Successful Forum on Injection Technology 2022 in Cologne

The expert lectures again offered the visitors a broad spectrum of topics covering all facets of injection technology over two days. Positive feedback also came from the numerous exhibiting companies and sponsors. Good discussions with an expert audience and ample opportunity for networking, also at the festive evening event, made the Injection Technology Forum 2022 once again a genuine industry get-together

As in the previous years, the Forum on Injection Technology was staged in conjunction with the partners Bauverlag, IBE-Ingenieure and STUVA (Research Association for Tunnels and Underground Transportation Facilities). 17 comprehensive specialist presentations were devoted to fields of injection technology for ground improvement and sealing as well as improving and sealing structures with practice-related examples of projects. In addition, general topics, such as European standardisation and variations in tenders, were dealt with in a separate thematic block. Dipl.-Ing. Jörg de Hesselle (IBE-Ingenieure) and Dr.-Ing. Christian Thienert (STUVA) were once again entrusted with the presentation and chairing the discussions. STUVA CEO Dr.-Ing. Roland Leucker was delighted to welcome an international audience – not only German experts had come to Cologne for the Injection Technology Forum but also specialists from Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Luxemburg.

Excerpts from the Lecture Programme
Sealing the Subsoil

The opening lecture session was devoted to the topic of subsoil sealing. One of the topics was the analysis of rock injection using Artificial Intelligence (authors: Dipl.-Ing. Christoph Klaproth, Dipl. Ing Robert Wenighofer, Prof.-Dr. Ing Frank Könemann and Dipl.-Ing. Patrick Gabriel). Digital data management systems that can provide injection data in a structured and consistent manner now enable the utilisation of Artificial Intelligence. It was shown on the basis of data sets from a Scandinavian tunnel project that Artificial Neural Networks can be used to predict the final volume of injected material with sufficient reliability for construction practice.

Another contribution dealt with hybrid injections of cement suspension and polyurethane resin to overcome difficult geological and hydrogeological conditions (Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Heizmann, Dipl. Bau-Ing. ETH Daniele Bronzetti, Dipl.-Ing. Maren Katterbach, M. Sc. and Dipl. Bau-Ing. (FH) Sergio Massignani). The efficiency of this method for sealing in highly fissured rock was demonstrated by means of laboratory tests and a project
example (excavation of an adit with severe water ingress).

Also presented was the application of novel low-viscosity binders for pore space injection in fine-grained soils (Dr. Giovanni Spagnoli, MBA, Götz Tintelnot). 

Refurbishing Structures

Dr.-Ing. Benno Ring, Dipl.-Ing. Eckhard Bunge, Dipl.-Ing. Konrad Ecker and Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Britta Rombach reported on the grouting of cracks in metro tunnels from the 1970s in the run-up to a construction project on the surface. The load-bearing capacity of the tunnels was verified by elaborate FE calculations on construction history, previous damage, defects and the renovation. The calculations were also used to determine the grouting pressures for backfilling the water-filled cavities.

Structural Sealing

One presentation in this thematic segment dealt with inspection and injection systems for pressurised water-retaining railway tunnels (Christian Rhein, M.Sc., Dr.-Ing. Anna-Lena Hammer, Dr. Carles Camós-Andreu, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Thewes). Based on current project data, the paper analysed the functional efficiency of inspection and injection systems in tunnels with synthetic waterproofing membranes. It was shown that a high proportion of the systems (up to approx. 60 %) were not functional when required.

Ground Improvement

The final session on the topic of ground improvement included a project report on the drilling and grouting work under Dortmund Central Station (Dipl.-Ing. Reiner Otterbein, Dr.-Ing. Carsten Peter, Dipl.-Ing. Claas Biedebach, Dipl.-Ing. Bertram Sauerländer). These measures became necessary in the course of widening the underground platforms for the light rail line built in 1980. The complex construction measure during ongoing operations included injections for the construction of a pipescreen in the course of pipe jacking works and tunnel excavations as well as subsoil reinforcement underneath existing foundations and new foundations to be built. 

ABI Leaflet 2022

As part of the forum, the new ABI Leaflet 2022 (“Sealing of structures by means of injection”) was also presented (Dipl.-Ing Jörg de Hesselle, Dr.-Ing. Ute Hornig and Dipl.-Ing Holger Graeve). The leaflet was again revised and expanded by recognised experts from the fields of planning, material production, construction and material testing under the aegis of STUVA. The presentation addressed planning recommendations, injection materials, processing techniques, possible performance and functional verification as well as aspects of environmental compatibility.

The proceedings of the “Forum Injektionstechnik 2022” with full-length versions of all the lectures in German has been published as Vol. 58 of the STUVA series “Forschung + Praxis”.  

Save the date: 5^th Forum on Injection Technology, November 6–7, 2024

The fifth Forum on Injection Technology will be held on November 6 and 7, 2024. The German-language website www.forum-injektionstechnik.de provides details on the event; in addition, you can register in the newsletter mailing list for the 2024 forum.