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Post-tensioned (PT) bridge technology was first introduced in France in the 1930?s as described in the post-tensioned concrete bridges: Anglo-French liaison report by Highway Agency and is widely used in Europe and the US. PT bridge technology is advantageous over other bridge-type structures due to its larger span-to-depth ratio and reduced construction costs and time. This technology however faces several challenges due to potential corrosion of the prestressing steel. PT bridges constructed in the US during the 1970?s used cementitious grouts to fill the empty spaces in the PT ducts in order to protect the strands from corrosion. This grout in the ducts was intended to protect the strands from being attacked by aggressive agents and to prevent corrosion. A mixture of ASTM Type I cement and water was used as the grouting material for construction of PT bridges. In Texas, four major PT structures have been in place for more than 10 years. Recent investigations of the PT bridges in Texas did not identify any strand failures. However, the visual inspections identified voids in many of the ducts, especially at the ends of the bridge spans. These voids are believed to have been formed as a result of grout bleeding, poor grouting materials, and poor grouting techniques. One of the main performance requirements sought from PT grouts is their ability to fill existing voids in the existing ducts. Currently, many prepackaged grouts are available for PT application that are reported to not bleed and provide better flowability as compared to the older ASTM Type I cement grout. However, the current standard specifications for approving grout materials have limited requirements for evaluating the ?fillability? of these pre-packaged PT grouts. This research is being performed to provide modifications to the existing PT specifications such that PT repair grouts can be objectively assessed for fillability and long-term performance.

Rock grouting is performed to decrease the hydraulic conductivity around underground structures, such as tunnels and caverns. Cement grouts are often used and pumped into joint and fractures of the rock formation. Piston type pumps are mostly used for high pressure rock grouting. A pulsation effect is inevitable when using this type of pump due to the movement of the piston. The effect of this pulsation on rock grouting is yet to be known but believed to be benefi-cial for the penetration of the grout. Current flow meters used in the field are not accu-rate enough to determine the fluctuation of the flow rate when it is less than 1 l/min. In addition, currently available flow meters measure the average of the flow over a cer-tain period of time, hence the true fluctuation of the flow rate due to the pulsation of the piston remains unknown. In this paper, a new methodology, the so called ‘Ultrasound Velocity Profiling – Pressure Difference’ (UVP+PD) method has been introduced to show the pulsation effect when using a piston type pump. The feasibility of this method was successfully investigated for the direct in-line determination of the rheological properties of micro cement based grouts under field conditions (Rahman &amp; Håkansson, 2011). Subse-quently, it was also found that this method can be very efficient to measure the fluctu-ation of the flow rate for different types of pumps. From a grouting point of view the UVP+PD method can be used to synchronize the pressure and flow of a piston type pump by measuring the pulsation effect. Conse-quently it can be used as a tool for the efficiency and quality control of different types of pumps. / <p>QC 20121221</p>

In underground construction grouting is performed to seal tunnels and caverns against excessive water inflow or to reduce the lowering of the ground water table. The rheological properties, such as viscosity and yield stress, of the used grouts play a fundamental role in grouting. No method has been developed yet to measure these properties in-line in the field during grouting. Methods used today are rather primitive and not robust enough for field use and they are mainly performed in order to verify and fulfil stipulated quality criteria. Modern grouting rigs are today equipped with continuous measurement of flow and pressure but instruments for continuous monitoring of rheological properties and their changes with time in the field are still lacking. A relatively new method, known as ‘UVP-PD’, for continuous in-line measurements of the rheological properties of cement grouts, was tested in this work. Standard grouting equipment (UNIGROUT) and flow meter (LOGAC) was used to ensure field conditions. The objective of this work was to determine the feasibility of the ‘UVP-PD’ method for cement based grouts. After performing full scale experimental works, this method was found feasible for measuring the rheological properties of cement based grouts directly in-line.

The U.S. military must have the ability to rapidly deploy troops and equipment anywhere in the world as part of a contingency operation. Recent military operations have highlighted the critical need for rapid repair procedures and materials for military use on sub-standard, in-theater airfields. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center is currently addressing these problems through a program titled ?Joint Rapid Airfield Construction?. This study involves the development of a method using rapid setting grouts and recycled concrete pavement (RCP) to repair portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements. A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate material properties in order to gain an understanding of expected field performance. Eight full scale repairs were constructed using two rapid setting grouts, two types of equipment, and two concrete slabs. The repairs were successfully trafficked with simulated C-17 aircraft wheel loads to verify the structural capacity, and ultimately the procedures.

