Mechanical tests on a new non-cementitious grout, silica sol: A laboratory study of the material characteristics

This introductory study on mechanical properties aims to characterize silica sol and to improve knowledge of the suitability of silica sol as grout. Silica sol is a non-cementitious grout that consists of spherical particles of amorphous silica, with a diameter of 5–100 nm. For a testing period of six months, specimens of silica sol were kept at 8 °C with three relative humidities: 75%, 95% and 100%. During the test period measurements of the drying shrinkage, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity (Young’s modulus), shear strength and flexural strength were made. The results show that the strength of silica sol continues to increase for a long time and during the test period of six months the strength kept increasing. The increase of strength depends on the humidity to which silica sol is exposed but the humidity also affects the drying shrinkage. A lower humidity results in a faster increase in strength but also a larger shrinkage.