Cement–clay grouts modified with acrylic resin or methyl methacrylate ester: Physical and mechanical properties

Grouting is a common technical method with many applications, e.g. it is used for soil stabilization and strengthening, for reduction of water ingress to underground facilities or of the water loss through a dam foundation, etc. Grouts comprise several constituents, which are combined in many ways depending on the in situ conditions and the outcome desired. Superplasticizers, accelerators, antifreezers, air-entraining agents and many others are generally used to improve the quality of cement grouts and consequently, their effectiveness on strength (especially bond strength), durability, impermeability and resistance to chemical erosion of the grouted soil or rock mass. A comprehensive laboratory work was carried out in order to study the physical and mechanical properties of grouts prepared by using cement, clay, water in different percentages along with an amount of acrylic resin or methyl methacrylate co-polymer emulsion. Flowability, setting time, bleeding, compressive strength, elastic modulus, shear bond strength, resistance to wet–dry cycles and resistance to sulfate attack of the grouts were determined. The results of this study indicated that the addition of latexes improves significantly the compressive strength, shear bond strength, stability, resistance to wet–dry cycles and resistance to sulfate attack, especially for thick pure cement grouts. This improvement depends on the type of latex.