Dynamic properties of microfine cement grouted sands

Torsional resonant column and bender element tests were conducted on microfine and ordinary cement grouted sands and the effects of confining pressure, shear strain, grout water-to-cement (W/C) ratio, cement type and gradation on the dynamic properties were evaluated. The shear and initial Young's moduli of the grouted sands increased with increasing confining pressure and decreasing shear strain, while damping ratio had the opposite behavior. The grout W/C ratio had the strongest effect on the values of the dynamic properties of the grouted sands, followed by cement grain size and cement pozzolan content. Depending on grout W/C ratio and confining pressure, the shear and initial Young's moduli values and the damping ratio values of the clean sands were improved by a factor of 4–25 and 2–6, respectively. The effect of testing conditions or material parameters on the Poisson ratio values of the grouted sands was negligible.

► Sand dynamic moduli increase by a factor of up to 25 by microfine cement grouting.
► Sand damping ratio increases by a factor of 2–6 by microfine cement grouting.
► Grout W/C ratio controls the dynamic properties of grouted sands.
► Cement type and grain size have a secondary effect on the grouted sand dynamic properties.