Application of Low-Frequency Rectangular Pressure Impulse in Rock Grouting

In order to sufficiently seal an underground facility in fractured rock, it is essential to obtain adequate grout spread into the surrounding fractures. The grout spread itself depends on parameters, the most significant of which are the filtration tendency and rheological properties. These properties can be affected by the applied pressure. High-frequency oscillating pressure has been shown to improve grout spread by virtue of reducing the grout viscosity. However, this method has not yet been industrialized due to the quick dissipation of the oscillation along a fracture. In a recent investigation, we examined a low-frequency rectangular pressure-impulse using a short slot. The results showed significant improvements in the injected grout volume in comparison to the static pressure results. In this paper, we examine the method in a considerably longer artificial fracture in order to investigate the dissipation of the pressure impulses. The study indicates the potential of the method to improve the grout spread in rock grouting.