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 International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 74 (2015) 38–44

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

International Journal of
Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijrmms

Evaluation of rock mass improvement due to cement grouting

by Q-system at Bakhtiary dam site
A. Zolfaghari a, A. Sohrabi Bidar a,n, M.R. Maleki Javan a, M. Haftani a,b, A. Mehinrad b
a
School of Geology; University College of Science; University of Tehran, Iran
b
Sadd Tunnel Pars Engineers Company, Tehran, Iran

art ic l e i nf o a b s t r a c t

Article history: In this research, Q-logging system was developed based on the cores drilled at the grouting panels to
Received 24 November 2013 investigate the influence of the cement grouting on the rock mass properties at the Bakhtiary dam site.
Received in revised form In this way, rock masses in the different boreholes at the grouting panels were classified using the Q-
16 December 2014
system. Then, using the experimental equations, rock mass deformation modulus (Erm) was calculated
Accepted 22 December 2014
for each borehole. In order to evaluate this method, value of the rock mass deformation modulus was also
obtained by the dilatometer test results. The outcomes display that the Q-logging system can be used as a
Keywords: practical and undemanding method in evaluation of rock mass quality by the grouting treatment.
Cement grouting & 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Q-logging
Deformation modulus
Rock mass improvement.

1. Introduction
Consolidation cement grouting for dam foundation and tunnels
is executed to improve the mechanical properties of rock masses.
To assess the cement grouting effect on the improvement of rock
mass, water pressure tests (WPT) are carried out in the vicinity of
the grouted area. However, investigations show that WPT does not
determine how much the rock mass mechanical properties have
been changed quantitatively [1,2]. Consequently, in recent years,
the geotechnical and geophysical in-situ tests have been used to
evaluate the amount of improvement in mechanical properties of
rock mass due to cement grouting.
Kikuchi et al. [2] employed in-situ rock mechanical tests and
geophysical methods (such as electromagnetic wave, elastic wave
prediction and borehole expansion test) to investigate the grout-
ing effects on rock quality. They showed that the characteristics of
the rock mass become uniform by progress of the injection steps
which was concluded from the increment of elastic wave velocity
and rock mass deformation modulus. Boominathan and Gandhi [3]
carried out seismic cross-hole and cyclic plate load tests before
and after consolidation grouting to assess the improvement of
strength and stiffness of weathered granite hypersthenes rock
strata of reactor building foundation due to consolidation grout-
ing. The results have been showed increasing of shear wave
n
Correspondence to: School of Geology; University College of Science; University
of Tehran, Tehran, P.O. Box: 14155-64155, Iran. Tel.: þ 98 21 6111 2985;
fax: þ98 21 6649 1623.
E-mail address: Sohrabi@khayam.ut.ac.ir (A. Sohrabi Bidar).
velocity of foundation rock stratum about 51%. From cyclic plate
load tests, they found that displacement corresponding to the load
intensity of 1500 KPa decreased from 7 mm to 5.8 mm. Yang and Li
[4] ran two geophysical sonic wave surveys before and after
grouting. They achieved an increment of about 5.7% in the wave
velocity; from 5300 m/s to 5600 m/s on average. Di and Wang [5]
performed 2D resistivity survey using multielectrode resistivity
meter system along the Da Ye Dam foundation, where previous
grouting had been undertaken. They found that the rocks app-
eared more homogeneous and no obvious anomalies were re-
corded where the dam foundation was grouted. Li and Wu [6]
analyzed the effect of grouting reinforcement to the stress and
deformation of rock mass with Numerical simulation models and
concluded that after grouting, the stress and displacement of rock
mass become more symmetrical and continuous. Utsuki [7]
executed dilatometer tests at the dam sites in 14 places and
5 kinds of rock types before and after grouting and examined
the effect of improvement about the deformability of rock masses
quantitatively in detail from these experimental results. He found
that after grouting, the modulus of deformation is larger than
before grouting at almost all the points. The degree of rise of
modulus is different by the original geological condition as the
tendency is indicated roughly that the effect of improvement is
small when the modulus is large originally, where it is large when
the modulus is small originally.
Although in situ tests, such as geotechnical (plat load test,
dilatometer test, plate jacking test…) and geophysical tests (seis-
mic tomography, seismic cross-hole …) have been commonly used
to evaluate the rock mass improvement due to cement grouting,

