In-Situ Slurry Wall Formation with the SoilSaw^ࡊ Barrier System

This new technology was designed to form high-quality “formed-in-place” barrier walls in soil in a more continuous and uniform manner than the two-step, excavate and replace, processes of conventional slurry trenching. Soils in the path of the device are pulverized in-situ and liquified by high-energy jets of a permeability modifying grout. The hardware then passes through the liquified soil under the pull of gravity. The soil/grout mixture hardens to form a plastic diaphragm wall. Walls can be formed from a variety of materials.

The bulk of the energy to cut and mix the soil is transferred to the soil work face hydraulicly by the slurry media itself. Massive energy transfer of over 2000 hydraulic horsepower (1500 kilowatts) supplied by oil field cement slurry pumps allows dramatic productivity rates. The production rate of the process is significantly reduced in highly cohesive soils. This paper presents an introductory look at a potentially useful new method of construction of large subsurface barriers and contrasts it with conventional methods.