Experimental Research on Viscosity Characteristics of Grouting Slurry in a High Ground Temperature Environment

The grouting method is a technical means to prevent and control the thermal damage of the tunnel with high ground temperature in the underground hot water area, and the viscosity characteristic of the slurry is the key factor of grouting treatment. When grouting in high ground temperature geological conditions, the slurry inevitably has both time-varying and temperature-varying characteristics of viscosity in the process of filling high-temperature fissures and plugging geothermal water. At present, the research on the viscosity characteristics of slurry at high temperature is rarely reported in the literature. In this paper, laboratory tests were carried out to measure the time-varying viscosity of ordinary cement slurry; cement-sodium silicate slurry, widely used in engineering; and high ground temperature grouting slurry (HGTGS), independently developed by our research group, at different preheating temperatures (20, 40, 60, 80 °C). The viscosity function curves of the three kinds of slurry were obtained by function fitting method, and the viscosity variation law of slurry was analyzed. The study found that the time-varying process of viscosity of the cement-sodium silicate slurry and the HGTGS in specific temperature conditions can be divided into two stages: The slow rising period of viscosity and the rapid rising period of viscosity. Whereas, the time-varying process of viscosity of ordinary cement slurry in specific temperature conditions includes only one stage of the slow rising period of viscosity. The viscosity of ordinary cement slurry and cement-sodium silicate slurry increases with the increase of temperature, while the viscosity of the HGTGS decreases with the increase of temperature. There are corresponding viscosity time-varying equations for the three kinds of slurry in different temperature conditions. The viscosity time-varying equation of the ordinary cement slurry accords with the linear function form, and the viscosity time-varying equation of the cement-sodium silicate slurry accords with the power-law function form. The viscosity time-varying equation of the HGTGS conforms to the exponential function form. On this basis, the unified description equation of the viscosity characteristics of grouting slurry in high ground temperature and the applicability of different types of grouting materials are obtained. This study has a certain reference value and guidance for theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and engineering application of grouting in high ground temperature environment.