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2014.12.004
1365-1609/& 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
 A. Zolfaghari et al. / International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 74 (2015) 38–44
some limitations restrict their applications such as expensive and
time-consuming operations and many practical and administrative
problems. Thus, in this study, new application of the Q-logging
system was developed for the assessment of rock mass mechanical
property improvement once grouting treatment performs. In this
way, Q-logging system was used to investigate the impact of
cement grouting on the enhancement of the Q parameters (e.g.,
RQD, Jn, Ja, Jr and Jw) in two trial grouting panels were considered
in the worst rock mass at the Bakhtiary dam site, namely Kink
Band Zone (KBZ).
2. Background
2.1. Bakhtiary dam specifications
Bakhtiary Dam and Hydropower Plant Project is located on
Bakhtiary River in Lorestan province, southwest of Iran. The main
dam body has been designed as a double curvature concrete dam
with maximum height of 325 m which will be the highest arched
dam in the world after. The catchment area and reservoir capacity
of dam were estimated to be 6495 km2 and about 4800 MCM,
respectively [8]. An underground powerhouse complex was
designed including of 6  250 MW units with a total installed
capacity of 1500 MW and expected to render an annual energy
output of about 3000 GWH [8].
Detailed and extensive surface and subsurface explorations
have been carried out at the dam site to characterize the
geotechnical properties of rock masses. These are including rock
mechanical in-situ tests, trial grouting, dye test, borehole coring
Fig. 1. Geological map of Bakhtiary dam site, Locations of grouting panels are shown on the map [9].
39
and Lugeon testing and excavation of exploratory galleries. Two
trial cement grouting panels were executed to investigate the
groutability and its effect on the mechanical properties of the kink
band zones (as the worst rock mass) at the GL1 and GR2 galleries
at elevations of 557 and 695 masl., respectively. In this study,
outputs of these trials grouting were used to explore the rock mass
improvement due to the cement grouting.
2.2. Geological setting
Bakhtiary dam site and its reservoir are located in the north-
western part of the folded Zagros, at the boundary of Lorestan and
Dezful embayment zones in Iran. The dam body is placed in the
northern limb of Siah Kuh anticline. The siliceous limestone of
Sarvak Formation, which is Mid-Cretaceous marine sediments,
forms the dam foundation and appurtenant structures. The Sarvak
Formation can be divided to seven units at the dam site, namely
Sv1–Sv7 (Fig. 1), Sv1 is the oldest with no outcrop at the dam axis,
and Sv7 is the youngest. Most of dam body is located on Sv2 and
Sv3 units. Unit Sv2 is thin to medium bedded dark gray limestone
to marly limestone with thin black laminated marlstone to shale
interbeds. Unit Sv3 is thin to medium bedded dark gray marlstone
and siliceous limestone. Intact rock properties of these units are
presented in Table 1 [8].
2.3. Discontinuities
The rock mass at the dam site area is intersected by four main
discontinuities including bedding planes and three major joint
systems; J1, J2 and J3 (Table 2). Most of the joint sets observed in
40 A. Zolfaghari et al. / International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 74 (2015) 38–44

Sv2 and Sv3 Units are planar-slickensided to rough and filled with marly layers. The stereographic projection of bedding planes as
calcite and clay-calcite with narrow apertures, while bedding predominant structure in the both limbs of the Siah Kuh anticline
planes are clay filled which created from the in situ alteration of is shown in Fig. 2. Deformed kink band zones in Sv2 and Sv3 Units
caused to the scatter of the bedding planes.

