Changes in the physical properties of gel-forming grouts during injection

1. During the process of movement of the grout along the injection radius, dilution of its peripheral portion and variation of the initial temperature are observed. 2. The experiments demonstrated the feasibility of using the equations of heat and mass transfer for determining the extent of the dilution zone and the nature of the temperature distribution. 3. In the grouted soil, four zones of different physical states of the grout are formed. The extent of these zones is determined by the grain-size distribution and mineralogical composition of the soil, the porosity, the density and viscosity of the grout, and the injection radius. 4. As the most characteristic index of the physicochemical properties of the system, the gelling time is different in each zone and is determined by the variation of the grout temperature, the degree of dilution, and the composition of the diluent. 5. The changes in the initial parameters of the grout and, in particular, the increase in the gelling time under conditions of intense action of the infiltration flow indicate the need for taking into account the phenomena of dispersion and of temperature decrease when using gel-forming grouts for construction of impervious curtains.