Rock mass response during high pressure grouting

Sammanfattning: The sealing of hard jointed rock by grouting involves several complicated mechanical systems. The result is a complex coupled system of hydro- logical and mechanical precesses. In order to determine the higher order effects of the resulting system the fracture deformations must be assessed. This requires a model that mimics the mechanical behaviour of not only fractures under normal load but also the entire rock mass system. This model indicates that there are two dominant regimes involved; a permeation regime and a high pressure regime. The pressure limit that separates permeation grouting from high pressure grouting can then be found to be closely related to the in situ stress. In the high pressure regime the deformations may be large but very situation-dependent. The principal deformational eigenmodes of some boundary conditions are considered. The analysis indicates that the usage of high pressure grouting can be both benficial to the operation as well as increase the inflow of water to the excavation.