A Ten-Year Perspective of Jet Grouting: Advancements in Applications and Technology

During the past ten years, a number of advances have been made in jet grouting technology, worldwide. For the North American geotechnical community, by far the most significant advance occurred in 1998 with the introduction and application of the energy-intensive SuperJet grouting technique to install an in situ wale and strut system at the base of a cut and cover tunnel for the Atlantic City Expressway Extension. On this project, the ability of the SuperJet technique to create exceptionally large soilcrete elements with enhanced product quality realized a substantial time and cost saving. Since then, SuperJet grouting has been successfully applied in a range of situations and soil conditions previously considered to be economically outside the realm of traditional jet grouting. This paper discusses the evolution of jet grouting in North America in terms of equipment refinements, new applications, range of treatable soils and verification testing. Case studies are presented that illustrate the versatility of this emerging technology and its value as a cost-effective ground treatment tool.