Soil Grouting: Means, Methods and Design

Permeation grouting and controlled hydrofracture grouting are two soil grouting techniques used for the purpose of improving soil properties. Although there are many other techniques, the focus of this paper will be on permeation and hydrofracture grouting and will be referred to as soil grouting throughout the paper for simplicity. Soil improvements include stabilization, strengthening (bearing or bond) and permeability reduction. This paper will discuss the means and methods available for performing permeation grouting. The purpose of this discussion is to provide information for developing practical designs to meet project specific goals. The discussion will include topics such as grouting methods, mix designs, equipment, quality control, monitoring, injectability constraints and determinations. Soil grouting is an often misunderstood and overly simplified technology. This misunderstanding can result in inadequate design and construction methods. The ideas conveyed in this paper are based on the authors' experiences in a number of soil grouting projects as grouting consultants and contractors.