Table 1
Physical and mechanical properties of intact rock; Sv2 and Sv3 units [5].
3. Trial grouting procedure
Unit Density (g/cm3) Porosity (%) UCS (MPa)

Dry Saturate Dry Saturate 3.1. Grouting pattern

Sv3 2.65 2.66 1.42 111 108 Two trial grouting panels were carried out at the dam site in
Sv2 2.64 2.65 0.98 114 88 GL1 and GR2 galleries at the elevation of 557 and 695 masl.,
respectively. In both panels, the primary holes were drilled in a
triangular array with a well head distance of 2 m and the second
Table 2
holes drilled between the two of the primary holes and formed
Major discontinuity surveyed at site. smaller triangular array with a distance of 1 m (Fig. 3). During core
drilling of boreholes, water pressure tests were carried out and
Discontinuity Dip direction Dip then the cement grout was injected in upward direction. Each of
the triangular arrays was controlled by a centrally located cored
Bedding Downstream limb of anticline 2151 751
Upstream limb of anticline 0301 501 check hole (Fig. 3). The check holes were not grouted and only
J1 J1A 3101 701 drilled and cored to control the permeability of the grouted
J1B 3101 401 vicinity by WPT and finally filled with cement.
J2 J2A 1251 351
Grouting holes in GL1 panel were drilled to the depth of 60 m
J2B 1251 751
J3 0451 151
towards N0501 with inclination of 751 against the horizontal
(0–15 m in Sv3 Unit and 15–60 m in Sv2 Unit). While in GR2

Fig. 2. Stereographic projection of bedding planes in the dam site area, northeastern limb (0301/501), southwestern limb (2151/751) and Siah-Kuh anticline fold axis
(3051/051).

Fig. 3. Schematic set up of the grouting holes at two trial grouting panels.
 A. Zolfaghari et al. / International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 74 (2015) 38–44 41

Table 3 Table 4
Grouting pressures at the different depths. Average value of rock mass deformation modulus computed from plate load tests
(PLT) and dilatometer tests (DLT) in kink band zone [5].
GL1 Grouting panel GR2 Grouting panel
Testing location Rock unit Testing type Erm (GPa)
Stage (m) Pressure (bar) Stage (m) Pressure (bar)
GL1 Sv2 PLT 4.0–6.0
0–10 5 0–5 5 Sv2 DLT 5.0
5–10 10 Sv3 DLT 2.9
10–15 8 10–20 15 GR2 Sv3 PLT 8.0
20–30 18 Sv3 DLT 3.0
15–20 12 30–40 20
40–50 21
20–25 15 50–60 22
60–70 23
25–30 20 70–80 24
80–90 25
430 25 90–100 26

panel, grout holes were drilled vertically in Sv3 Unit to the depth
of 100 m.

3.2. Grout mixture and grouting pressure

Fig. 4. Average value of Lugeon at the each borehole in trial grouting panel.

