Jet Grouting (Soilcrete®)

An efficient and versatile method

for soil treatment
page 2
Soilcrete® – history
With the acquisition of a licence in 1979 for the jet grouting process and the
introduction in Germany under the trademark “Soilcrete® ”, Keller entered
into a new field of soil stabilisation.

Soilcrete® –
Construction sequence • The soilcrete® process was modified to suit
Small scale underpinning works were the different types of soils.
beginnings of an unusual method of soil treatment. • The range of applications was extended to
To reach today’s state of the art technique, provide solutions to a variety of problems.
constant development was necessary.
• Equipment was developed and improved.

Rehabilitation, modification and extension of an existing foundation

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The most
flexible
ground
engineering
technology
Soilcrete® (Jet grouting) is one of the most e
­ fficient Experienced staff, modern equipment, strict
and flexible soil treatment methods to create quality control and vast design experience are the
structures for load bearing and sealing in basis for leading-edge performance in challenging
geotech­nics. Keller pioneered this technology conditions. With Soilcrete®, Keller offers
and introduced it to the German market in 1979 innovative ways for tunnel support, foundations
and uses it all over the world today. Thanks to for new and existing structures, the restoration
continuous research and innovation as well as of historic buildings and lateral support. It also
investment in our equipment, we are market and includes the impermeable underpinning of walls
technology leaders and can deliver solutions and bottom seals against groundwater ingress in
for almost all applications in a wide range of soil excavations.
conditions from loose sediments to stiff clay.

Application limits for Clay Silt Sand Gravel Cobbles

grouting techniques
100

Soilcrete® – Jet grouting

Synthetic solutions 80

Sodium silicate solutions [lv]

Silicate Gel [hv] 60

Ultra fine cement

Passing by weight [%]

Cement suspension 40

Mortar
20
lv = low viscous
hv = high viscous

economical 0
0.002 0.006 0.02 0.06 0.2 0.6 2.0 6.0 20 60
uneconomical Grain size [mm Ø]

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Applications
Soilcrete® is the method of choice for a large range of applications.

Stabilisation Sealing

Underpinning Cut-off walls and panels

Starter blocks and receiving blocks for tunnels Bottom seals

Tunnel roof and floor stabilisation Vaulted slabs

Foundation enhancement and extension Sealing membranes

Foundation modification Dam core sealing

Lateral support including shafts Soldier pile wall infill

Deep foundations Sealing of joints and gaps between structures

Underpinning Shaft support Foundation enhancement and Panel and cut-off walls
extension

Deep foundations Vault slabs Bottom seals Soldier pile wall infill

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Soilcrete®
process
variations
Soilcrete® is produced in three different ways. The method used is
determined according to the prevailing soil conditions, the geometrical
form and the required quality of the Soilcrete® elements.

Grout Backflow Soilcrete® - S

The single direct process operates with a grout jet
of up to 200 m/sec exit velocity for simultaneous
Grout jet
cutting and mixing of the soil without an air
shroud. The S process is used for small to medium
sized jet grout columns.

Air Backflow Soilcrete® - D

Grout
The double direct process operates with a
grout jet of up to 200 m/sec exit velocity for
Air shrouded
ground jet simultaneous cutting and mixing of the soil. To
increase the erosion efficiency and the range
of the grout jet, an air shroud by means of a rig-
shaped air nozzle is used. The D process is used
for medium sized to very large jet grout columns.

Air Soilcrete® - T
Water Backflow
Grout
The triple separation process erodes the soil
with an air shrouded water jet of up to 200 m/sec
Air shrouded
water jet exit velocity. Grout is injected simultaneously
through an additional nozzle located below
the water jet nozzle. The grout pump pressure
ranges above 15 bar. A variation of this process
operates without air shrouding of the water jet.
The T process is mainly used for the treatment of
cohesive soils.

