ANTISEE

PAGE

OF FOUNDATION
DAM

OF

AND

CONSOLIDATION

AND

CHIRKEY

ABUTMENTS

HYDROELECTRIC

GROUTING
OF

THE

POWER

ARCH
STATION*

V. G. Skokov

UDC 627.82:624.152.612.3

The arch dam o f the Chirkey Hydroelectric Power Station is one of the highest in the world, its total height
being 230 m. and the m a x i m u m thickness of the arch portionat the plugbase amounting to 30 m. The stresses in
portions of the dam foundations subjected to the maximum loading can reach 100 k g / c m z. The region where the
dam is being constructed is highly seismic. The latest of the large earthquakes, with a magnitude of 8, occurred
in 1970, during its construction.l"
The dam is being constructed in a mountain gorge passing through limestones which are bedded almost horizontally, with a low dip (3 to 8") toward the right band and also upstream. The limestone beds are interbedded
with c l a y e y - m a r l y seams 5 to 30 cm thick. The jointing of the rocks comprising the dam foundation is related
to their tectonics. Owing to the proximity of large tectonic fracture zones (the nearest passes 350 m below the dam
site), the Chirkey gorge limestones are intersected by numerous tectonic joints with openings of up to 10 em and
sometimes 20 cm. accompanied by displacements and fragmentation zones. The strikes and dips of the joints vary
considerably. Along the steeply dipping joints paralleling the river, a b u t m e n t - r e l i e f joints develop, passing into
shears. This r e l i e f jointing is observed in both abutments. On the lefr bank, shear zones are traced to a depth
of 200 m. The unstable blocks that form are caused mostly by the inclined tectonic joints dipping toward the river
and filled with clayey material, or the seams of clay or marl along the bedding planes.
The joint void ratio 0yr.) for the surface portion of the rock, which is subjected to weathering ranges from
1 to 13% (mo;tly 2 to 4%). At depth (80 to 100 m from the surface), the rock has a j.v.r, of 0.2 to 0.b~o, hut
within zones o f large tectonic jointing it reaches 1 to 1.5%. The permeability of the limestones is conditioned b y
their jointing and the presence of rmmerous marly and clayey seams. Joints which determine the permeability of
rocks can be divided into two main groups:
a) Small cleavage joints, which impart a general but weak permeability to the rock, mostly along the seams;
b) large tectonic joints which form the main source of a high but local permeability of the rock, maintained
for hundreds o f meters along the joints. Of particularly high permeability are the fragmented rocks at the nodes
of joint intersections, where the permeability coefficient k reaches 5 to 10 m/day, and sometimes 20 m / d a y .
In the gorge abutments, permeability diminishes with depth according to the same law as applies to the
jointing intensity. The mean values of k are 0.1 to 0.6 m/day, and at a depth o f 60 m and greater its value under
the d a m - p l u g foundation does not. as a rule. exceed 0.015 m / d a y . These rocks, compared with the layer above.
can be regarded forming as a relatively watertight zone, except for two segments which were disclosed during
grouting operations. The segment on the left bank is associated with a local fissure which was traced in the grout
holes at depths exceeding 120 m. The segment on the right bank, located over 100 m from the dam, is associated
with a group of joints located at even greater depths.
=The Chirkey Hydroelectric Power Station is described in an article by M. V. Mitrushkin and E. I. Shnyrov, Gidrotekh. Srroitel., No. 9 (1974). Also see the literature cited at the end of this a r t i c l e - The Editors.

TSee the article by B. M. Erakhtin. "Effectsof earthquakes in the re,on of the Chirkey Hydroelectric Planr~"
Gidrotekh. Stroitel..No. 12 (1971)- The Editors.

Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Sttoltel'swo, No. 10, pp. 6-9, October, 1974.

909

V. G. SKOKOV

910

//
3/

C~ment consumption per lin.m.

,kg
3{700

11

2~00 1 1
IOD~ 41
/f

Kg t

//

GR-4
r.. . . . . .

:------

~"

!
I

Fig. 1. Diagram of cement consumption in adits GR-1 to GR-4 (kg per lin.m).
The deformafional properties of the lirn~sron~ comprising the foundation of the Chirkey Dam vary greatly.
The deformation moduins ranges from 20 to 400 rons/cm z, depending on jointing and the content of clays and marls.
The design of foundation antiseepage and consolidation work provides for: a) the formation of a groat cuctain
with an area of 135,000 m z and a depth of 200 to 300 m in the abutments and 60 m into the foundation (down to the
wa mrtight zone); b) consolidation grouting of 780, 000 m s of rock formations immediately ad joining the dam base
and the power station building; c) system of deep drain holes; d) rock-boit strengthening of the left abutment of
the dam. The principal aim o f the grout curtain and the drainage system is to reduce and intercept the seepage
flow and to lower the seepageoflow levels beyond the curtain.
The overall dimensions of the curtains and their spatiat layout were detecmined from the results of engineering-geological investigations, and were checked in plane and three-dimensional electro-hydrodynamic analogy
models. The modeling also enabled the gradients across the curtain to be determined, which reached maximum
values of 16 to 18. Such high values are explained, not only by the great height of the dam, but also by certain
imperfections inthe method used for modeling the c u m i n elemem. The curtain thickness adopeted in the models.
equal to 0.8 to 1.0 times the final spacing of the grout holes, is undervalued and, therefore, gives gradients which
are higher than the actual. The curtain tighme~s (flow into the monitoring holes) was limited to not more than 0.01
liter~/rain.
Curtain grouting was commenced ha 1969. Presented below are some results of the grouting work which
ensured the reservoir could be filled within the limits necessary for commissioning the first turbogenerators.

