Study on the Diffusion Mechanism of Infiltration Grouting in Fault Fracture Zone Considering the Time-Varying Characteristics of Slurry Viscosity Under Seawater Environment

Abstract Fault fracture zones are rock formations commonly encountered in submarine tunnels, and the diffusion mechanism of slurry in fault fracture zones has a crucial impact on submarine tunnel reinforcement. Based on the seepage equation of Bingham fluid, the tortuosity parameter, fractal theory, and variable viscosity equation are introduced to establish a spherical permeation grouting model of Bingham fluid considering the slurry diffusion path and viscosity time variability. The viscosity variation law with time of sulfur aluminate cement slurry under different seawater admixture conditions was tested, and the time-varying equation of viscosity of sulfur aluminate cement slurry was obtained by fitting. A set of fault fracture zone permeation grouting test system was developed, and a fault fracture zone grouting simulation test was carried out. The study shows that the diffusion distance calculated without considering the influence of slurry diffusion path and seawater is 1.63–1.91 times of the test value, which obviously overestimates the diffusion distance; the diffusion distance calculated with considering the influence of diffusion path and seawater is 1.06–1.35 times of the test value, which is in good agreement with the test value. The research results can provide some theoretical support for the design of grouting in seawater environment.