Title: Development of a Fly Ash and Epoxy Based High-Performance Grout for the Repair of Offshore Platforms

Author(s): T. S. Thandavamoorthy, A. G. Madhava Rao, and A. R. Santhakumar

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 199

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 239-258

Keywords: damage; ferrocement jackets; fly ash; high-performance grout; innovative repair technique; offshore platforms; tubular joints

DOI: 10.14359/10496

Date: 6/1/2001

Abstract:
Offshore platforms serve as artificial bases, supporting drilling and production facilities above the elevation of waves. They can be damaged due to wave induced fatigue in synergy with chloride-induced corrosion. These structures are constructed mainly using cylindrical steel tubular members and the joints, formed at the intersection of members, are most vulnerable to fatigue. An innovative repair technique, which has made use of fly ash and epoxy based high performance grout (HPG) especially developed for this purpose and ferrocement jackets, was proposed in this investigation to rehabilitate fatigue damaged tubular joints. While the average compressive strength of the grout was 85 MPa (12.32 ksi), the average tensile strength was 52 MPa (7.54 ksi). The bond strength of the HPG was almost three times greater than the conventional cement grout. As the specific property, the bond is very high, and achieved without any effort, the term High Performance Grout’ has been used in this paper to disguish it from the conventional technique. The paper presents in detail the necessity and development of the fly ash and epoxy based HPG, the method of repairing the fatigue damaged tubular joint, and the testing of the repaired joint to check the efficacy of the proposed innovative technique.