ANTISEEPAGE AND CON,q'3LIDATION GROUTING OF FOUNDATION AND ABUTMENTS

911

The drilling and grouting of holes was carried out from adits lined with concrete 0.5 m thick, after backfill
grouting between the rock and the lining in the adit crown. Backfill grouting was carried out at a pressure of 3 to 5
aim or more. through holes which pierced the rock/lining interface and entered the rock to a depth of 0.2 to 0.5 m.
This grouang not o.~y filled the voids between the rock and the concrete but also the adjoining rock joints. For
example, in backfill grours o f a lenguh of143 m o f a d i t GR-i (Grouting, Right), the upper adit in the right abutment
a mixture o f 45 tons of c e m e n t and 25 tons of sand were injected, although overbreak during driving was rare and
cavities were insignificant.
The f r s t stage in the curtain work was grouting the rock behind the adit lining to a depth of 5 to 6 m outside
the lining, at pressures o f 15 to 40 a i m . The overall volume of this grouting was significantly reduced by reducing
the length o f the adits and their cross section (from 5 or 4.5 m to 4 or 3.5 m), deletion of grouting along the downstream wall, increasing the grout pressures, and providing a layout of curtain-stage interlinking which protected
the adits from the u~stream side by suitably changing the inclination of the curtain holes and increasing their depth.
The rock grouting behind the adit lining required nearly 2000 tons o f cement, which amounted to approximately 20% of the total c e m e n t usage on the curtain. Distribution of c e m e n t consumption along the adits was not
uniform. The main usages were confined to the zones of intersection of the adits with the major tectonic joints
(see Fig. 1), along which the grout traveled for very long distances. For instance, leakages into adjoining adits
were observed a t distances of 45 to 60 m from the injection point. The grouting significantly consolidated the
rock over practically the whole area of the curtain; the natural average values o f unit water consumption were 0.1 to
0.5 l i t e r / ( m i n 9 m z) and in the first-stage holes, drilled for the deep curtain, it was at a rate within the range 0.05
to 0.08 l i t e r / ( r a i n - m Z ) . The principal operation in constructing a curtain is grouting the deep holes: This involved
over 60.000 m of drilling and more than 8000 tons of cement.
Although the weighted mean values of unit water flow into the final-stage holes in several areas (e.g., on the
left bank, in the middle and lower stages of the curtain) were below the required norm, the results of tests on monitor
holes in the first stage of the left-bank curtain showed, on the one hand, the efficacy o f the grouting and, on the
other hand, the necessity to provide a second curtain or additional holes in various areas. Out o f 109 monitoring
tests, the average value of the unit inflow in 103 cases was 0.004 l i t e r / ( m i n , m 2) and. in six cases, from 0.03 to
0.075 t i t e r / ( m i n - m Z ) . After grouting the stage II holes, only two tests out of 56 showed an inflow above the norm
[0.02 and 0.07 l i t e r / ( m i n , mZ)]. Here a third row of holes was drilled. The average inflow along the second row
was about 0.0~3 l i t e r / r a i n - m " . A third, and in places a fourth, row of holes was grouted in zones where the curtain
was intersected by major tectonic joints. Along the right-hand curtain the mean value of the unit inflow in the
monitored holes (within the limits of the commissioning levels in the completed areas) was less than 0.005 l i t e r /
(min. mZ).
A number o f engineering innovations were introduced to increase the efficiency of the grouting work, namely:
a) the inelinometry o f holes on a mass scale; b) automated monitoring and recording of the main grouting parameters, primarily the pressure, which ensured a general improvement in the standard of grouting; c) grouting of the
holes in ascending zones, thus increasing the tabor output on grouting and drilling work; d) putting into production
the method of grouting curtains through rising holes, which made it possible to reduce the maximum depth of the
holes and the number of adits; e) introduction of a stage-by-stage monitoring of the acceptance of and payment
for the work; f) modernization of the drilling rig type NKR-100M, resulting in the achievement of drilling depths
which greatly exceeded the rated figure; g) development and introduction of a single-column packer, pressure
regulator, a centralized s e m i - a u t o m a t i c grout-mix assembly, etc.
The grouting result~ were analyzed continually as part of the work and the necessary corrections made to
the design. The extent of the work on the left bank was increased: The first row of the curtain was extended 30
to ~8 m into the bank, without increasing the overall volume of the work, through deletion of holes or their reduction in the water-retaining areas.
As a supplementary monitoring of the grouting results, full-scale and laboratory investigations were carried
oat in the zones of the. tectonic joints. The exposed and ~elected specimens of the hardened grout showed a good
adhesion to the clay filling the joints. Prolonged pumping of water into the joints confirmed the stability of the
grout-sealed johat filler against seepage under gradients exceeding 20. Seepage deformations, accompanied by
copious piping of clay material, commenced with gradients exceeding 60.