La nécessité de construire de manière durable, rationnelle et écologique incite à l’innovation et la recherche d’alternatives, telles que la géopolymérisation et l’activation alcaline, qui suscitent un intérêt croissant. Dans ce sens, ces technologies permettent de valorise rdes matières premières à plus faible impact environnemental pour le développement d’une nouvelle famille de matériaux. Cependant, ces mécanismes réactionnels sont complexes et il est encore nécessaire de lever plusieurs verrous avant leur implémentation : la confusion entre les deux processus, l’absence d’approches de formulation rationnelles, la méconnaissance de certaines vulnérabilités, etc. La thèse s’intègre dans cette dynamique et a pour objectif une meilleure connaissance des géopolymères et des matériaux alcali-activés. Le cadre de travail est le développement de coulis d’injection. Un programme expérimental basé sur une sélection de compositions est établi afin de caractériser leurs principales propriétés. Les différences entre les deux processus de structuration sont relevées à travers une étude physico-chimique (DRX, RMN) et liées aux évolutions macroscopiques au jeune âge. Un travail d’optimisation de formulation est mené afin de répondre à des critères d’application et définir les paramètres influençant le comportement rhéologique et mécanique des coulis. Une méthodologie basée sur l’analyse micromécanique et l’homogénéisation multi-échelles a permis d’évaluer le module élastique des matériaux et peut servir de plateforme pour une analyse globale du comportement mécanique. Enfin, une étude de la durabilité est entamée en évaluant la sensibilité au séchage et à la lixiviation en milieu acide. / The need for more durable, rational and ecological constructions encourages innovation and the search for alternatives, such as geopolymerization and alkali-activation, with a growing interest. These technologies allow the use of resources with a lower environmental impact in developing a new class of materials. However, both reaction mechanisms are complex and some issues need further investigation before a proper implementation: the confusion between these processes, the absence of a rational design approach, the lack of knowledge concerning some mechanisms of degradation, etc. The present thesis joins this dynamic and aims at a better understanding of geopolymers and alkali activated materials to design soil injection grouts. An experimental program has been established based on selected mix designs to study their main properties. The differences between both structuration processes were determined through a physicochemical study (XRD, NMR). They were correlated to the macroscopic phenomena observed at early age. An optimization of the mixtures was carried to satisfy the application criteria and define the parameters controlling the rheological and mechanical behavior of the grouts. Using a micromechanical characterization and multiscale homogenization, a methodology has been designed to determine the elastic modulus of the materials.This can be used as a first tool to analyze the global mechanical behavior. Finally, the sensitivity to drying and exposure to acid environments was assessed.

L'objectif de ce travail est d'étudier le phénomène de ségrégation des coulis cimentaires sous cisaillement et de déterminer un critère rhéométrique quantitatif capable d'évaluer leur ségrégabilité pendant les essais de caractérisation rhéologique.Pour répondre à cet objectif, un protocole expérimental spécifique a été développé permettant, d'une part, la caractérisation rhéologique des coulis cimentaires sous cisaillement et, d'autre part, le suivi de leur état de stabilité au cours de la caractérisation. Un rhéomètre à cylindres coaxiaux de type Couette a été employé pour la mise en œuvre d'un essai rhéométrique composé de deux cycles et de différents paliers de taux de cisaillement, permettant la caractérisation rhéologique des coulis. L'essai rhéométrique a été effectué systématiquement deux fois en faisant varier le rapport du volume cisaillé – volume non cisaillé dans le rhéomètre. La caractérisation rhéologique des coulis a été associée à plusieurs mesures de masse volumique dans les différentes parties du rhéomètre à des moments caractéristiques de l'essai rhéométrique permettant le suivi de sa stabilité et l'évaluation quantitative d'une éventuelle ségrégation.Les relations possibles entre le comportement rhéologique spécifique des coulis ségrégatifs et l'évolution de la fraction solide du coulis dans le volume cisaillé du rhéomètre ont été recherchées. L'influence des différents paramètres de formulation tels que le rapport E/C, la nature et le dosage en adjuvant fluidifiant, le dosage en agent de viscosité et l'introduction d'additions calcaires en substitution du ciment sur la ségrégation dynamique des coulis cimentaires a été étudiée de manière détaillée. L'ensemble des résultats a permis, en premier lieu, de déterminer la spécificité du comportement rhéologique des coulis ségrégatifs et, en deuxième lieu, de définir un nouveau critère basé uniquement sur les mesures rhéométriques permettant de quantifier la ségrégabilité des coulis cimentaires pendant la caractérisation rhéologique à cause du cisaillement. Ce critère rhéométrique est très fortement corrélé à la diminution de la fraction volumique dans la partie haute du volume cisaillé dans le rhéomètre pendant l'essai rhéométrique indépendamment des paramètres de composition du coulis. / This work aims to study the phenomenon of segregation of cement grout under shearing and determine a quantitative rheometric criterion which can evaluate their segregability during the rheological characterization tests.To meet this objective, a specific experimental protocol was developed, firstly, for the rheological characterization of cement grout under shearing and secondly, for the flowing-up of their state of stability during the characterization. A rotational rheometer with coaxial-cylinder geometry (Couette type) was used for the implementation of a rheometric test composed of two shearing cycles with various steps of shear rate allowing the rheological characterization of the grout. The rheometric test was systematically performed twice by varying the ratio of the sheared volume and un-sheared volume in the rheometer. The rheological characterization of the grout has been associated with several density measurements in different parts of the grout in the rheometer at the characteristic times during the rheometric test allowing the monitoring of its stability and/or quantitative segregability.The possible relationship between the specific rheological behavior of segregative grout and the evolution of solid fraction in the sheared volume in the rheometer was studied. The influence of different mix designs such as the W/C, nature and dosage of superplasticizer, dosage of viscosity modifying admixture and the introduction of limestone additions on the dynamic segregation of cement grouts was researched in detail. The overall results allowed, firstly, determining the specificity of the rheological behavior of segregative grout and, secondly, defining a new criterion based only on the rheometric measurements to quantify the segregability of the cement grout during the characterization rheology and resulting from shearing. This rheometric criterion is strongly correlated with the decrease in the volume fraction in the upper part of the sheared volume in the rheometer during the rheometric test, and independent of the mix design of the grout.

