1. (Part 66 short, PP 2007, 2016.09.16 animation+p/r compr.)
Part 65/ “Polyurethane resins in rock grouting and tunnel repairs Limitations of cementitious suspensions”
(Part 66 short, PP 2007, animation+p/r compr.)
Copyright notice Unauthorised copying of this presentation as whole or in parts in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permision is prohibited.
ready

2. Polyurethane resins (PUR) and Organo-Mineral Resins (OMR)
ready

3. Description 2- comp. PUR 1- comp. PUR
Chemical differences between so-called 2-component polyurethanes (“dual component” PUR) and 1-component polyurethanes (“single component” PUR)
Description
2- comp. PUR
1- comp. PUR
Base System
Resin = B
Reagents
Hardener = A
Catalysator (accelerator, aktivator) = CAT
Preparation
A + B
B + CAT
Reaction Starts
After Mixing
After Contact with Water
(min 6%)
Reaction Start Time
Almost Immediately
= f (temp.) → (20”÷ 30’)
Variable on Site
(“in situ”)
= f (temp., % CAT) → (1’÷ 6’)
Reaction Start
Set
Factory Pre-Set – otherwise option with “accelerators”
press
press
press
Hydrophilic grout will absorb the water it finds in the concrete or soil (rock).
Hydrophobic grout will repel it and push it away.
ready

4. Convenient in low temperatures
press
press
ready
Convenient in low temperatures
press

5. pumping pressure + CO2 (expansion pressure) One-component PU resins
Viscosity vs. time
2’- 12’
30”- 3’ + %
x 10÷30
pumping pressure
pumping pressure CO2 (expansion pressure)
One-component PU resins
press
ready
press
press
press
press
Simple hand pump for water flushing through the packers and membrane pump for 1-comp. PU resins
press

6. Injection with PUR in concrete
mechanical packer
Injection with PUR in concrete
1 mm
press
ready

7. Fast and moderate reacting two-component PU resins
Viscosity vs. time
press
press
x 3÷15
press
press
A:B = 1:1
press
to the packer
ready

8. Gear pump Minova SK90 for 2- comp. PU resins
press
ready

9. Air powered piston pump Minova CT-GX 45-II for 2- comp. PU resin
Component A
- polyol
Electrical membrane pump for 1- comp. PU resin
Heater
for component B
Component B
- polyisocyanate
Air powered piston pump Minova CT-GX 45-II for 2- comp. PU resin
ready

10. inflatable, disposable packers (drillable or none drillable)
BVS
inflatable, disposable packers
(drillable or none drillable)
with integrated static mixer
ready

11. inflatable, disposable packers
press
ready
BVS
inflatable, disposable packers

12. Drill diameter for:
BVS 36 → 38÷50 mm
BVS 40 → 42÷55 mm
press
ready

13. BVS inflatable, disposable, non drillable packers
press
ready

14. Placing of BVS packers connected to feed pipes for “grouting umbrella”
ready
Placing of BVS packers connected to feed pipes for “grouting umbrella”
press
BVS packers connected to feed pipes for “grouting umbrella”

15. 15 Gravel and clay filled fault at the cutterhead
Stage 3: wash-out of the fill from the fault (TBM)
Stage 4: material washed out from the fault
Stage 2: huge water ingress from the fault;
TBM cutterhead passed the fault
Stage 1: TBM in progress in water scenery
ready 15 15

16. Wash-out of the fill from the fault (D&B tunnel)
ready 16 16

17. right choice → Urea – Silicate Foam (OMR = Organo-Mineral-Resin)
SPECIFIC CARACTERISTIC
IN PRACTICAL APPLICATION  
WILKIT FOAM T
GEOFOAM
PUMPING SYSTEM
SIMILAR
INJECTION RATIO
1/1
EXPANSION RATIO (V)
FILLING DRY HOLES
AT 10º C
AT 25º C
x 20
x 40
x 15
x 30
RATIO OF PERFORMANCE IN VERY HIGH WATER FLOW
AS SEEN IN KARAHNJUKAR %
> %
COUNSELLED TO INJECT AGAINST HIGH WATERFLOWS +
+++
TOUGHNESS OF FOAM
FIRE PROTECTION
EURO CLASS B2
press
ready

