AU2003234887B1 - Rock bolt grouting - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Details of Associated Parent Application: Industrial Roll Formers Pty Limited Jeffrey Robert FERGUSSON FRASER OLD SOHN Patent Attorneys Level 6, 118 Alfred Street MILSONS POINT NSW 2061 ROCK BOLT GROUTING 2003 (PCT/AU03/00760) The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -2- Field of the Invention The present invention relates to rock bolts, whether the bolt tendon is formed from a flexible cable or a rigid rod, and the grouting of such bolts, after their initial installation.

Background Art Rock bolts are widely used in civil engineering and mining applications to stabilise rock strata.

Essentially a blind hole or bore is drilled in the rock and a rock bolt having an anchor at its far end is inserted into the hole. The anchor is operated so as to grip the far end of the hole and secure the bolt in the hole. The bolt is surrounded by a tube and grout is pumped into the gap between the bolt and the tube. The grout passes down the tube until it reaches the anchor and then begins to flow back out of the hole between the interior of the hole and the exterior of the tube. The operator ceases to pump grout when the returning grout is observed escaping from the hole. The grout hardens and provides a force transmitting structure between the interior of the hole and the length of the rock bolt. In this way the bolt tendon can react effectively against any movement in the surrounding ground.

Object of the Invention The object of the present invention is to provide improved bolt fittings for the trailing end of the rock bolt and corresponding grouting techniques, either of which contributes to an improved rock bolting system.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a fitting for the trailing end of a rock bolt having a tendon, said fitting comprising a tubular portion which surrounds said tendon, engaging means operatively associated with said tubular portion to engage said tendon and urge said tubular portion away from said trailing end, wherein said tubular portion includes a substantially circular rim at its trailing end to substantially sealingly engage with a grout cup (known per se) and 2945BV-DI1 wherein said fitting includes a grout admitting passage leading into an interior region of said tubular portion, said passage having an opening facing said trailing end.

In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of grouting a rock bolt installed in a blind hole, said bolt having a leading end, a trailing end, a tendon interconnecting said ends and surrounded over a substantial portion of its length by a grout directing tube, an anchor carried at, or adjacent, said leading end, and said fitting as claimed in claim 1 including said tendon engaging means carried at, or adjacent said trailing end, said rock bolt tendon being previously placed in tension by actuation of said anchor and said engaging means, said method comprising the steps of: sealingly engaging a grout cup with said substantially circular rim with said opening facing said cup, (ii) forcing flowable grout under pressure into said grouting cup and thence into said grout admitting passage via said opening, (iii) continuing step (ii) to force said grout between said tendon and grout directing tube, (iv) ceasing said flow of grout under pressure when said grout directing tube directs grout out of said hole, and disengaging said seal between said rim and grout cup.

Brief Description of the Drawings The prior art and the embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which, Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art rock bolt prior to installation, Fig. 2 is longitudinal partly cross sectional view through the rock bolt of Fig. 1 as installed, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred form of grout directing tube, Fig. 4 is an end view of the tube of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the tube of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the tube of Fig. 3, 2945BV-D 1 -4- Fig. 7 is perspective view of the trailing end of a cable bolt incorporating the tube of Fig. 3-6 and a fitting of a first embodiment, Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cable bolt end of Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the arrangement of Figs. 7 and 8, Fig. 10 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along the line X-X of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is an end view of the trailing end of the cable bolt of Fig. 7, Fig. 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the end fitting of the cable bolt of Fig. 7, Fig. 13 is an end view of the fitting of Fig. 12, Fig. 14 is the opposite end view of the fitting of Fig. 12, Fig. 15 is an alternative perspective view of the fitting of Fig. 12, and Fig. 16 is a longitudinal partly cross-sectional view of the leading end of a rock bolt.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a prior art rock bolt known as the "CT bolt" which is generally as described in Australian Patent No. 669,393 (Application No. 49856/93 and WO 94/05900). The CT bolt 1 has a solid steel tendon 2 with an anchor 3 (illustrated only in a general cylindrical form in Fig. 1) located at its leading end. A tube 4 having a plurality of papillae 13 surrounds the tendon 2 and the trailing end of the CT bolt 1 has a washer plate 5, a hollow dome ball 6, and nut 7.

As seen in Fig. 2, a blind hole 8 is drilled in the ground 9 and the CT bolt inserted therein. The anchor 3 is expanded so that it grips the interior of the hole 8 thereby locating the CT bolt 1 in its final position. The bolt can be tensioned by means of the nut 7 engaging a thread on the near end of the bolt. Then a flowable hardenable cementitious grout 10 is pumped into a small grout orifice 11 from where the grout passes between the tendon 2 and the interior of the tube 4. As the grout moves down the hole 8 between the tendon 2 and tube 4, air is being expelled from the hole 8 by passing between the interior of the hole 8 and the exterior of the tube 4. Eventually the grout 10 reaches the end of the hole 8 and the anchor 3 and then passes between the hole interior and the external surface of the tube 4. Eventually grout is expelled 2945BV-D1 from the hole 8 adjacent the washer plate 5 indicating to the operator to cease pumping grout.

