Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

Effect of grout properties on the pull-out load capacity of fully grouted

rock bolt
A. Klc, E. Yasar*, A.G. Celik

Department of Mining Engineering, Cukurova

University, 01330 Balcal, Adana, Turkey
Received 30 October 2001; received in revised form 30 April 2002; accepted 24 May 2002

Abstract
This paper represents the result of a project conducted with developing a safe, practical and economical support system for
engineering workings. In rock engineering, untensioned, fully cement-grouted rock bolts have been used for many years. However,
there is only limited information about the action and the pull-out load capacity of rock bolts, and the relationship between bolt
grout or groutrock and the influence of the grout properties on the pull-out load capacity of a rock bolt. The effect of grout
properties on the ultimate bolt load capacity in a pull-out test has been investigated in order to evaluate the support effect of rock
bolts. Approximately 80 laboratory rock bolt pull-out tests in basalt blocks have been carried out in order to explain and develop
the relations between the grouting materials and untensioned, fully grouted rock bolts. The effects of the mechanical properties
of grouting materials on the pull-out load capacity of a fully grouted bolt have been qualified and a number of empirical formulae
have been developed for the calculating of the pull-out load capacity of the fully cement-grouted bolts on the basis of the shear
strength, the uniaxial compressive strength of the grouting material, the bolt length, the bolt diameter, the bonding area and the
curing time of the grouting material.
2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Rock bolt; Grouting materials; Bolt pull-out load capacity; Bolt geometry; Mortar

1. Introduction
In rock engineering, rock bolts have been used to
stabilise openings for many years. The rock bolting
system may improve the competence of disturbed rock
masses by preventing joint movements, forcing the rock
mass to support itself (Kaiser et al., 1992). The support
effect of rock bolt has been discussed by many researchers (e.g. Hyett et al., 1992; Ito et al., 2001; Reichert et
al., 1991 and Stillborg, 1984). Rock bolt binds together
a laminated, discontinued, fractured and jointed rock
mass. Rock bolting not only strengthens or stabilizes a
jointed rock mass, but also has a marked effect on the
rock mass stiffness (Chappell, 1989). Rock bolts perform their task by one or a combination of several
mechanisms. Bolts often act to increase the stress and
the frictional strength across joints, encouraging loose
blocks or thinly stratified beds to bind together and act
as a composite beam (Franklin and Dusseault, 1989).
*Corresponding author.
E-mail address: eyasar@cu.edu.tr (E. Yasar).

Rock bolts reinforce rock through a friction effect,

through a suspension effect, or a combination of two.
For this reason, rock bolt technique is acceptable for
strengthening of mine roadway and tunnelling in all
type of rock (Panek and McCormick, 1973).
Generally rock bolts can be used to increase the
support of low forces due to the diameter and the
strength of the bolt materials. They enable high anchoring velocity to be used at closer spacing between bolts.
Their design provides either mechanical clamping or
cement grouting against the rock (Aldorf and Exner,
1986).
Anchorage system of rock bolt is normally made of
solid or tube formed steel installed untensioned or
tensioned in the rock mass (Stillborg, 1986). Rock bolts
can be divided into three main groups according to their
anchorage systems (Franklin and Dusseault, 1989;
Aldorf and Exner, 1986; Hoek and Wood, 1989; Cybulski and Mazzoni, 1989). First group is the mechanically
anchored rock bolts that can be divided into two groups:
slit and wedge type rock bolt, expansion shell anchor.

0886-7798/02/$ - see front matter 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 8 8 6 - 7 7 9 8 0 2 . 0 0 0 3 8 - X

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A. Klc et al. / Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

