COMPACTION AND JET GROUTING METHOD OF SOIL

Tuan Muhammad Alif Azlan bin Tuan Mustapha1, Muhamad Asrafie bin Alias2, Siti Raihana binti Nor Zentan3,
Nur Nabihah binti Ismail4, Nur Fatin Nasuha binti Noohadi5, Encik Mohammad Nasir bin Tahir6.

E-mail: df170104@siswa.uthm.edu.,df170118@siswa.uthm.edu.,df170089@siswa.uthm.edu.,
df170103@siswa.uthm.edu.,df170100@siswa.uthm.edu.,Mohammadnasir@uthm.edu.

ABSTRACT –biha (300 words only)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Grouting is a process in which fluid grout is introduced under pressure either into the voids of a soil mass
or typically inaccessible spaces (such as buried soil strata or foundations). The grout material displaces the
existing soil, water, or air as it flows through the void matrix. The primary purposes of grouting are to improve
the strength and durability of the soil and to control the permeability of the soil (Richard, 2005). For this project
only focus on two type of grouting method which are jet grouting and compaction grouting method. Jet grouting
has two classifications which are horizontal jet grouting and double fluid jet grouting. Horizontal jet grouting is a
treatment performed from horizontal or sub-horizontal borehole (within +/- 20 degrees from the horizontal
plane) and double Fluid Jet Grouting are the jet grouting technique where one fluid, typically neat cement grout,
is injected at high velocity through horizontal radial nozzle(s) and is assisted by a second fluid, typically air,
delivered through a coaxial nozzle(s), to directly erode and mix with the in-situ soil (Thomas, 2016). It is a
similar bottom up grouting technique, but utilizing very high pressure. The second method is compaction
grouting which is known as Low Mobility Grouting (LMG) is the injection of very stiff, low slump (25-75mm)
mortar-type grout under relatively high pressures to displace and compact soils in place. This method most
effective in cohesion less soils but can also be effective in the short term in finer grained soils where disturbance
has occurred (Keller, 2015). It is the use of a mortar or concrete to laterally compact soils without vibration. This
method has three categories which are treatment under existing structures, treatment in urban areas with low
levels of vibration and noise and treatment in narrow areas but on this project was focus on treatment under
existing structure using compaction grouting.

Regarding to the topic selected there are three case study based on the article’s which are one of compaction
grouting method and two jet grouting method. The case study 1 described was conducted at Tokyo International
Airport which are to determine the heave inducing conical shear failure and the correct sequence of pile and
there are 3 case number of depth of treatment with each case having a different number of pile. Then, for the
case study 2 and 3 are about jet grouting method that was carried out in Sludge Treatment Plant at Negeri
Sembilan, Malaysia and Commercial Building at Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At Negeri Sembilan
they want to determine the layers of soil and to determine the magnitude, direction, and rate of lateral slope
displacements while at Kuala Lumpur, they want to determine the layers of soil and to determine limestone
formation within the local area was either extremely porous or contained fissures or cavities.

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2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Compaction grouting method

2.1.1 Design Requirement

The case study 1 described was conducted at Tokyo International Airport at the location shown in Figure 1. The
test consisted of 87 compaction grout piles injected in three cases of different pile diameters and spacing as
shown in Figure 1. For Cases 1, 2, and 3, diameters of 0.56, 0.70, and 0.70 m and spacing of 1.70, 1.70, and
1.50 m were considered to result in aSD of 10, 15, and 20%, respectively. Each pile consisted of 27 grout bulbs
that were successively injected by staging upward from 11.80 to 3.13 m in depth with a depth. The grout had a
slump of 2.0–4.0 cm, and was pumped at an average rate of 0.03 m3 /min. The grout was mixed on site using
auger mixers and pumped by positive displacement piston-type pumps.

Figure 1: Tokyo International Airport and location of field test.

Figure 2: Layout of compaction grout piles, SPT tests, CPT tests, and elevation measurement points

2.1.2 Suitable Soil

Compaction grouting method is suitable for wet to saturated sand, silt and clay. It is typically perform in loose
or weak soils to mitigate settlements as shown in Figure 3. Cohesive soil must have SPT N value less than 2
while non-cohesive soil must have less than 10 SPT N value.

Figure 3: The typically perform in loose or weak of compaction grouting method.