The grout is pumped from a conventional generally hollow and cylindrical grout cup (not illustrated), which has an interior diameter substantially the same as the exterior diameter of the dome ball 6. Thus by holding the grout cup against the dome ball 6 an effective seal between the grout cup and the exterior of the dome ball 6 can be created. As a result, grout is forced in sequence into the grout orifice 11, into the interior of the dome ball 6, and thence into the interior of the tube 4. The dome ball 6 being substantially spherical allows the sealing engagement of the grout cup and the dome ball 6, notwithstanding variations in the angle of approach of the grout cup.

This prior art arrangement enables quick grouting to take place, however, the fabrication expense of the dome ball 6 is relatively high. In addition, the grout has to change its direction of flow to pass into, and through, the grout orifice 11.

Alternatively, a grout nozzle can be used to direct grout into the grout orifice 11.

However, this method is less able to be mechanised and is thus generally slower and so more expensive.

The purpose of small papillae 13 formed in the tube 4 is to provide a keying mechanism to enable longitudinal shearing forces to be transferred between the ground 9 and the tendon 2 by means of the grout Current methods of deforming the tube 4 involve processing the tube when it is hot and soft immediately after being formed and upon the tube exiting from the plastic extruder which creates the tube 4 from raw granular material. The tube in this soft and hot state enters another machine termed a "corrugator" which has a series of external moulds into which the tube is forced by compressed air from the inside, or vacuum applied from the outside, or both, so that the hot tube takes the shape of the moulds.

Such corrugators are known to produce corrugated plastic drainage pipe and corrugated swimming pool hose. Corrugated tube is known to be used in relation to rock bolts but suffers from a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the corrugating 2945BV-DI1 -6process is slow and therefore relatively expensive. Secondly, although the corrugated tubing has the advantage of being flexible and resistant to crushing, the geometry of corrugated tubing creates a number of disadvantages. In particular, the close corrugations, extending in an annular fashion relative to the axis of the tube, commonly trap air when the grout material is pumped therepast. These pockets of trapped air very substantially reduce the capacity of the tube to transfer mechanical loads. A similar problem is that the small amount of grouting material in the annular corrugations does not have the strength, because of its small mass and volume, to resist the shearing forces experienced in use. Therefore corrugated tube easily shears the grout from one annular deformation to the next.

In addition, the annular deformations of the corrugated tube catch on many types of objects during the installation procedure such as load plates, wire mesh, the parts of the installing machinery, and the like, all of which can lead to damage of the tube. If the corrugated tube is damaged the bolt can be uninstallable and/or unable to be grouted. This is because a hole in the tube will effectively "short circuit" the grouting procedure and result in grout not being delivered to the full length of the hole.

Whilst the known corrugated tube is flexible, and thus is able to be looped into a coil, the tube 4 of Figs. 1-2 is not. This tube, for example fabricated for installation in bore holes, is substantially round and has a diameter of approximately Each papilla 13 is formed as one of three outwardly extending bumps spaced equally around the tube at locations spaced apart by approximately 50mm along the tube. The maximum "diameter" of the tube at the location of the papillae is approximately 42mm. The tube 4 is produced on a corrugator machine but without producing corrugations. The tube is stiff and thus cannot be bent or coiled up as this results in the tube kinking and/or breaking. The papillae 13 on the tube 4 are also susceptible to being sheared off if the tube is handled roughly prior to installation.

The cost of the tube 4 is approximately three times the cost of similar tube (so called polytube made from high density polyethylene (HDPE)) used extensively in irrigation applications. It would therefore be desirable if this inexpensive tubing could be used for rock bolting applications.

2945BV-D 1 Figs. 3-6 illustrate a deformed irrigation polytube 14 which has been deformed in such a way as to still retain its flexibility and thereby permit the polytube 14 to be coiled or looped into a coil. The polytube 14 is deformed by being placed between forming tools, which yield the material of the tube 14 in small areas. The yielding stops the material of the polytube 14 from returning to its original configuration.

With reference to Fig. 3, in one embodiment, the tube 14 is compressed by having inwardly oppositely directed forces F1 and F2 applied to its "sides" whilst substantially simultaneously two inwardly oppositely directed forces F3 and F4 are applied to its "top" and "bottom" (spaced from but adjacent to the location of the Fl and F2 forces) so as to create generally rectangular bulges 17 having triangularly shaped slopes 18.

