Grouting for reducing groundwater inflow into a gallery at 500m depth of the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory, Japan

Tsuji, Masakuni*; Kobayashi, Shinji*; Sato, Toshinori; Mikake, Shinichiro

Proceedings of the ISRM Regional Symposium EUROCK 2015 & 64th Geomechanics Colloquium; Future Development of Rock Mechanics, p.35 - 41, 2015/10

Rock grouting has been an essential measure to reduce water ingress into the deep underground during the excavation of Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory project in Japan. This paper shows an overview of grouting works performed at a gallery of 120 m at 500 m depth. After completion of its excavation with the pilot borehole investigation and pre-grouting mainly by Super-fine Portland cement, the inflow from the whole gallery was 200-220 Liter/min within the requirement. Then, at a limited section of 16 m, post-grouting was performed with new designs, applying colloidal silica grout, complex dynamic grouting, and grouting outside of the pregrouted zone. These designs were effective and the inflow at the section reduced from 35 to 11 Liter/min. These experiences must be fruitful for advancing the present technology and there should have been potential for reducing further inflow if any of the new designs are applied from the pre-grouting phase.