Physical and mechanical characteristics of fine-grained soils impregnated with acrylate-based hydrostructural resin

¹ All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Hydraulic Engineering named after B.E. Vedeneyev
² LLC “MC-Bauchemie”, St. Petersburg

^* Corresponding author: solsky@yandex.ru

Abstract

The information is given on the use of impregnation of fine-grained soils with acrylate-based hydrostructural resin for the creation of impervious elements of soil dams both as an independent impervious device and when repairing already existing ones. The results of specially set and performed complex laboratory tests of hydrogel on permeability in sandy loam, very fine, fine, and medium sands are analyzed; tests of obtained soil polymers on uniaxial compression at different impregnation temperatures are analyzed and discussed; single-plane shear and virgin compression; triaxial compression; injection of acrylate-based hydrostructural resin with viscosity from 7 to 16.2 mPa*s into sands of different particle size distribution (13 stands), through submerged injection tools. Some gaps in the study of the characteristics of formed soil polymers for use in hydraulic engineering construction have been revealed: there is insufficient data on their long-term filtration strength, the values of critical head gradients, the stability of characteristics in actual working conditions, and erosion resistance to surface cutting. Recommendations are given on the perspective application of acrylate-based hydrogel in hydraulic engineering construction, both for the creation of main impervious elements in the form of vertical or inclined diaphragms in the dam body, and additional repair of local impervious elements (impervious tampons), for example, in the joint area of adjacent columns of clay-cement-concrete diaphragms performed by the method of bored-section piles, or in the areas of adjoining impervious elements of other structures to concrete or slope piles.