Numerous recurrent situations following mixing and pumping of mortars and concretes cause degradation of fluidity and hardening characteristics. Which, in turn, lead to adverse effects on the quality of workmanship and structural defects. Nonetheless, relatively little research on the mixing and pumping energies used for the onsite transport and preparation of mortar or concrete has been directed at the core reasons or mechanisms for changes in technological properties. This dissertation describes and explains the effects of various mixing and pumping parameters on the mortar characteristics in a field trial and on a laboratory scale. Observations using a rheograph revealed that shearing action does exhibit the most pronounced influence on the characteristics of mortars during the pumping. The performed investigations indicate that higher shearing actions, for example, excessive mixing duration and long-distance pumping lead to reduced flowability, accelerated and increased hydration rate, increased early compressive strength and early-age shrinkage. From these findings, the underlying mechanism responsible for acceleration and increase of hydration rate is pinpointed as: the increased dissolution from the active surface area due to the destruction of the protective superficial layers of cement grains, as well as a transition from flocculation to dispersion. The creation of new surfaces leads to further consumption of active super plasticizer in solution phase and to subsequent degrading changes in fluidity (decreasing flowability). The degradation of fluidity and densification of microstructure provoked by the hydration changes do increase the early age shrinkage of mortar.

Nowadays, efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact on the planet even at soils management. Excavated soils are treated as waste and often end up in landfill or depot landfills. It is an effort to exploit these soils. By adding suitable stabilizing additives, features such as yield fluidity, moisture or compressive strength can be adjusted. This composite can be further liquefactioned by using water and suitable liquefiers or plasticizers. Such iquefactioned soils are a suitable self-compacting grouts dressing for excavation for the laying of utility grids, where it is necessary to fill the hole again. The advantage are low economic demands and the absence of excess waste. In the course of this thesis the situation of soil usability in the Czech Republic will be evaluated and possible technologies of soil adjusters will be described. Further, the known types of stabilizing additives and their influence on soil stabilization will be evaluated and verified. Then, different types of liquefying additives will be evaluated and verified. The aim of the thesis is to develop a new technology of liquefaction and soil stabilization.

