The Driller
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
  • EDUCATION
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
  • SUBMIT
  • ABOUT
  • SIGN UP
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Water
  • Geothermal
  • Construction
  • Environmental
  • Mining
  • All Industry News
  • EQUIPMENT
  • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
  • Consumables
  • Pumps
  • Featured Products
  • VIDEOS
  • Newscast
  • Drill Talks
  • Ask Brock
  • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
  • Drilling Business Insights
  • Reference Desk
  • Sponsored Insights
  • EVENTS
  • Conferences & Demo Days
  • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
  • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
  • Contact
  • Advertise
The Driller
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
The Driller
  • NEWS
    • Water
    • Geothermal
    • Construction
    • Environmental
    • Mining
    • All Industry News
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
    • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
    • Consumables
    • Pumps
    • Featured Products
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
    • Newscast
    • Drill Talks
    • Ask Brock
    • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
    • Drilling Business Insights
    • Reference Desk
    • Sponsored Insights
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
    • Conferences & Demo Days
    • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
    • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP

Jet Grouting Basics

November 1, 2003
There are three types of systems.

Civil projects often are designed and constructed on sites that are constrained by existing urban developments, heavily congested areas or where their locations are predetermined by other factors. In some cases, soil improvement of weak underlying soils is required to support loads for the intended project.

Soil improvement modifies and increases the mechanical characteristics of the treated soil, most notably its compressive strength and modulus of elasticity, while simultaneously decreasing its permeability. The jet grouting method is one of the most successful systems to achieve these results.

Jet grouting is an in-situ mixing of soils with a stabilizer (usually neat cement grout). The stabilizer is injected at very high pressures (between 300 bar and 600 bar) through a nozzle of small diameter. The grout is injected at high velocity, which enables the jet grouting process to destroy the natural matrix of the soil and creates a mixing of the stabilizer with the in-situ soils. The result is a homogeneous and continuous structural element with predetermined characteristics. Jet grouting can be applied to a wide range of soils from non-cohesive, poorly graded granular soils to cohesive plastic clays.

Key applications of the jet grouting process include soil stabilization, excavation support systems, structural underpinning, seepage barrier/cutoff walls and environmental remediation. Chief among the advantages that jet grouting offers is the comfort of knowing what you've got:

  • predetermined quantity of the stabilizer to be injected per unit volume of in-situ soil

  • final strength of the stabilized soil can be predetermined

  • permeability of the stabilized soil can be predetermined

  • estimated as a lump sum vs. unit price and contingency for other grouting methods


Jet Grouting Systems

Single Fluid - This system is the most simple, as well as the method of choice of most qualified specialty contractors. The system has been tested and developed in Italy since the mid 1970s to its present state-of-the-art. The single fluid referred to in this method is neat cement grout. The neat cement grout is injected through a small nozzle at high pressure and mixes with the in-situ soil. This method produces the most homogeneous soil-cement element with the highest strength and the least amount of grout spoil return.

Double Fluid - The two fluids referred to in this method are neat cement grout and air. The neat cement grout is injected at a lower pressure and is aided by a cone of compressed air, which shrouds the grout injection. The air reduces friction loss, allowing the cement grout to travel farther from the injection point, thereby producing greater column diameters. However, the presence of the air reduces the strength of the column as compared to the single-fluid method and produces more spoil return.

Triple Fluid - The three fluids referred to in this method are neat cement grout, air and water. Unlike single- and double-fluid systems, water is injected at high pressure and is aided by a cone of compressed air, which shrouds the water injection. This process produces an air-lifting effect, which evacuates the soil within the intended column diameter. The grout is injected through a separate nozzle below the water and air nozzles to fill the void created by the air-lifting process. The triple-fluid system is a soil replacement method, not an in-situ mixing method.

Drilling is performed using rotary drilling techniques and an external water flush with special drill rods and bits. Upon the completion of the advancement of the drill rods to the design depth, the jet grouting process commences. The grout is forced out of the lateral nozzle at high pressure and velocity, thus destroying the soil matrix and forming consolidated elements. Many structures and geometries can be achieved by altering the parameters of the jetting procedure. The illustrated procedure details the creation of a jet grout column by continuous controlled rotation of the drill string at pre-set lifting increments.