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2.1.3 Depth of Treatment

The depth of treatment consists of three cases because the treatment by Case 2 is considered as partially
confined, whereas those by Cases 1 and 3 are considered as unconfined. The bulb injection was terminated on
reaching a limiting criterion that was the design grout volume as shown in Table 1. The piles of Case 2 were
injected first, and then followed by Cases 1 and 3.

Table 1: Characteristics and depth of test cases

Case Number Pile Pile spacing Treatment depth Grout Design

number of pile diameter (m) (m) volume/bulb replacement
(m) (m3) ratio (%)

1 25 0.56 1.70 11.80-3.13 0.094 10

2 37 0.70 1.70 11.80-3.13 0.140 15

3 25 0.70 1.50 11.80-3.13 0.140 20

(Source: Tamotsu Matsui, 2012)

2.2 Jet grouting method

2.2.1 Design Requirement

For case study 2, a series of 1.4–1.6 m diameter columns placed in a 1.4 m c/c square grid were grouted
using a dual-fluid system. The columns forming the base raft are typically 2 m long. The columns lining
the slopes have variable lengths, ranging from 2 m to 8 m. The jet grouting machines were girder-mounted
as shown in Figure 4. The operating parameters used to form the jet grout columns are given in Table 2.

Table 2: Operating parameters used in jet grouting, Negeri Sembilan site.

Operating parameter Range/Value

Number of nozzles -
Nozzle diameter 2.8–4.0 mm
Grout injection pressure 200 bars
Grout flow rate 0.05–0.06 m3/min
Air flow rate 2–3 m3/min
Rod withdrawal rate 12–14 min/m
Rod rotation rate 5–10 rpm
Water-cement ratio -
Cement content 600 kg/m3 grout
(Source: Richard, 2005)

Figure 4: Girder-mounted jet grouting rig.

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 For case study 3, a series of 1.2–1.6 m diameter columns placed in a 1.4 m c/c square grid were grouted
using a dual-fluid system. Columns range from 2.6 m to 10 m in length. The operating parameters used to
form the jet grout columns are given in Table 3. Approximately 9000 linear meters of columns were
grouted in total for the project.

Table 3: Operating parameters used in jet grouting, Jalan Pahang site.

Operating parameter Range/Value

Nozzle diameter 2.8–4.0 mm
Grout injection pressure 200 bars
Grout flow rate 0.05–0.06 m3/min
Air flow rate 2–3 m3/min
Rod withdrawal rate 12–14 min/m
Rod rotation rate 5–10 rpm
Water-cement ratio 0.5
Cement content 600 kg/m3 grout
(Source: Richard, 2005)

2.2.2 Suitable Soil Group

Suitable for all soils from clay to sand and gravel no matter what grain size distribution, void ratio and pore
size.

2.2.3 Depth of treatment

The design soil parameters for each stratum are presented in Table 4 for case study 2 in Negeri Sembilan.
These were used to build the models used in further analysis.

Table 4: Design parameters for various soil strata for case study 2.

Layer Depth (m) Thickness Unit Friction Cohesion SPT N- Young’s

(m) Weight angle kN/m3) value modulus
(kN/m3) (blows / (kN/m)
300mm)
1 3.0–7.5 7.5 17 0° 10 0–2 4000
2 7.5–12.0 4.5 18 10° 30 5–20 12000
3 12.0–16.0 4.0 19 10° 200 20–40 80000
4 16.0 above - 20 20° 400 50 160000
(source: Richard, 2005)

The soil parameters for each stratum are presented in Table 5 for case study 3 in Kuala Lumpur. The soil at
the site consists of a roughly 7 m deep layer of medium to stiff clayey silt near the surface. Below this is a
roughly 11 m deep layer of soil varying from loose sand to slime or very soft clay. Further on down lies a
bedrock layer of karstic limestone, which is commonly found in the Kuala Lumpur area.

Table 3: Design parameters for various soil strata for case study 3.

