Grout
Grout is
a mixture of cementitious material and water, with or without aggregate, in
which the water content is so high that the material has a fluid form.
Usually,
no difference is made between grout and mortar, and their names are used
interchangeably. On the other hand, grout and mortar are very different. Grout
does not need aggregate, while mortar should have the right aggregate. Grout
can flow quite well and has a fluid form, while Mortar does not. Grout is used
to fill in the gaps, however mortar is used for gluing.
Mixing
and preparing grout is usually simple, and if it is not required in large
quantities, it is done on the project site. But if the amount of needed grout
is high, the order will be given to the relevant factories and the grout will
be provided there at a reasonable price.
There are
different types of grouts, some of the most important of which are epoxy grout,
cement or cement base grout, polymer grout and expanding grout.
The
choice of grout used in each situation depends on the compatibility and
coexistence of the grout with other available materials. Taking into account
these conditions and different characteristics of each type, the desired grout
is selected.
One of
the most important advantages of grout is that it completely fills the place
where it is poured.
Because
expandable grout has non-shrinkage properties, ready-made grout is used for
various purposes such as base plate, anchor bolts, installation of machine
rails, bearing bridges, belts, rails, supports, etc.
Grouts
are designed to be able to absorb the forces entering and transfer them to the
sub-section. For example, when installing all kinds of machines, the forces
coming from them are transferred to the concrete foundation by grout or mortar.
Concretes
in which empty spaces have been created due to damage and cracking can be
repaired using cement grout.
Of
course, it should be noted that grout only fills the empty space and does not
structurally repair the concrete. Therefore, grout is used when cracks and
damage are not progressing or the cause of the damage has been identified and
eliminated.
In
addition to water, aggregate, and Portland cement, concrete lubricant additives
may be used to increase grout flow. The ratio of water to cement in the grout
mix is usually between 0.4 and 0.5, and this ratio is determined by the rate of
cracking of the concrete. For example, in a typical cement grout, 20 liters of
water are mixed with 50 kg of cement with 225 g of anti-shrink additives or
lubricants.
The
special property of grout (high fluidity), makes it easy to inject grout into
different parts of concrete and fill its pores.