Project Reference: MasterRoc MG 100 - Roadway Panel Grouting
Location: Cadia East Mine, NSW
Asset Owner: Newcrest Mining Limited
Concrete Producers: Boral Concrete
Market Sector: Underground Construction
Products Used:
- MasterRoc MG 100 a powdered thixotropic grout additive that protects cables and steel bolts against corrosion
- MasterRoc HCA 20 a chemical admixture that controls the dynamics of cement hydration
The Background
Newcrest Mining Limited’s Cadia Valley Operation is located 25 kilometres southwest of Orange, in central-western New South Wales. Recently, the Cadia East mine placed 130MPa precast concrete panels as a roadway in the underground mine. The panels were set into place over 50MPa sub-base concrete and were required to be grouted in. Initially, the grout was supplied by the Boral Concrete, Cadia Mine's batch plant and consisted of cement, water and MasterRoc HCA 20. There was concern, after movement from some of the initial panels, that there was too much grout shrinkage.
The Challenge
After discussions with Newcrest and Boral, it was determined that a new, non-shrink grout was required for the job. Due to the size of the grouting operation, it was preferred that it still be batched into a 4m3 concrete agitator. Master Builders Solutions and Boral had just two weeks to develop a suitable grout mix.
Our Solution
Master Builders Solutions proposed using the MasterRoc MG 100 grout additive. Widely used in cable bolt grout mixes for tunnel projects, it would provide the flow, stability and non-shrink qualities required. MasterRoc MG100 regularly comes in 15kg bags, meaning the 4m3 load would require 680kgs of product in 45 individual bags. To reduce the handling of so much product, Boral requested we produce the product in bulk bags. A rapid and timely response enabled the production team to procure the raw materials and produce the initial 6.8T of MasterRoc MG100 in 680kg bulk bags within the two-week period. The initial bulk bag was trialed during night shift with Master Builders Solutions experts on-site to supervise. The underground team reported that the grout pumped and flowed extremely well and continued to do so until the project was completed in 2016.
Project Facts at a Glance
▪ The roadway panel grouting started in 2014 and concluded in 2016.
▪ 3L/m3 of MasterRoc HCA 20 was also added into the grout mix to keep the grout fresh for up to 3 hours.
Product Facts at a Glance
MasterRoc HCA 20 is a chemical admixture that has adopted Delvo technology- a major breakthrough in shotcrete technology by Master Builders Solutions. It is used to control the dynamics of cement hydration by forming a barrier around the cement particles. This barrier prevents cement from achieving its initial setting. It’s principle applications are in tunneling and mining.
MasterRoc MG 100 is a grout additive that produces high strength and high bond to steel. It is shrinkage compensated, impermeable and has greater than 1 hour working time. Used best in cable bolt grout mixes for tunneling projects.
Customer's Benefit
▪ For Boral, we continued to supply a grout mix to the mine for this ongoing project. It also greatly reduced manual handling of the grout additive.
▪ For Newcrest, we provided a non-shrink grout solution in a bulk quantity and greatly reduced the manual handling typical of a pre-bagged grout product.
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