Layer Depth (m) Thickness Unit Friction Cohesion SPT N- Young’s

(m) Weight angle kN/m3) value modulus
(kN/m3) (blows / (kN/m)
300mm)
1 00-7.0 7.0 18 - 25 5-10 6250
2 7.0-18..0 11.0 18 28-30 0 4-10 3000
3 18.0 above - 22 42 - - 200000
(Source: Richard, 2005)

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2.3 Quality Control

Quality control is intended to ensure the manufactured product or performed services to adhere to a defined
set of quality criteria or meet the needs of client. Despite of cutting cost, quality control involves not only in
inspecting the workability of equipment but also materials, grout mix, pumping rates and pressures as well. The
engineer must use various equipment in order to control the quality of the products in fact produce better
construction. The use of continuous sequential records is paramount for good quality control. Prepared data
sheets should be available for the resident engineer and his assistants to collect the required data. To obtain the
most benefit from such data, each of the recorded parameters should be thoroughly considered including the
intended use of such information. To ensure the high quality of all standards, the placement of grouting must be
correct by referring proper layout sites, the inclination, depth and sequence of holes. Some of the quality control
aspects are explained in the every section.

1) Equipment
 Production boreholes are best drilled using percussion rigs, which have substantially greater speed.
Drilling equipment should be in sound condition including its accessories such as compressors.
 For successful grouting individual grout components should be weight batched. The traditional batching
by sacks of cement, wheel barrow volumes of sand and water result in errors and should be avoided.
 Mixers similar to plaster mixers normally give good results. Mixers similar to plaster mixers normally
give good results.

2) Materials and Grout mix

 Limitations on the silt contents are in the 10 – 25 % of the sand but could be as high as 35% if the sits
are coarse. To make the mixture able to pump it may be necessary to add clay, fly ash or similar
material to increase the plasticity in order to avoid the possibility of hydro fracture in the host soil.
 This gradation of the sandy material is probably one of the most important factors in successful
application of the compaction grouting technique.
 Coarser sand result in grout, which is subject to breakdown under high pressure, and tends not to retain
water introduced in the mix. It also results in blockages within the transmission pipes. On the other
hand too fine sand material provides a grout that is difficult to control and may be of limited durability.

3.0 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Compaction grouting method

Compaction grouting is the strategic injection of a low-slump mortar grout under relatively high pressure
to displace and compact soil in place. This technique was pioneered on the west coast of the United States
in the 1950s, and is the only grouting technique to have its roots in that country. Developed to overcome
the lack of control of travel and set times associated with conventional slurry grouting, compaction
grouting was first used to rectify settled structures.

When applying the compaction grouting process usually a stiff to plastic grout is injected into the soil
under pressure. It expands in the soil as a relatively homogeneous mass and at the same time is forming
almost ball-shaped grout bulbs. The soil surrounding the grouted area is displaced and at the same time
compacted. Compared to other grouting techniques, the grout material neither penetrates into the pores of
the in-situ soil or when local cracks are formed. During the compaction grouting process pressure and
grout quantity as well as possible deformations at ground surface, respectively at structures are monitored.
Depending on the design requirements, the compaction grouting process will be terminated either when
reaching a maximum pressure, a maximum grout volume, when achieving the desired uplift of the
structure or in case of grout material flowing out on the site surface.

The method of compaction grouting may be used for non – cohesive soil where soils from loose to
medium density are encountered. These are the few steps of compaction grouting illustrated in the Figure 5
with the explanation labeled 1 – 3.

1) The installation of the grout pipe

 The grout pipe installed by the drill rig or a vibro hammer depending on the soil type and the
requirements of the treatment of soil.

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2) Compaction grouting
 The grout paste is prepared in the mixing plant and pressed into the soil by means of a custom-built
grout pump.
 While gradually pulling or penetrating the grout pipes, individual intersecting grout bulbs are
consecutively formed, thus creating column shaped structural elements.

3) Staged compaction
 The injections are at first executed in a large primary grid and may be compacted further by
secondary grid to achieve uniform compaction.
 The injected grout pushes the soils to the side as it forms a grout column or bulb. The soil becomes
increasingly dense as water and/or air are forced out and soil particles are rearranged. Grout
injections can be continued until grout forces overcome overburden or containment pressures and
heave occurs.

Figure 5: Compaction Grouting Process

3.2 Jet Grouting Method

Applications of the jet grouting system fall into three broad categories: underpinning or excavation
support, stabilization of soft or liquefiable soils, groundwater or pollution control. The method consists of
soil injection of a mixed fluid at high pressure forming jets that erode and replace the existing soil with the
injection mixture. In general this method begins by drilling small-diameter holes (90-150 mm) up to the
final injection depth. Cement mixture is injected into the soil with a metal rod that runs a rotational and
withdrawal motion whilst. This technology is useful to underpinnings of existing foundations, to support
excavations in cohesive less soil, to control the groundwater migration and to improve the strength of
liquefiable soil (plescan & rotaru, 2010; Geotechnical news, 2008).