18. Fast setting two-component OMR (Organo-Mineral-Resins) Foams
Viscosity vs. time
press
press
x 15÷30
press
press
A:B = 1:1
press
to the packer
ready

19. Fault above tunnel invert (D&B) after wash-out of fill material.
x 30 ÷ 40
Fault above tunnel invert (D&B) after wash-out of fill material.
Re-filling with OMR
ready

20. Protect your barrels with OMR and PUR against dripping water
ready 20

21. Polyurethane ≠ foam Semi-rigid foam Solid material
Polyurethane resins are not foams - aqua-reactive PU resins
is the only proper name of this grouting material
ready

22. Free PUR foaming from the laboratory cube
Free PUR foaming from the cavern in the rock
press
ready
PUR semi-solid final form with
limited water supply
PUR semi-solid final form with limited water supply

23. Kárahnjúkar Headrace Tunnel
PUR grouted cracks
PUR grouted joint
ready

24. PUR in the crack 0.10÷0.30 mm PUR in the crack 0.10÷0.30 mm
ready
press
PUR in the crack 0.10÷0.30 mm

25. Large fault grouted with PUR (Ólafsfjörður Tunnel)
Stone from the face grouted with PUR
– use solid form like amber of PU resin
(Ólafsfjörður Tunnel)
Large fault grouted with PUR (Ólafsfjörður Tunnel)
ready
Stone from the face grouted with PUR
– solid form like amber of PU resin
(Ólafsfjörður Tunnel)

26. PUR as “hard” amber (Ólafsfjörður Tunnel)
ready
PUR as “hard” amber (Ólafsfjörður Tunnel)

27. ready
Ólafsfjörður Tunnel. Water in front of the face: water ingress in the hole ~ 50 l/s
Ólafsfjörður Tunnel. Water in front of the face: water ingress ~ 5-30 l/s/hole

28. Water ingress in heavy leaking zones
ready
Water ingress in heavy leaking zones

29. Héðinsfjarðargöng Project - leakage at the face of Ólafsfjördur Tunnel
Héðinsfjarðargöng Project – face collapse at Ólafsfjördur Tunnel  
ready

30. Fault above tunnel invert – cracks filled with clay
ready
Fault above tunnel invert – cracks filled with clay

31. Fault above tunnel invert after PUR pre grouting
ready
Fault above tunnel invert after PUR pre grouting

32. Final remarks
ready

33. Material cost in Kárahnjúkar: OPC 0.30 €/litre (wct = 0.67)
PUR 5.50 €/litre
PUR / OPC ≈ x 18
PUR
15x
cements
Garshol 2003
Relative material volume cost of various grouting products
ready 33

34. cement particles water Water is enemy to cement based grouts
(dilution)
water
ready
cement particles 34

35. PU resins love water for reaction
polyurethanes
water
ready 35

36. x 18 PUR l/m cement grout l/m faults Lugeon value
Consumption PUR and cementitious grout (l/m hole) vs. Lugeon value
Grout consumption in Kárahnjúkar:
cementitious grout / polyurethane resin ≈ x 10÷15/m borehole
De Neef Scandinavia AB 1991
press
ready 36

37. Pneumatic- drive piston pump
Minova CT-GX 45-II for 2-comp. PUR
To get the same result……
Grouting plants for cementitious suspensions
Cement grout l: pumping time ca. 9 hours (20 l/min) hours hardening time = hours
PU resin l: pumping time ca. 3 hours (6 l/min) hours hardening time = 4-5 hours
Garshol 2003
USD $ →
Δ= 15 hours / 24 hours x $ $
press
press
press
ready 37

38. Final conclusions: cement grout and/or PUR
Cement grouts PUR
1. Material volume cost [litres]: x 15
2. Grout consumption [m3 of rock] x
3. Additional daily costs $
4. Winter conditions (temp. + 3÷5 ºC)
5. High water velocity
6. “Conductivity contrast” rock
7. Grout penetration in rock with
hydraulic conductivity < Lu ≈ 10÷15
press
press
press
ready