Stable cement grout mixtures (bleeding o5% and marsh cone

equation [11]:
about 32–36 s) with some additives were used with different    
water-cement ratios (W:C). In GL1 grouting panel, normal Portland RQ D Jr Jw
Q¼ ð1Þ
cement type II with Blaine numbers larger than 3000 cm2/g was Jn Ja SRF
used and additives were not included. Different grout mixes (W:C where RQD is the percent of competent core sticks larger than
of 1:5 to 1:1) were injected depending on the volume absorbed. In 100 mm to the total length [12], Jn shows the relevant ratings for
GR2 grouting panel, in crashed and fractured zones, Portland the number of joint sets, Jr is the ratings for the joint surface
cement type II (Blaine 2900–3100 cm2/g) with W:C ratio of 0.5:1 roughness, Ja is ratings of the joint alteration, Jw represents the
and 0.75 l super-plasticizer per 100 kg was injected during down- water condition of the joint and SRF illustrates the ratings for the
ward drilling. Then, the high Blaine Portland cement (Blaine 5500– rock mass in-situ stress situation; more details are presented in
6000 cm2/g) was used for upward grouting. The upward grouting [8,10].
was started with W:C of 1.25:1 and 0.5 l super plasticizer per Barton [13] developed a correlation for the better explanation
100 kg and thickened to W:C ¼1:1.25 (0.8:1) and 0.5 l super of Q-value to be consistent for the in site characterization and
plasticizer per 100 kg. tunnel design
The conventional custom of pressure increasing with depth    
RQ D Jr Jw  σ c 
was used in both trial grouting panels. The grouting pressure Qc ¼ ð2Þ
increased with depth as presented in Table 3. Jn Ja SRF 100
Several empirical experiments were established to measure the
rock mass deformation modulus from the rock mass classification
4. Rock mass deformation modulus systems; e.g. RMR - Erm [14] and GSI - Erm [15]. The equation
between values of rock mass deformation modulus and Q-value
To evaluate the rock mass deformation modulus (Erm), fifty-five was developed in 1974 as [11]
plate load tests (PLT) and eight-six dilatometer tests (DLT) were Erm ¼ 25 log Q ð3Þ
performed in twenty-one boreholes and eight exploration galleries
based on suggested ISRM method [10]. Plate load tests were Eq. (3) is limited to Q-values larger than 1, and specifically for
performed mostly in five cycles with the maximum stress of hard rocks [13]. Later, this equation was improved to be consistent
40 MPa. While dilatometer tests were carried out in three cycles with depth and porosity. Thus, Barton [13] by trial-and-error
with the maximum stress of 6 MPa. Because trial grouting were fitting to the field data introduced a chart in order to modify the
carried out in the kink band zones, only PLT and DLT test results in depth and porosity effects. Eq. (4) forms the central core of the
this zone were considered for estimating of deformation modulus integrated Erm - Q relationship only for depths and porosities less
(Erm); see Table 4. than 25 m and 1%, respectively:
Erm ¼ 10ðQ c Þ1=3 ð4Þ
For the depths greater than 25 m and the porosities more than 1%,
5. Q-system a correction must be done [13].

The Q-system was originally developed for rock mass classifica-

tion to be a helpful tool for evaluating support systems in tunnels 6. Results and discussion
and rock caverns [11]. In this study, the Q-system was applied to
assess the improvement of rock mass deformation modulus due to 6.1. Rock mass permeability
cement grouting.
Influencing parameters through the Q-logging has been widely Once drilling the boreholes at the trial grouting panels, water
discussed by Barton [11] and is generally expressed as following pressure tests were carried out by Lugeon method in the 5 m
42 A. Zolfaghari et al. / International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 74 (2015) 38–44

intervals. The packers were single pneumatic type to be strong

Fig. 5. Two samples discontinuity before (A, in R1 hole) and after grouting (B, in
RCHB hole).
enough against the pressure which was imposed on the tested
sections. The tests were carried out by pressure increment of 3, 7,
10 bar (in upper stages) and 7, 14, 21 bar (in lower stages) then
declined to the lowest pressure. The Lugeon values were calcu-
lated for each interval according to the Houlsby's classification.
The average values of Lugeon for each borehole are shown in Fig. 4
through progress of the drilling and grouting process. In this
graph, the horizontal axis represents the name of the boreholes
regarding to the trial grouting panels of Fig. 3 and rock units in
order of drilling and grouting. Vertical axis represents the
weighted average of Lugeon values. Names of trial grouting panels
with their symbol are GL1(Sv3) for trial grouting panel in GL1
gallery with rock unit Sv3, GL1(Sv2) for trial grouting panel in GL1
gallery with rock unit Sv2 and GR2(Sv2) for trial grouting panel in
GR2 gallery with rock unit Sv2.
At the first stage in both GL1 (L1  L2 and L3) and GR2 (R1 R2
and R3), grout penetrated into the open joints and sealed them
which are recognized by the significant change of the Lugeon

Fig. 6. Improvement of the Q-parameter due to cement grouting; horizontal axis are borehole names regarding to the trial grouting panels and rock unites in order of drilling
and grouting and vertical axis are weighted average rating of each parameter.
 A. Zolfaghari et al. / International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 74 (2015) 38–44 43

values. At the second stage (holes L4 and L5 in GL1 panel and R4

and R5 in GR2 panel), joints with low aperture were also filled
which can be identified by the slightly decreasing of the Lugeon
value from L4/R4 to L5/R5.

