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Remedial Grout Curtain

Tims Ford Dam, TN
 
January 1997 to February 1998
 

In 1995, a leak in the upstream right rim of the Tims Ford Dam reached record flows of over 7,000 gpm. The objective of the grouting project was to considerably reduce this leak by treating the karstic, void-filled formation of the right rim. Such treatment entailed constructing a grout curtain comprising the following:

  • Low mobility compaction-type grout to fill large voids above the water table and in low flow situations.
  • Polyurethane based grout to treat voids under high flow conditions.
  • Regular cement-based suspension grouts to treat rock stages without voids or features.

Geosystems reviewed the historical data, guided the new site investigation, designed the grout curtain, developed the specifications, supervised the grout testing, quality control and program execution, and compiled the final report for the owner – the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

The final result of the curtain installation was a reduction in leak flow from over 7,000 gpm to approximately 500 gpm, a reduction in seepage of over 90 percent.

 

Contact

 Mr. James A. Hamby, P.E.
Hydro Engineering Civil Engineer
Tennessee Valley Authority
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402-2801
(423) 751-6721
jahamby@tva.gov
 

Technical Papers
Bruce, D.A., A. Naudts, and C. Gause. (1999). “Rock Grouting: Contemporary Concepts in Materials, Methods, and Verification.” GeoEngineering for Underground Facilities. Proc. of the 3rd National Conference of the Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Geotechnical Special Publication No. 90, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 13-17, pp. 936-949.
Bruce, D.A., A. Naudts, and W.G. Smoak. (1998). “High Flow Reduction in Major Structures: Materials, Principles, and Case Histories,” Grouts and Grouting: A Potpourri of Projects. Proceedings of Sessions of Geo-Congress 98, American Society of Civil Engineers, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 80, Boston, MA, October 18-21, pp. 156-176.
Nicholson, P.J. and D.A. Bruce. (1996). “Jet Grouted Envelope for Soft Ground Tunnel,” Proc. of North American Tunneling ‘96”, Ed. by Ozdemir, A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp. 395-400.
Bruce, D.A., Luttrell, E.C. and Starnes, L.J. (1993). “Remedial Grouting using Responsive Integrationsm.” Proc. ASDSO 10th Annual Conference, Kansas City, MO, September 26-28, 13 pp. Also in Ground Engineering 27 (3), April, pp.23-29.

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