The rheological properties of cement-based grouts play a key role in determining the final spread in grouted rock formations. Rheologically, cement grouts are known to be complex thixotropic fluids, but their steady flow behavior is often described by fitting the simple Bingham constitutive law to flow curve data. The resultant Bingham parameters are then used in grouting design of e.g. tunnels, to estimate the penetration length. Since cement grouts are thixotropic suspensions, the interpretation of their flow curves as obtained from flow sweeps in concentric cylinder rotational rheometers is often complicated by: the presence of wall slip, sedimentation and unstable flow at low shear rates. A systematic approach to study these effects within the constraints of the concentric cylinder geometry (Couette) and for different cement grout concentrations was carried out as part of the Licentiate research work. Of particular interest was the influence of geometry and flow sweep measurement interval on flow curves, including the characteristic unstable flow branch that appears at applied shear rates that are below the critical shear rate. The unstable flow branch observed below the critical shear rate has been described as a characteristic feature in the flow curves of thixotropic suspensions, e.g. cement grouts, laponite. From a practical standpoint, this information can then be readily used to improve rheological measurements of cement grouts. The existence of the critical shear rate below which no stable flow occurs, plus the complex wall slip phenomenon are then discussed by considering how they affect actual spread in rough and smooth rock fractures. Another major part of the research presented in this thesis relates to the measurement of model yield stress fluid (YSF), i.e. Carbopol, velocity profiles within the radial flow geometry. Radial flow between parallel plates, is an idealized fundamental flow configuration that is often used as a basis for grout spread estimation in planar rock fractures. Compared to other flow configurations with YSFs, e.g. channels, only a limited amount of work has presented analytical solutions, numerical models and especially experimental work for radial flow. Thus, as a first step towards more systematic studies of the plug flow region of YSFs in radial flow the current work presents the design, manufacture and for the first time velocity profile measurements that were conducted by using the pulsed Ultrasound Velocity Profiling (UVP) technique. The current observations for tests carried out with different disk spacings and flow rates show a distinct plug region, coupled with wall slip effects for the Carbopol model YSF fluid that was used. The theoretically predicted velocity profiles and the measured ones agree reasonably well, and the main discrepancies are discussed. Future studies, would then be targeted at improving the current experimental setup, for detailed measurements of the plug flow region along the radial length, which remains a challenging issue for studies on YSFs and engineering applications such as rock grouting design. / Cementbaserade injekteringsmedels reologiska egenskaper har en stor påverkan på strömning och inträngningslängd i sprickigt berg. Medlens reologi är komplex, inklusive tixotropi, men strömningen beskrivs ändå oftast med den enkla linjära Bingham modellen i injekteringssammanhang. De två parametrarna från denna modell, flytgräns och viskositet, används sedan inom injekteringsdesign, för t.ex. tunnlar och dammar, för att bedöma inträngningen. Eftersom cementbaserade medel är tixoptropa suspensioner försvåras utvärderingen vid mätning med konventionella rotationsviskometrar på grund av glidning vid fasta begränsningsytor, sedimentation/separation av partiklarna och instabila flöden vid låga deformationshastigheter. En systematisk mätprocedur för att studera ovanstående problem med rotationsviskometer och koncentriska cylindrar samt olika vanliga vattencementtal, har utförts inom ramen för detta licentiatarbete. Av särskilt intresse har varit att studera effekten av olika geometrier och tidsintervallet mellan mätningarna, inklusive den instabila delen av flödeskurvan då deformationshastigheten är lägre än ett kritiskt värde. Denna del av kurvan har i litteraturen beskrivits som karakteristisk för tixotropa suspensioner, som t.ex. cementbaserade injekteringsmedel. Praktiskt kan ovanstående kunskap användas för att förbättra mätningen av de reologiska egenskaperna. Existensen av en kritisk deformationshastighet under vilken det inte finns något stabilt flöde, i kombination med glidning vid fasta begränsningsytor, diskuteras särskilt med hänsyn till dess påverkan på faktisk inträngning i släta och råa bergsprickor. Ett annat fokus i licentiatarbetet har varit att studera icke-Newtonska modellvätskors (Carbopol) radiella strömning mellan parallella plattor. Denna typ av strömningsgeometri används ofta som en idealiserad konfiguration för strömning i bergsprickor. I jämförelse med andra enklare geometrier, finns endast en begränsad forskning utförd för denna geometri både då det gäller analytiska och numeriska beräkningar men framförallt då det gäller experiment. Som ett första steg inför en mer systematisk undersökning av icke-Newtonsk radiella strömning presenteras i detta arbete framtagandet av en fysisk laboratoriemodell där hastighetsprofilerna mellan plattorna för första gången visualiserats med hjälp av ultraljud. De utförda mätningarna med tre olika öppningar mellan plattorna sam tre olika värden på det konstanta flödet, visar på en distinkt plugg som är ett resultat av vätskans flytgräns samt glidning i gränsskiktet mellan vätskan och plattornas fasta begränsningsytor. En jämförelse mellan uppmätta hastighetsprofiler och analytiskt beräknade diskuteras där resultaten överensstämmer relativt väl, med beaktande av de långtgående förenklade antaganden som krävs för beräkningarna. Fortsatta studier kommer att fokuseras på att förbättra laboratoriemodellen för en mer detaljerad studie av icke-Newtonska vätskors strömning och hur pluggen utvecklas under den radiella inträngningen, vilket fortsättningsvis är av betydelse för design av injektering i bergsprickor. / <p>QC 20190521</p>