In jet grouting, a pressurized fluid jet hydraulically cuts into the soil before grout is mixed into the
ensuing soil slurry. The cutting jet is typically located at the tip of the modified drill bit. AS the bit rotates,
soil is eroded in radial pattern at the level of the jet. The drill is then lifted from the bottom of the borehole
and grout is injected in a similar fashion to the cutting fluid. An approximately circular column of grouted
soil is created by this process.

The grouting processes are divided into five steps labeled a-e as according in Figure 6.

(a) A borehole first drilled into the ground to the base of treatment strata. Typically, a rotary drill of some
type is use.
(b) Jetting is then initiate with the air coated water jet into the soil. The jet destroys the soil structures and
creates slurry which is then flushed out as grouting process.
(c) As the rod is lifted and rotated at controlled rates. a grout jet filled the columnar void and replace the
soil slurry
(d) Once of the target column height achieved, the rod is extracted and grouting begins anew at a new
location
(e) Grouting in immediately adjacent area usually does not begin until the grout column has had some time
to cure different column elements can be merged into a single structure by grouting the spaces in
between

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 Figure 6: Five stages of grouting process (by Covil and Skinner 1994)

4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1) Case study 1 at Tokyo International Airport

The result for case study 3 divided into two which are SPT result for effectiveness of deep treatment and
CPT result for effectiveness of shallow treatment. The SPT test is the most widely used test to evaluate the
soil improvement because of compaction grouting. Figure 7 shows a comparison between the pre-treatment
and posttreatment N-values of SPT for the three cases and also shown are the depth intervals of the grout
bulbs and the general strata of soil profile. The improvement results for the soils deeper than 4.80 m will
be discussed in the remaining part of this section, and then those for the shallower soils in the next section
was observed during injections shallower than 4.80 m for Case 2.

Figure 7: N-values of SPT test for three cases: (a) Case 1, (b) Case 2, (c) Case 3

For the effectiveness of shallow treatment, CPT results surface was observed during injections into the soils
shallower than 4.80 m. For these soils, the improvement in the CPT tip resistance is discussed in this section.
The major advantage of CPT over SPT is that it provides a complete profile for the penetrated soils and is
therefore considered useful for the short depth interval of the soils treated above 4.80 m. To practically
assess the improvement, the pre-treatment and post treatment tip resistances are averaged for the depth
intervals of grout bulbs and plotted as shown in Figure 8.

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 Figure 8: Pre-treatment and post treatment tip resistances of CPT test for three cases.

2) Case Study 2 at Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Factor-of-safety analyses were carried out for the cases of untreated soil and jet grouted soil. For the
untreated soil, three cases with excavation depths of 5 m, 8 m, and 11 m were analyzed. Assuming that
open excavations with 45° slopes could be made, factors-of-safety were calculated for each of the
scenarios. Computer results indicate that for all of these cases, the factor-of-safety is below unity. In other
words, failure will occur if excavation were to proceed in the untreated soil.

For the jet grouted soil, three cases of 5 m, 8 m, and 11 m were again considered, this time with grouted
column elements supporting the sides and base. The factor-of-safety is calculated after the excavation
reaches the final excavation level and the groundwater level is lowered. Computer results indicate that for
all of these cases, the factor-of-safety is above the required value of 1.25. The finite element analyses
results for the three cases of jet grouted are as shown in Figure 9(a), (b) and (c).

Figure 9 (a): Excavation depth not exceeding 11.0 m Figure 9 (b): Excavation depth not exceeding 8.0 m

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 Figure 9 (c): Excavation depth not exceeding 5.0 m

3) Case study at Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

There were successful overcome the two major problems which cropped up after the project had been
executed which are the formation of sinkholes in the nearby elementary school attributed to micropiling
activities and will not be discussed further here and involved the ejection of excess grout on the property of
the adjacent Automotive Corporation Malaysia (ACM) complex during the jet grouting works.

By the time the grouting works were completed, a lot of the damage had been done already. Not all of the
proposed temporary measures were carried out as there were difficulties in coordination and securing
access from ACM. The removal of hardened grout was particularly problematic as ACM did not want
dump trucks entering the compound due to the narrow access area. The temporary measures to minimize
further dam-age had to be taken, including pre-drilling jet grouting points to minimize heave and spillage,
assigning two general workers to clean up and remove spilled grout on the ACM complex, propping the
fencing and walls along the edge to avoid further tilting, provision of temporary toilets and supplying
ACM’s toilet system with water from APG’s site, as well as providing potable water to ACM.