39. Ideal and more realistic grouting zone
PUR
Eriksson, Stille 2005
Ideal and more realistic grouting zone MC
Kobayashi, Stille 2007
OPC
ready
press
press

40. ..... as pre grouting !!! The “main” target → sealing the faults !!!
Ólafsfjördur Tunnel
Ólafsfjördur Tunnel
..... as pre grouting !!!
The “main” target → sealing the faults !!!
ready
Kárahnjúkar Headrace Tunnel

41. PUR and OMR OPC or PUR ??? Hydraulic conductivity < Lu ≈ 10÷15
Winter conditions (temp. + 3÷5 ºC)
High water velocity
Big caverns
ready
press

42. Only polyurethane resins tested for chemical and biological stability, harmless in drinking water and friendly for environment might be used
ready

43. Certifikates
press
ready

44. PUR durability in contact with different chemicals
Environment
Appearance
Ethylene Glycol (100%)
No Change
Isopropanol (100%)
Heptane (Gasoline) (100%)
J P-4 through 8 fuel
Carbon tetrachloride (100%)
Slight Darkening
Methyl Ethyl Ketone (100%)
Swelled 20%-30%
Toluol (100%)
Hydrochloric (2%)
Moderate Darkening & Slight Fragmentation
Acetic (2%)
Sulfuric (2%)
Moderate Darkening - Intact
Sodium Hydroxide (1%)
Potassium Hydroxide (1%)
Moderate Darkening - 25% Dissolved
Sodium Chloride (Salt Water)
Ammonium Sulfate (2%)
Potassium Chlorate (5%)
Environment
Aquacut
Aquaflex
Hydroxide (ph 13)
No Influence
Sodium Carbonate (ph 13)
Phosphoric Acid
Slight Absorption
Gasoline
J P - 4 through 8 fuel (100%)
Nitric Acid
Attacked
Hydrochloric Acid
Lactic Acid
Acetic Acid
Toluene
Sodium Hydroxide (Saturated)
Water
ready
JOHNSON GROUP ONLINE

45. press
ready

46. Only a chemical reaction would dissolve these bonds.
POLYMERIZATION
Polymerization is the formation of a large molecular chain or network of chains from smaller chemical units. 
In polymerization, permanent chemical bonds hold the molecular chains together. 
Only a chemical reaction would dissolve these bonds. 
Polymerization is different for silicates and organic grouts. 
Organics form three-dimensional networks of chemical chains that are hooked together, whereas silicates tend to form gels through attractive charge effects, which may involve some permanent bonding.
ready
press
press 46

47. Cement grout in common opinion as a “safe” grout
???
press
ready 47

48. ready

49. Cement slurry outflow during backfilling
ready

50. Chemical grouts fall into the following categories:
CHEMICAL GROUT TYPES vs. toxicity
Chemical grouts fall into the following categories:
1.  Silicate formulations – harmfull.
2.  Acrylics (includes acrylamide and acrylate grouts) - highly toxic. 
3.  Lignosulfonates - highly toxic. 
4.  Phenoplasts – toxic. 
5.  Aminoplasts – toxic.  (Karol, Chemical Grouting)
ready 50

51. OPC < 20% PUR > 80 ÷ 90% 10% PUR 80% OPC 1% PUR
RATIO OF GROUT PERFORMANCE IN VERY HIGH WATER FLOW
AND LOW TEMPERATURE
PUR > 80 ÷ 90%
OPC < 20%
10% PUR
80% OPC
1% PUR
3 factors affecting successful and safe grouting:
1. Proper, highly qualitative material.
2. Proper Method Statement.
3. Experienced Grouting Team.
press
press
ready
Grout consumption in Kárahnjúkar:
cementitious grout / polyurethane resin ≈ x 10÷15/m borehole 51

52. Thank You for Your attention!
THE END of Part 2 of 2
Thank You for Your attention!
Ph.D Civ. Eng. Tomasz Najder
Senior Consultant
Najder Engineering AB
Movägen 3,
Saltsjöbaden - Sweden
Org. no: – 5433
Tel: 0046 (0)
Fax: 0046 (0)
Mobil: 0046 (0)
ready

53. Welcome to www.najder.se
ready

54. ready