Mechanical tests on a new non-cementitious grout , silica sol: A laboratory study of the material characteristics

• This introductory study on mechanical properties aims to characterize silica sol and to improve knowledge of the suitability of silica sol as grout. Silica sol is a non-cementitious grout that consists of spherical particles of amorphous silica, with a diameter of 5100 nm. For a testing period of six months, specimens of silica sol were kept at 8 °C with three relative humidities: 75%, 95% and 100%. During the test period measurements of the drying shrinkage, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity (Youngs modulus), shear strength and flexural strength were made. The results show that the strength of silica sol continues to increase for a long time and during the test period of six months the strength kept increasing. The increase of strength depends on the humidity to which silica sol is exposed but the humidity also affects the drying shrinkage. A lower humidity results in a faster increase in strength but also a larger shrinkage.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik -- Geofysisk teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering -- Geophysical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Silica sol

Colloidal silica

Durability

Mechanical tests

Grout

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)