Grout thickness

[CivilEngineerUK]

I have a steel column welded on a base plate, size 500x400x30mm. Anchors are M48, which are preloaded. The steel column is connected to a concrete pile.

1) Which grout thickness should be used?
2) Dynamic/fatigue load occur in the connection (preloading anchors are used). Working life is 120 years. Which type of grout should be used, epoxy og cementitious grout?
3) What is the best way to make the 45 degree slope of the grout?

 

[WARose]

Answers:

#1: Most people start out at about 2 inches. For 2 inch diameter anchor rods (or larger), you'd probably want more thickness. Another factor is: will you use leveling nuts? If so, it may need to be thicker.

#2: For what you describe (high cycle loading), I'd use epoxy grout. Five star is a fav vendor of mine:

https://www.fivestarproducts.com/products/epoxy-grouts.html

BASF/Master Builders is another good one.

#3: That's a field problem. It's not likely the contractor will contact you about that. That being said, good formwork is your answer. You should look at the vendors requirements on that as well. A lot of them have specific (chamfered) edges they like to have. A lot of times the finishing touches are made with power tools.

 

[dik]

Check grout product data sheet to see what maximum thickness... some have limits.


Dik

 

[Ingenuity]

EDIT: Do not double post...thread725-472489 Double post in other forum deleted by E-T management.

I have grouted many, many steel column base plates.

I always use cementitious grout for steel column bases. For small base pates, I use pre-bagged products, but when the plates are larger (say >16") I use field-batched self-consolidating concrete (SCC). Takes a bit of pre-planing (fine aggregates, 3/8" aggregate, and admixtures and scale etc) but the results are great and the costs are very controlled. I always use a corrosion-inhibiting admixture too.

I use steel angle forms and magnetic 1" x 1" steel chamfer strip. Makes for easy install, stripping and multi-reuse.

I prefer 3" min. grout thickness. I space the edge of the grout form 2" from the edge of the base plates - that leaves a 1" passage for grout to flow around all sides.

Our 10 sack SCC is a 7,000 psi compressive strength mix, and with the many tests we have done, regularly achieve >10,000 in 28 days. 1 year aged results exceed 13,000 psi.

Often our environment is aggressive - wet/dry cycles, hot and humid.

If you are wondering why there are no anchor rods in the above photo - the steel erector welds the base plates to cast-in weld plates (with rebar tails), then the weld plate bases get grouted.