Because the yielding zones 50 which create the bulges 17 are arranged in sequential fashion along the length of tube 14, these deformed patterns remain deformed and provide a mechanism to enable load transfer from the bolt to the surrounding ground via the grouting applied to both sides of the tube 14. In particular, the shape of the bulges 17 provide a number of advantages in that they reduce the occurrence of damage prior to, or during, installation. Similarly, the shape of the bulges 17 reduces the risk of air voids developing during the grouting operation.

Because the tube 14 thus deformed is able to be rolled into a coil, long lengths of rock bolt utilising steel cable as the rock bolt tendon, rather than solid steel rod, are able to be formed and also coiled prior to installation. This provides substantial advantages as regards packaging and handling of the bolts prior to installation. It also allows installation of long post grouted bolts in limited access areas.

Figs. 7-11 illustrate the near end, or trailing end, of such a cable bolt, the far end, or leading end, being substantially conventional. As seen in Figs. 7-11, a cable bolt 21 has a cable 22 which passes through the polytube 14 and is provided with a barrel like end fitting 26 at the near end. The barrel 26 has a flat end face 28 and a domed front face 29 with a substantially cylindrical side wall 30. The domed front face 29 is intended to bear against a washer plate 5 similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. A grouting orifice 31 is formed in the end face 28 and, as seen in Fig. 10, leads into a 2945BV-DI1 -8grouting passage 32 which is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the polypipe 14 and cable 22.

In addition, the barrel 26 has a main passage 34 which includes a longitudinally split frusto-conical wedge 35 which acts a gripping mechanism for the cable 22. Thus the grouting passage 32 delivers grout above the cable gripping wedge 35 which holds the barrel 26 to the cable 22.

That is, after the blind hole in the ground has been drilled, the far, or leading, end of the cable bolt 21 (not illustrated) is inserted into the hole and an anchor at the leading end is activated so as to fix the leading end of the bolt in the hole. Then the cable 22 can be placed under tension and the barrel 26 moved towards the leading end (and thus away from the trailing end) until the barrel 26 comes into contact with a washer plate, or the like (not illustrated).

With the cable 22 thus tensioned, grout is able to be pumped through the grouting orifice 31 and grouting passage 32 into the interior of the polytube 14. The grout then travels along the length of the cable bolt 21, passes out the end of the polytube 14 and returns back towards the barrel 26 this time passing between the interior of the hole in the ground and the exterior of the polypipe 14. As before, a substantially conventional grout cup can be used in this operation which seals against the barrel 26.

This seal can be effected in several ways. One way is against the side wall Another way is against the corner of the side wall 30 and end face 28. A third way is to seal against the end face 28. In every case the seal is against a circular rim. In order to obtain a good seal between the circular rim and the grout cup it is preferable for the grout cup and barrel 26 to be substantially co-axial. Importantly, since the grouting orifice 31 faces the grout cup, the grout does not have to change its direction of flow to enter the grouting orifice 31. In addition, where a grout nozzle is used rather than a grout cup, the nozzle can be inserted directly into the grouting orifice 31.

It will be appreciated that the main passage 34 is not concentric with the cylindrical side wall 30 and thus at the near end of the cable bolt 1 the cable 22 is not concentric with the longitudinal axis of the tube 14.

2945BV-D 1 -9- Figs. 12-15 illustrate a second embodiment of a barrel 46 in which the front face 39 is flat. The end face 28 and grouting orifice 31 are substantially as before. The barrel 46 and its front face 39 can bear on a conventional domed washer which in turn bears on the washer plate 5 (not illustrated).

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the bulges 17 in Figs.

3-10 extend in two directions which are substantially perpendicular to each other. It is also possible to arrange to have the bulges extend in three directions which are approximately 1200 apart but that the longitudinally adjacent set of bulges should be rotated by 60' relative to the tube axis so that those bulges extend intermediate the bulges of the adjacent deformation. This is thought to assist shear load transfer.

Similarly, where the tendon is a rod rather than a cable as illustrated in Figs. 7-11 the gripping wedge 35 can be replaced by a conventional nut 7 as in Fig. 1 which is threadably engaged with the threaded trailing end of the rod to urge the barrel 26, 46 away from the trailing end of the tendon.

Furthermore, the end fitting or barrel 26, 46 (in addition to being relatively inexpensive to manufacture) can also be used in a cable or rod bolt without the outer plastic tube 4, 14. In this arrangement a breather tube passes through the grouting orifice 31 and grouting passage 32 and then extends alongside the bolt to its far end.

Under this arrangement grout is introduced between the bolt and hole and moves towards the far end of the hole but the air displaced by the grout is pushed out through the breather tube. Eventually the grout reaches the far end of the hole and then begins to fill the breather tube. The grouting process is stopped when the grout is seen returning through the breather tube. This procedure leaves the trailing end of the rock bolt (eg the wedge 35 or nut 7) substantially free of grout.