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • geotechnical drilling rig

    6 Onsite Phrases Environmental Drillers Hate

    Here are six phrases that highlight common frustrations...
    Markets
    By: Jeff Garby
  • Wayne Nash

    Pipe Stuck? Common Causes and Solutions for Drillers

    If you have drilled for any length of time, sooner or...
    Opinions
    By: Wayne Nash
  • submersible pumps, water well pumps

    Selecting and Sizing Submersible Pump Cable

    This article helps pump installers and servicers decide...
    Markets
    By: Bob Pelikan
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Manage My Preferences

The Driller Newscast: Coiled Tubing Drilling and the Future of Geothermal

The Driller Newscast: Coiled Tubing Drilling and the Future of Geothermal

The Driller Newscast: New York Geo Talks 2025 Conference with Hands-on Driller Education

The Driller Newscast: New York Geo Talks 2025 Conference with Hands-on Driller Education

The Driller Newscast: 21st Century Drillers | Part 1 DEMAND

The Driller Newscast: 21st Century Drillers | Part 1 DEMAND

The Driller Newscast, Episode 147: Global Geothermal Collaboration at NY-GEO 2025

The Driller Newscast, Episode 147: Global Geothermal Collaboration at NY-GEO 2025

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the The Driller audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of The Driller or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • demo of a DM450 drilling rig during a customer factory visit
    Sponsored byGeoprobe

    Built for You: Smarter Drill Rigs, Stronger Support, Bigger Opportunities

Popular Stories

MainPhotoTwoBrothers.jpg

Two Brothers' Journey Through the Drilling Industry

Tariffs

Tariffs Shake Up the Drilling Industry

AI and Drought Concerns

AI’s Growing Thirst for Water and Power

The Driller Classifieds

COMPRESSORS

EAST WEST MACHINERY & DRILLING IS BUYING AND SELLING AIR COMPRESSORS, AIR BOOSTERS, AIR ENDS & PARTS
Company: East West Machinery

DRILL RIGS

LOOKING FOR LATE MODEL TOPHEADS & DRILLTECH D25'S
Company: Spikes’s Rig Sales

DRILL RIG PARTS

MEETING DRILLERS NEEDS AROUND THE WORLD
Company: East West Machinery

ELEVATORS

SEMCO INC. PIPE ELEVATORS
Company: Semco Inc.

GROUTERS

GROUTING EQUIPMENT - GROUT PUMPS & GROUT HOSE REELS
Company: Geo-Loop Inc.

PUMP HOISTS

SEMCO INC. - BASIC PUMP HOISTS
Company: Semco Inc.

WELL PACKERS

LANSAS PRODUCTS - INFLATABLE WELL PACKERS
Company: Vanderlans Lansas Products

WELL SCREENS

WELL SCREENS & SLOTTED PIPE
Company: Alloy Screen Works

Products

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

By carefully explaining both the underlying theory and the underlying mathematics, this text enables readers to fully grasp the fundamentals of physical and chemical treatment processes for water and wastewater.

See More Products

Subscribe to The Driller Newscast

Related Articles

  • Unique Jet Grouting Project

    See More
  • The World According To Wayne: The Difference Between Geothermal Grouting and Well Grouting

    See More
  • Micropile Basics: An Overview and History

    See More
×

Dig deeper into the drilling and water supply industry!

Build your knowledge with The Driller, covering the people, equipment and technologies across drilling markets.

SIGN UP NOW
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Classifieds
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

The Driller
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
The Driller
  • NEWS
    • Water
    • Geothermal
    • Construction
    • Environmental
    • Mining
    • All Industry News
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
    • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
    • Consumables
    • Pumps
    • Featured Products
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
    • Newscast
    • Drill Talks
    • Ask Brock
    • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
    • Drilling Business Insights
    • Reference Desk
    • Sponsored Insights
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
    • Conferences & Demo Days
    • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
    • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP