Review
Protection against water or mud inrush in tunnels by grouting: A review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2016.05.002Get rights and content
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Abstract

Grouting is a major method used to prevent water and mud inrush in tunnels and underground engineering. In this paper, the current situation of control and prevention of water and mud inrush is summarized and recent advances in relevant theories, grout/equipment, and critical techniques are introduced. The time-variant equations of grout viscosity at different volumetric ratios were obtained based on the constitutive relation of typical fast curing grouts. A large-scale dynamic grouting model testing system (4000 mm × 2000 mm × 5 mm) was developed, and the diffusions of cement and fast curing grouts in dynamic water grouting were investigated. The results reveal that the diffusions of cement grouts and fast curing grouts are U-shaped and asymmetric elliptical, respectively. A multi-parameter real-time monitoring system (ϕ = 1.5 m, h = 1.2 m) was developed for the grouting process to study the diffusion and reinforcement mechanism of grouting in water-rich faulted zone. A high early strength cream-type reinforcing/plugging grout, a high permeability nano-scale silica gel grout, and a high-expansion filling grout were proposed for the control of water hazards in weak water-rich faulted zone rocks, water inrush in karst passages, and micro-crack water inrush, respectively. Complement technologies and equipment for industrial applications were also proposed. Additionally, a novel full-life periodic dynamic water grouting with the critical grouting borehole as the core was proposed. The key techniques for the control of water inrush in water-rich faulted zone, jointed fissures and karst passages, and micro-crack water inrush were developed.

Keywords

Tunnel engineering
Water or mud inrush
Model tests
Grouting theory
Grouting control techniques

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Dr. Shucai Li is professor and Yangtze River Scholar of Shandong University. He is the recipient of China Youth Science and Technology Award, Chief Scientist of National 973 Project, Chief Editor of Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, and Associate Editor of Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering. His current research interests include advanced forecast on adverse geology of tunnel and underground construction and control on water and mud inrush disasters, and surrounding rock stability analysis of large-scale underground chambers and optimizing construction bracing. He has participated in several national scientific projects such as National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation, National 973 Project, National 863 Project, National Major Scientific Instruments and Equipment Development Project, and Natural Science Foundation of China. He has also undertaken more than 100 major national construction projects, including Hurongxi express way in Hubei Province, subsea tunnel of Jiaozhou Bay, Chenglan railway, Three Gorges hydropower station and Xiaolangdi hydropower station. He has received 2 national scientific and technological progress prizes (second class) and 4 provincial and ministerial-level scientific and technological progress prizes (first class).

Peer review under responsibility of Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.