6.2. Q-parameter enhancement

Q-parameters will be improved due to grouting. Changes in the Q-

parameters are attributed to the effect of penetration of cement in
the rock mass discontinuities. Cement penetrates into the disconti-
nuities and joins the rock pieces together and consequently increased
the RQD value. Generally, grout fills the wide discontinuities initially
and then penetrates into the tight discontinuities that results is
decreasing joint set number and accordingly decreasing Jn value [13].
Due to the easy penetration of the grout into the discontinuities with
low roughness (i.e. planar smooth discontinuities), grout frequently
Fig. 7. Qc increment in rock masses at the trial grouting panels.
invades into the smooth discontinuities and fills them. So the
number of discontinuities with rough surfaces will be more than
smooth discontinuities. Thus, it increases rough discontinuities su-
rfaces and accordingly improves the weighted average of Jr value. Table 5
Also grout injection washes out the soft material fillings and deposits Comparing the deformation modulus obtained from in situ geotechnical tests with
hard material (cement) and results in improvement of discontinuities Q-logging for un-grouted rock mass.
filling rate. Sealing the joints and discontinuities by cement, reduces
Location Erm from in situ Erm from Q-Logging of the Agreement
the rock mass permeability and consequently increases the Jw geotechnical tests first grouting boreholes (GPa) (%)
parameter rate. (GPa)
Q-parameters were measured using the cores drilled out from
the boreholes at the trial grouting panels. The rock mass at the GL1 2.9 3.2 89.66
Gallery
dam site area is intersected by four main discontinuities including (Sv3
bedding planes and three major joint systems. Fig. 5 shows two Unit)
samples discontinuity before (A, in R1 hole) and after grouting GL1 4.8 4.2 87.50
(B, in RCHB hole). As expected Observation of boreholes cores Gallery
(Sv2
show that the grout fills discontinuities and accordingly improves
Unit)
the rock mass quality. Detail results of Q-parameters improvement GR2 5.5 6.1 89.09
during grouting have been presented in Fig. 6; definition of the Gallery
horizontal axis is the same as Fig. 4 and the vertical axis represents (Sv3
the weighted average of each parameter. Unit)

Fig. 6 shows an increasing trend of the RQD value, Jr and Jw once

grouting is going forward, while a decreasing trend in the Jn and Ja
can be observed. Due to location of GR2 (Sv2) and GL1 (Sv3) at above
the groundwater table, the Jw rate was considered 1, which remained
constant after grouting. While, GL1 (Sv2) was drilled under the
groundwater table, so, WPT results were utilized to determine the Jw
value in this unit. For this purpose, by Heuer's method [16], WPT
results were converted to the flowing water into an imaginary tunnel
with length of 10 m. Then, the groundwater condition in each stage
of borehole was determined based on RMR method and its equiva-
lent condition in Q-system was chosen as Jw rate.

6.3. Qc and deformation modulus improvement

Using the Q-parameters, Qc was computed for the boreholes

through progressive grouting by Eq. (2). Obviously, by improving
the Q-parameters, the rock mass quality and Qc values were also
improved (Fig. 7). The ratio of Qc value in the last check hole (Qcf)
to the first grouting borehole (QC0) defined as the rate of the rock
mass improvement percentage.
 
