Grout Bag Installation Project Case Study
Installation of grout bags to replace welded steel shims used to fill gaps between river wall and waler beam.
The Problem
The picture above shows ground anchors through a river wall and its upper waler beam. The client’s previous method for repairing structural deficiencies in the wall was to fill the gaps between the waler beam and the steel sheet piled river wall using welded steel shims. These shims were having to be individually manufactured and sized to fit each gap.
Inherent problems were associated with this method, including:
- Each shim had to be cnc cut to size.
- Very heavy shims on the larger gaps.
- One size did not fit all.
- The gaps were often not uniform in width.
- Resultant differential loadings would occur due to differing tolerances.
The Solution
Our methodology involved installing grout bags to each gap and inflating them with Natcem AC.
Advantages of a Grout Bag Technique
The grout bag solution provided the client with several distinct advantages:
- Gap filling ensured at each location, regardless of dimensions.
- Bags inflated insitu to prevent manual handling of heavy materials.
- Consistent loading achievable due to intimate contact between grout bags and steel members.
- Very quick to install. Typically 30bags installed each tidal shift (approximately 6hrs).
The Results
The solution saved significant time and resources for the client and resulted in a more suitable end product than the labour intensive shim method.