Discussion

From the three cases study stated, projects using jet grouting in various types of soils and for various
purposes have been performed, and their records form a knowledge base upon which future studies and works
can draw and build upon. From the many case histories examined, jet grouting has received good reviews of
being able to perform well under extremely demanding geotechnical conditions. As knowledge spreads and
more contractors experiment with the technique, it is expected that jet grouting will be elevated to the status of a
primary design solution offered by many.

The results of a field test conducted at Tokyo International Airport can be conclude that the compaction
grout piles of a given replacement ratio or diameter, there is a depth that characterizes the shallower injections
as heave-inducing and the deeper ones as no inducing. This depth is defined as the critical depth. The sequence
of pile injection has a significant effect on the grouting mechanisms and effectiveness. It may be controlled so
that the previously injected piles provide laterally confining action for the subsequently injected ones.

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5.0 CONCLUSION

Compaction grouting involves injection of low mobility grout using drill casings driven to pre-set depth.
This type of grouting has precise treatment and fast in installation. Besides of it can be performed in very
tight access, it also has a wide applications range such as emergency structure settlement and stabilization.
Despite of those advantages of compaction grouting, there must be some lack since everything in this
world are not perfect. It is very effective, affordable and practical but it is a bit messy and may require
clean-up after the grouting activities which it might need some additional cost on cleaning. Jet grouting is
getting its popularity all around the world in soil improvement technique because of its efficiency and cost
effectiveness. One of the root of its success is it has a large cemented material column creation without
causing huge ground disturbance. It also has an improvement in construction process thus emerging out
with a better design philosophy and it is attractive nature in terms of confined space working and under
difficult site conditions. We cannot deny this technique is also widely use in all around the world such as
the Sodra Lanken Tunnel in Stockholm, Ertan dam in southeast China and Hong Kong underground
tunnel. In every creation, there must be some disadvantages that we have to improve from time to time
same goes to this jet grouting method in soil improvement such as it has a complex system and equipment.
Other than that, it is very difficult to control especially in cohesive soils. In order to get the best technique
to improve the soil stability we need to consider many factors such as the in situ vertical stress must be
sufficient to enable the grout to displace the soil horizontally. Besides, the grout injection rate should be
slow enough to allow pore pressure dissipation. Next, collapsible soils can usually be treated effectively
with the addition of water during drilling prior to compaction grout injection. Last but not least, greater
displacement will occur in weaker soils strata which exhumed grout bulbs confirm that compaction
grouting focuses improvement where it is most needed.

6.0 References

[1] Stewart Makura, (2009;March 24). Ground Improvement by Compaction Grouting and Dynamic
Compaction, retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/13596999/Stewart-Makura-GROUND-
IMPROVEMENT-USING-COMPACTION-GROUTING-AND-DYNAMIC-COMPACTION-TECHNIQUES

[2] Joseph P. Welsh, P.E.1 and George K. Burke, P.E.2 (2013; May 28). Advances in Grouting Technology,
retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document/144120020/Advances-in-Grouting-Technology

[3] Tom Szynakiewicz, PE, D.GE, The Use of Compaction Grouting for Ground Improvement; Karst and
Beyond, retrieved from
https://www.marshall.edu/cegas/geohazards/2015pdf/Session4/4_TomSzynakiewicz_GSI_Geohazards.pdf

[4] Adel M. El-Kelesh, M.ASCE1; Tamotsu Matsui, M.ASCE and Ken-ichi Tokida ,” Field Investigation into
Effectiveness of Compaction Grouting” , Proc., Roscoe Memorial Symp., R. H. Parry, ed., Foulis, Henley-on-
Thames, UK, 69–80 (2012).

[5] Mingting Zhu, Qingsong Zhang ,Xiao Zhang,and Bing Hui , “Comparative Study Of soil grouting with
cement slurry and cement sodium silicate slurry” Geotechnical and Structural Engineering Research Center,
Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, China 2Shandong Transportation Institute, Jinan 250031, China
2018.
[6] Richard Fun Yiu CHOI “Review of the Jet Grouting Method” University of Southern QueenslandFaculty of
Engineering and Surveying(2005).

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