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 Soilcrete®
construction
forms

A = Quarter column
The basic geometrical form of Soilcrete®
B = Half column One sided elements is created through movements
C = Complete column
of the drill rods:
• Pulling, rotating and creating complete
Twin sided columns.
• Pulling, swivelling and creating segments and
half columns.
• Pulling without rotation resulting in lamellas –
if several jet nozzles are used multiple lamellas
Column Lamella may be produced.

Panel wall with sealing slab Underpinning elements

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The beauty
of excellence

Soilcrete® – Process description The Soilcrete® – Properties

Soilcrete® (Jet grouting) is a soil treatment The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of
and improvement method. The soil around a Soilcrete® is determined by the cement content,
borehole is eroded by high speed cutting jets the remaining portion of the soil in the Soilcrete®
of cementitious grout or water. Soilcrete® mass and its properties. The sealing effect of
is executed in three process variations, Soilcrete® against water ingress is achieved by
depending on the soil conditions and the project elimination of the pore volume in the soil as it
specifications: Single direct process with one or is replaced by the grout material. The
more grout jets; ­double direct process with one homogeneity achieved in the treatment process
or more air shrouded grout jets; triple process governs the degree of permeability reduction.
with one or more air shrouded water jets and Depending on the nature of soils, the injected
concurrent grout jets. materials and the achieved homogeneity,
The eroded soil becomes the aggregate in Soilcrete® cut-offs are able to reduce the coefficient
suspension and is mixed with the cementitious of permeability by several orders of magnitude. High
grout (and water in the triplex process). Excess demands in respect of the degree of s­ ealing can be
soil-cement-­water mix is released through the achieved by the selection of appropriate
annular space between jet grouting rods and materials and working parameters together with
borehole. The soil erosion and replacement a strict regime of quality controls. In many
process is constantly controlled and monitored applications Soilcrete® elements are used both
electronically and in real time through DAQ for structural support and for sealing purpose.
systems. Soilcrete® elements are created in
various geometrical forms through movement of
the drill rods and can be combined and extended
in a variety of ways.

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Technical highlights
• High speed cutting jets of grout or water • Characteristic unconfined compressive strength
and air with exit velocity > 200 m/sec up to 20 N/mm2
• Erosion range of jets up to several metres • Drilling depths exceeding 50 m
• Applicable for subsoils from organic peat • Variable geometrical forms of Soilcrete®
and clay up to coarse gravel elements can be produced
• Execution according to European Standard EN 12716

Soilcrete® – Construction Sequence

Soilcrete® site installations consist of silos for open areas. The boreholes are normally located
the cement or binder and other grout components, in small trenches, from where the spoil return is
automatic mixers, agitator tanks and high pressure removed with sludge pumps. From there the excess
pumps. Certified high pressure hoses connect spoil is pumped to decantation ponds, tanks or
the drill rig at the borehole with the pump. skids. If suitable, additional plant and equipment
for the recycling and volume reduction of the spoil
The mast length of the rig varies from less than
is used.
2.0 m for limited headroom and up to 35.0 m in

Drilling Jetting Grouting Extension

Bore rods equipped with a Eroding the soil with the Simultaneously to the erosion Soilcrete® elements of various
monitor (jet nozzle holder) and cutting grout/water jets of the soil, cement suspension shapes can be constructed
drill bits are used for drilling to starts at the lower end of the is injected either in the form of fresh on fresh or fresh
the required depth. borehole. Excess water-soil- the cutting jet itself or through against firm and combined or
cement mix is released to the separate outlets in the monitor connected in a variety of ways.
surface. Constant monitoring or drill bit. Turbulence caused
of all relevant parameters is by the jetting process results
guaranteed through DAQ- in the required uniform mixing
systems. of the components forming the
Soilcrete® element.

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Soilcrete®
quality
control
Efficiency, reliability and quality through process automation
and process control.