Turning now to Fig. 16, the far end of a rock bolt 51 intended for use in poor ground, such as sandstone, is illustrated. In this particular embodiment the cable tendon 52 is formed from multistrand steel cable 22, but a solid tendon could equally be used.

2945BV-DI1 Mounted on the cable 22 are a pair of spaced apart conventional shell anchors 53 such as those disclosed in Australian Patent Application No. 22992/02 which each include a restraining device in the form of a rupterable band 57. The anchors 53 are able to be expanded in known fashion by being spring loaded. In this way the two pivoted halves of the anchors 53 pivot outwardly to grip the interior of the surrounding blind hole 8.

The installation procedure is as follows. The rock bolt 51 is inserted fully into the blind hole 8. The spring expansion shells grip the sandstone surrounding the blind hole 8 with sufficient combined force to enable the cable 22 to be tensioned. Then the entire hole 8 is grouted in a single operation. The entire operation takes only a few minutes.

This is to be contrasted with the previous procedure where, following insertion of a rock bolt in poor ground, a sophisticated grout delivery system was used to grout only the far end of the rock bolt. Only after this grout had cured was the rock bolt tensioned. Then the remainder of the bolt was grouted. This prior art process took several weeks.

The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) is used in the sense of "having" or "including" and not in the sense of "consisting only of'.

2945BV-D1

Claims (18)

1. A fitting for the trailing end of a rock bolt having a tendon, said fitting comprising a tubular portion which surrounds said tendon, engaging means operatively associated with said tubular portion to engage said tendon and urge said tubular portion away from said trailing end, wherein said tubular portion includes a substantially circular rim at its trailing end to substantially sealingly engage with a grout cup (known per se) and wherein said fitting includes a grout admitting passage leading into an interior region of said tubular portion, said passage having an opening facing said trailing end.

2. The fitting as claimed in claim 1 wherein said opening lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubular portion.

3. The fitting as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said tendon is surrounded over a substantial portion of its length by a grout directing tube, and said interior region of said tubular portion communicates with the interior of said grout directing tube.

4. The fitting as claimed in any one of claims 1-3 wherein said opening of said grout admitting passage is substantially circular.

The fitting as claimed in any one of claims 1-4 wherein said tubular portion has a substantially circular shape when viewed in transverse cross-section.

6. The fitting as claimed in any one of claims 1-5 wherein said tubular portion has a longitudinal axis and said grout admitting passage is inclined to said longitudinal axis.

7. The fitting as claimed in claim 6 wherein said tubular portion comprises a generally barrel-like shape having a front end, a rear end, a curved side wall and a longitudinal axis.

8. The fitting as claimed in claim 7 and having a tendon passageway which is not concentric with said tubular portion longitudinal axis. 2945BV-DI1 -12-

9. The fitting as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein said front end is substantially domed.

The fitting as claimed in any one of claims 7-9 wherein said front end is substantially flat.

11. The fitting as claimed in any one of claims 7-10 wherein said rear end is substantially flat.

12. The fitting as claimed in claim 11 wherein said substantially flat rear end is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

13. The fitting as claimed in any one of claims 1-12 wherein said engaging means includes a frusto-conical wedge.

14. The fitting as claimed in any one of claims 1-12 wherein said engaging means comprises a nut which threadably engages a threaded portion of said tendon.

A fitting for the trailing end of a rock bolt having a tendon, said fitting being substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 7-11 or Figs. 12-15 of the drawings.

16. A method of grouting a rock bolt installed in a blind hole, said bolt having a leading end, a trailing end, a tendon interconnecting said ends and surrounded over a substantial portion of its length by a grout directing tube, an anchor carried at, or adjacent, said leading end, and said fitting as claimed in claim 1 including said tendon engaging means carried at, or adjacent said trailing end, said rock bolt tendon being previously placed in tension by actuation of said anchor and said engaging means, said method comprising the steps of: sealingly engaging a grout cup with said substantially circular rim with said opening facing said cup, (ii) forcing flowable grout under pressure into said grouting cup and thence into said grout admitting passage via said opening, 2945BV-D 1 -13- (iii) continuing step (ii) to force said grout between said tendon and grout directing tube, (iv) ceasing said flow of grout under pressure when said grout directing tube directs grout out of said hole, and disengaging said seal between said rim and grout cup.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said grout travels through said cup and into said opening whilst maintaining substantially the same direction of travel.

18. A method of grouting a rock bolt, said method being substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 7-15 of the drawings. Dated this 14 th day of August 2003 INDUSTRIAL ROLL FORMERS PTY LIMITED FRASER OLD SOHN Patent Attorneys for the Applicant 2945BV-D1