modulus of the ITZ in grout-infilled sandstone and mudstone specimens was approximately 58.2% and 54.1% lower than that of the bulk grout, respectively. Regarding the incidence of the rock type, the interlacing between the grout and sandstone was better developed. The ITZ with a higher porosity and lower modulus had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the grout-infilled specimens.

Keywords

grout-rock interface / shear mechanical parameter / micromechanical property / interfacial transition zone

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