Cost and time efficiency without compromising lift speed, rotation speed and other relevant data
on quality is our hallmark. We understand that electronically and in real time to ensure process
our customers have committed themselves quality and report them back to our offices. Our
to their clients and stakeholders. As we engineers and support functions monitor this
lay the foundation of projects, we take our data to make decisions on design adaptation,
responsibilities very seriously and will deliver to process changes or necessary maintenance.
meet our clients’ expectations and requirements. This advanced degree of process automation
and control enables us to reduce the downtime
Keller’s Quality Process Management (QPM)
of our equipment, react flexibly to unforeseen
connects our engineering, support and
soil conditions and optimise the progress and
maintenance departments directly with our
efficiency of our work. The benefit for our
staff and equipment on site. While our rigs are
customers - quality and safety resulting in
working, sensors are ­recording key production
a reliable performance.
parameters such as depth, pressure, flow rates,

In-house equipment
development

Maintenance GPS positioning

M5 data recording

Data recording

Visualisation

page 10
 Visualisation
Soilcrete® projects are becoming more complex
than ever before. To sustain our high quality
levels, new ways to visualise the installed
elements are required. Keller is pioneering the
development of accurate 3D visualisation of
Soilcrete® elements in high resolution. The
precise GPS controlled location of our tools
and an accurate deviation measurement of the
boreholes are combined to do this.

Equipment
Keller has its own mechanical engineering
department providing state of the art jet
grouting equipment and tools. It allows Keller to
M5 data recording
design and manufacture rigs for a wide range of
The revised EN 12716 of 2018 will make digital requirements. Rigs weighing from three tonnes
and continuous real time data recording to more than 40 tonnes are available. Each rig is
mandatory. Keller has been using an in-house equipped with an M5 data acquisition system.
developed data acquisition system (M5) for all Where necessary, GPS systems, rod handlers,
Keller products including Soilcrete® for many mast extensions, specialist drilling and jetting
years. All relevant execution parameters such tools can be attached. Remote and on-site
as lift speed and rotation number of the drill maintenance is carried out by a large team of
string, pressures and flow rates of all fluids specialised electricians and mechanics.
and air as well as torque, down force and more
are recorded. It is the most important tool for
Diameter control
verification of the as-built parameter setup for
every single element. Apart from material strength and sealing effect,
the determination of the element diameter in
all soil layers treated is essential to meet the
project requirements. Keller’s Acoustic Column
Inspector – ACI© was developed and patented
to be able to perform diameter measurements
and execution parameter optimisation in great
depth and during the jetting process. Another
feature of the ACI© is the ability to control
and demonstrate the connection between jet
grouting elements and existing structures like
sheet piles, D-walls and other lateral support
systems.
Diameter control
Sampling and testing
Part of most project specific requirements is a
certain characteristic strength, often together
with a permeability reduction (hydraulic
conductivity). Different methods for obtaining
samples to verify the column properties are
applied, such as coring, fresh sampling with
grabbing tools or liners as well as from spoil
return. Those samples are tested in certified
laboratories for strength and also permeability,
if required.
Sampling and testing

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 Victoria Station, London
Keller UK At Victoria Station, London Underground’s District
and Circle lines meet the Victoria Line, creating one
Geotechnical solutions specialist
of London’s busiest interchanges. New pedestrian
w: keller.co.uk tunnels and a new ticket hall were required to improve
e: [email protected] passenger flow. The tunnels were to be excavated
t: 02476 511266 below ground water level, in highly permeable soils. The
aim of the scheme was to provide a 2m thick treated
annulus around the proposed tunnels to allow safe
excavation, and to mitigate movement of the overlying
structures. A geometrically complex array of boreholes
was designed to provide a jet grouted zone through
which the new tunnels could be excavated. Overlapping
jet grout columns ranging in diameter from 1.4m to
1.8m, were installed to depths up to 14m. The scheme
won Ground Engineering Magazine’s Editors Award, the
coveted Fleming Award and the Construction News
Infrastructure Innovation Award.

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