912

V . G . SKOKOV

Consolidation grouting of the dam foundation, to increase and equalize the deformation modulus of the jointed
rock in the zone o f high compressive stresses, is being carried out over the whole darn-to-rock contact area. In a d dition, the consolidation grouting serves as the junction between the curtain and the dam body; therefore, it must
meet requirements o f watertighmess. The consolidation gm~ting was carried out through radiating holes drilled
from adits in the zone of their junction with the dam, under the surcharge provided by the dam concrete (as a role,
not less than 30 m), after the joints between the blocks had been grouted. The monolithic concrete surcharge permite grouting under high pressure (up to 40 alma).
Where the concrete surcharge was small or missing, cracking was once observed in recently placed concrete
(although the injection point was only 15 m from the concrete, grout escaped into the excavation along the clay
seams in the rock). In another instance, when grouting was being done without a concrete surcharge, but at pressures not exceeding 10 to 20 atm, supplementary opening of joints in the rock occurred and grout appeared at the
excavation surface. The m a i n body of the work was carried out under a considerable (over 30 m) surcharge of concrete and without any significar/t complications.
The grouting remits are subjected to a double monitoring: a) the usual pumping tests, including the determination of unit water-consumption rates: and b) seismic testing, including the determination of the longitudinal velocities before and after grouting. During the investigation period, the relationship between the magnitude of the
static deformation modulus and the velocity Vp was determined. On this basis a monitoring value of Vp=4.5 km/sec
was adopted.

Before grouting, the longitudinal velocities vary within a wide range (2 to 6.5 km/sec). High velocities (3.5
to 6.5 k m / s e e ) are typical for the lower part of the dam site (excepting the plug foundation, where, due to the cleanup of an excavation o f considerable area, a lamination of the rock occurred). For the upper part of the site, low
velocity values (2 to 4.5 kin/see) are typical. On the right-bank excavation cut the velocity increases gradually
from the surface into the rock m a s s . At a distance of 30 m from the excavation surface, the velocities reach m i d interval values of 4 to 5 k m / s e e and then stabilize. On the left bank a weakened zone was disclosed, with depressed longitudinal velocities (2.5 to 4 kin/see). The zone is confined to tectonic joints, is 15 to 20 m wide, set back
20 to 30 m from the excavation surface, and was traced in the meddle and upper parts of the dam site.
Upon completion o f grouting the longitudinal velocities increase and stabilize. Thus, under the left-bank wing
of the plug, in the area adjoining adit GL-4 the velocities following grouting increased from 5 to 6 km/see to 5.5
to 6.5 kin/see under the wing, and from 3.5 to 6.4 kin/see to 5 to 6.4 kin/see in the zone of adit GL-4. Velocities
exceeding 6 k m / s e e are characteristic for joint-free rock, grouting o f which is ineffective and unnecessary. After
grouting the dam plug base, velocities increased from 2.5 to 5 k m / s e e to 4.6 to 6.5 km/sec.
Dam settlements observed before grouting, when its height ranged up to 75 m, were 5 to 6 mm. After the
dam joints had been grouted and intensive grouting had commenced in the foundation, a gradual reversal, that is,
a rise of 3 to 5 mm was observed although the dam had reached a height of 130 m. This is also indicative of the
effectiveness of the grouting of the foundations and joints of the dam.
CONCLUSIONS
1. The remits of engineering-geological explorations during grouting were confirmed. The necessary refinements regarding the geologic structure, in~nduced after the excavations had been opened up, the underground
excavations driven, and effected during groutin b were taken into account in the course o f the work.
2. The principal c e m e n t intakes during grouting are related to the system of tectonic joints, along which
the main seepage routes could be expected to form. The actual thickness of the curtain exceeds the theoretical
prerequisites o f modeling standards and conditions.
3. The method applied ensured effective grouting. The high pressure (40 to 45 arm) was fully justified. The
adopted hole spacing and curtain arrangement in rows, ensure the specified watertlghmess of 0.01 l i t e r / ( m i n - mZ).
The data yielded by geophysical investigations and settlement measurements testify to the success achieved with
the consolidation grouting.

ANTISEEPAGE AND CONSOLIDATION GROUTING OF FOUNDATION AND ABUTMENTS

913

4. Laboratory and full-scale investigations during the grouting work confirmed the post-grouting stability of
~he joint fillers against seepage.
5. The grouting results point to the possibility of reducing the volume of the work, principally, the grouting
of rock behind the adit linings.