Avanti International 822 Bay Star Blvd. Webster, TX 77598 800-877-2570 281-486-5600      Select Product Below Show All AC-50W Root Inhibitor AV-100 Chemical Grout AV-101 Catalyst T AV-102 Catalyst AP AV-103 Catalyst SP AV-105 Ethylene Glycol AV-118 Duriflex Acrylic Gel AV-160 SuperGel AV-200 Dura-Set AV-202 Multigrout AV-208 Acetone AV-215 Resin Rod AV-219 Fibrotite/Oakum AV-222 Cleaner AV-248 Flexseal AV-249 Accelerator AV-254 Gel Seal AV-255G Grout Side Accelerator AV-257 Icoset AV-275 Soilgrout AV-278 Low Vis Hydro AV-279 Low Vis Accel AV-280 Hydrofoam AV-280-12 Hydrofoam AV-281 Hydrocel AV-284 Pump Wash AV-290 Fast-Set AV-310 Hydro Sealant AV-315 Micro Foam AV-330 Safeguard AV-333 Injectaflex AV-350 Multi Gel AV-351 Accelerator Potassium Ferricyanide (KFe) Ultrafine Cementitious Grout Show All _____________________________________________________ Select Grout Type Below Show All Additives and Catalysts Cementitious Grout Chemically Activated Gel Elastomer Hydrophobic Foam Hydrophylic Foam Hydrophylic Gel Pumps Safety Supplies Show All _____________________________________________________ Select Application Below Show All Airports Concrete Repair Curtain Grouting Dams Encapsulation of Hazardous Waste Geotechnical Laterals Mainline Sewers Manholes Mines Oil Wells Parking Structures Probe Grouting Sewers (all applications) Soil Stabilization Storm Sewers Subways Tunnels Underground Structures Show All _____________________________________________________ << Go back to previous page Date: 1960 Author: American Cyanamid Publication: AM-9 Technical Manual Title: Constructing Grout Curtain For Dam Location: Rocky Reach Dam, Columbia River, Washington, U.S.A. Owner: Chelan County Public Utility District #1 Engineer: Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation Grouting Contractor: Selby Drilling Corporation PROBLEM: The Columbia River Valley at the dam site is a wide canyon dividing the Columbia Plateau on the east from the Entiat Mountains on the west. At the Rocky Reach site, the Columbia is a shallow, swift river about 1300 feet wide, occupying a high bedrock shelf close to the west wall of the canyon. East of the present river channel, a broad terrace extends more than 3500 feet to the east canyon wall. Borings and seismic explorations made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicated that extensive granular deposits existed in the terrace areas. These erratic deposits, placed by the river in its previous courses, are often exposed on the current river banks above and below the dam site. Serious seepage problems could be expected. SOLUTION: After analysis of the results of the seismic and boring programs, and of field permeability tests, consideration was given to sheet piles, grout curtains, relief holes, and an up-stream impervious blanket as possible control measures. Field grouting tests were then conducted. These were successful and led to the selection of a grout curtain as the means of control. APPLICATION: A three-row pattern was selected for the full curtain length and enlarged to five rows adjacent to the dam structure. A construction trench was placed to facilitate the drilling and grouting operation. A total of 554 cement grout holes were treated first with a cement-clay grout followed by a cement-bentonite grout. An average of 38 cubic feet of cement was placed per foot of cement grout hole for a total of over 1,068,000 cubic feet of cement grout. Continuous field testing indicated that residual permeability was still higher than the desired value at the conclusion of the cement grout program. AM-9 Chemical Grout selected for further field work because of its ability to penetrate the sand and silt zones which remained open after the cement grouting. Actual volumes of grout injected per hole were based on computations of percent voids filled by cement grout takes in the same area. Gel times for AM-9 were primarily in the 15 to 45 minute range. Grouting was done in five-foot stages, by grouting as the drill hole progressed downward. A total of 527 chemical grout holes, primarily along the center row of the cement grout curtain, were treated with about two cubic feet of chemical grout per foot of hole. During a six-month period, 446,000 gallons of AM-9 Chemical Grout were placed. RESULTS: Field permeability tests and continuous records of piezometric levels before and after grouting indicate that initial permeabilities of 1 to 15 feet per minute were reduced by a factor of about 1,000, after the completion of cement and chemical grouting. The efficiency of cut-off has remained at this same high level, following several years of operation at full reservoir level. Note: In 1978, AM-9 Chemical Grout was replaced in the marketplace by AV-100 Chemical Grout.