Q cf
Ri ¼ log  100 ð5Þ
Q C0
The results show that the rate of improvement (Ri) in GL1 (Sv3),
GL1 (Sv2) and GR2 trial grouting panels are 61.32%, 49.47% and
60.51% respectively.
Then, rock mass deformation modulus was calculated using
Eq. (4) to assess the effect of the cement grouting on the
improvement of the rock mass strength and deformation proper-
ties. Since the first borehole at each grouting panel was drilled in
Fig. 8. Increment of rock mass deformation modulus due to grouting at the
Bakhtiary dam site.
ungrouted rock mass, the relevant Qc values of these holes (L1 and
R1) were supposed as initial Qc of rock mass. So, estimated Erm of
these holes from Eq. (4) were compared to the in-situ Erm obtained
from dilatometer test results for the rock mass before any cement
grouting (Table 5). A reasonable agreement (more than 87%)
between the Erm measured by dilatometer tests and calculated
one by Qc value (from Eq. 4) has been found. Thus, Erm calculated
from the Qc value can be used to investigate the improving of the
rock mass deformation modulus due to grouting.
The Erm was calculated from the Qc values in each borehole and
their increments during the grouting process are provided in
44 A. Zolfaghari et al. / International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 74 (2015) 38–44
Table 6
Improvement of the deformation modulus of rock mass due to cement grouting.
Trial grouting panel Erm from Q-Logging (GPa)
First grouting boreholes
GL1(Sv3) 3.20
GL1(Sv2) 4.20
GR2 6.10
Table 7
Results of dilatometer tests and Q-logging in LCHB borehole.
Rock unit Erm from Dilatometer Tests
Depth (m) Erm (GPa)
Sv3 3.9 7.0
13 7.0
Sv2 25.7 10.0
Fig. 8. The calculated values of the Erm at the first boreholes (as
ungrouted rock mass) were compared to the calculated ones at the
second check holes (as grouted rock mass). The results show the
improvement of rock mass which is more than 110% (Table 6).
At the dam site, dilatometer tests were carried out at three
different depths in LCHB borehole to investigate the effect of
grouting on the rock mass deformation modulus in GL1 trial
grouting panel. The results of dilatometer tests were compared to
the calculated Erm at the second check holes, as presented in Table 7.
Difference between Erm calculated by Q-logging and measured by
dilatometer tests in Sv3 and Sv2 rock units were less than 12%.
7. Conclusions
In this study, a new application for the Q-system was developed to
evaluate the rock mechanical properties of rock mass due to cement
grouting. For this reason, Q-logging was carried out on the cores of
boreholes in the two trial grouting panels at the Bakhtiary dam site.
The results show that the cement penetrated into the discontinuities
and improved the rate of Q-classification system parameters and
consequently increased Qc and rock mass deformation modulus.
After cement grouting, the deformation modulus of Sv2 and
Sv3 units in the left abutment (GL1 panel) increased from 3.20 and
4.20 GPa to 7.75 and 8.80 GPa, respectively and in the right
abutment (GR2 panel) increased from 6.10 GPa to 14.70 GPa.
In addition, dilatometer test and plate load test results were
utilized to assess the rock mass improvement and verify the
application of Q-logging for evaluation of grouting panels. Gen-
erally, a good agreement has been found between the rock mass
deformation modulus measured by dilatometer tests in GL1 panel
and that one calculated from the Q-logging. Deformation modulus
obtained from dilatometer tests and Q-logging for Sv3 Unit is
7.0 and 7.75 GPa and for Sv2 Unit is 10.0 and 8.80 GPa, respectively.
As good agreement have been seen between the measured and
calculated Erm, so Q-logging can be proposed and applied as an
easy and inexpensive method to evaluate the effect of the cement
grouting on the rock mass mechanical properties.
Acknowledgment
The authors desire to express special thanks to the client of
Bakhtiary dam and Hydropower project, Iran Water & Power
View publication stats
Erm Improvement (%)
Last check boreholes
7.75 142.0
8.80 109.5
14.70 141.0
Erm from Q-Logging Difference between the results of dilatometer
tests and Q-Logging (%)
Depth (m) Erm (GPa)
0–15 7.75 10.71
15–60 8.8 12
Resources Development Co., for their kindly permission to publish
this paper. Grateful thanks to Bakhtiary Joint Venture Consultants
(BJVC), especially Sadd Tunnel Pars Engineering Co. for providing
the test results and valuable comments. Special thanks should be
expressed to Prof. Nick Barton, for his kindly comments on
this paper.
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