They can be fixed in the anchoring part either by a

wedge-shaped clamping part or by a threaded clamping
part. Second group is the friction-anchored rock bolts
that can be simply divided into two groups: split-set and
swellex. Friction-anchored rock bolts stabilise the rock
mass by friction of the outer covering of bolt against
the drill hole side. The last group is the fully grouted
rock bolts that can also be divided into two groups:
cement-grouted rock bolts, resin grouted rock bolts.
A grouted rock bolt (dowel) is a fully grouted rock
bolt without mechanical anchor, usually consisting of a
ribbed reinforcing bar, installed in a drill hole and
bonded to the rock over its full length (Franklin and
Dusseault, 1989). Special attention should be paid to
cement-grouted bolts and bolts bonded (glued, resined)
by synthetics resins for bolt adjustment. Grouted bolts
fix the using of the coherence of the sealing cement
with the bolt rod and the rock for fastening the bolts.
Synthetic resin (resined bolt) and cement mortar (reinforced-concrete bolt) can be used for this type rock bolt.
These bolts may be anchored in all type of rock.
Anchoring rods may be manufactured of several materials such as ribbed steel rods, smooth steel bars, cable
bolts and other special finish (Aldorf and Exner, 1986).
Grouted bolts are widely used in mining for the
stabilisation of tunnelling, mining roadway, drifts and
shafts for the reinforcing of its peripheries. Simplicity
of installation, versatility and relatively low cost of
rebars are further benefits of grouted bolts is comparison
to their alternative counterparts (Indraratna and Kaiser,
1990).
Bolts are self-tensioning when the rock starts to move
and dilate. They should therefore be installed as soon
as possible after excavation, before the rock has started
to deform, and before it has lost its interlocking and
shear strength.
Although several grout types are available, in many
applications where the rock has a measure of short term
stability, simple Portland cement-grouted reinforcing
dowels are sufficient. They can be installed by filling
the drill hole with lean, quickly set mortar into which
the bar is driven. The dowel is retained in up holes
either by a cheap form of end anchor, or by packing the
drill hole collar with cotton waste, steel wool, or wooden
wedges (Franklin and Dusseault, 1989).
Concrete grouted bolts use cement mortar as a bonding medium. In drill holes at minimum of 158 below
the horizontal plane, the mortar can simply poured in,
whereas in raising drill holes (roof anchoring) various
design of bolts or other equipment is used to prevent
the pumped mortar from flowing out (Aldorf and Exner,
1986).
The load bearing capacity of fully cement-grouted
rock bolts depends on the bolt shape, the bolt diameter,
the bolt length, rock and grout strength. The bond
strength of fully cement-grouted rock bolts is primarily

frictional and depends on the shear strength at the bolt

grout or groutrock interface. Thus any changes in this
interfaces shear strength must affect the bolt bond
strength and bolt load capacity.
This laboratory testing program was executed to
evaluate the shear strength effect on the bond strength
of the boltgrout interface of a threaded bar and the
laboratory test results confirm the theory.
2. Previous solutions
The effectiveness of a grouted bolt depends on its
length relative to the extent of the zone of overstressed
rock or yield zone. The shear and axial stress distributions of a grouted bolt are also related to the bolt length
because equilibrium must be achieved between the bolt
and the surrounding ground (Indraratna and Kaiser,
1990).
Bearing capacities of cement-grouted rock bolts (Pb)
and their anchoring forces are a function of the cohesion
of the bonding agent and surrounding rock, and the
bolting bar. The ultimate bearing capacity of the bolt
(Pm) is expressed as follows (Aldorf and Exner, 1986):
P1mspdsldC1 ykb

(1)

where kb, safety coefficient (usually kbs1.5); C1, cohesion of the bonding material on bolting bar, ld, anchored
length of the bolt, ds, bolt diameter.
11
Pm
spdvldC2 ykb

(2)

where dv, drill hole diameter; C2, cohesion of the

bonding material with surrounding rock (carboniferous
rocks and polyester resins C2s3 MPa).
111
Pm
spdsldC3 ykb

(3)

where C3, shearing strength of the bonding material.

The maximum (ultimate) bearing capacity of the bolt
(Pm) will be the lowest value from Pm1 to Pm111.
Bearing capacities of all type bolts must also be
evaluated from the view point of the tensile strength of
the bolt material (Pms), which must not be lower than
the ultimate bearing capacity resulting from the anchoring forces of bolts in drill holes (Pm). It holds that
Pms0Pm

(4)

where Pms, the ultimate bearing capacity of the bolt

with respect of the tensile strength of the bolt material;
Pm, the ultimate bearing capacity of the bolt.
3. Laboratory study
3.1. Experiments
The pull-out tests were conducted on rebars, grouted
into basalt blocks with cement mortar in laboratory. The
relations between bolt diameter (db) and pull-out load
of bolt (Pb) (Fig. 2), bolt area (Ab) and pull-out load

A. Klc et al. / Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

of bolt (Pb) (Fig. 3), bolt length (Lb) and pull-out load
of bolt (Pb) (Fig. 5), water to cement ratio (wyc) and
bolt bond strength (tb) (Fig. 7), mechanical properties
of grout material and bolt bond strength (tb) (Fig. 9,
Figs. 10 and 11), and curing time (days) and bolt
strength (Figs. 12 and 13) were evaluated by simple
pull-out test programme.
The samples consisted of rebars (ranging 1018 mm
diameters two by two) bonded into the basalt blocks.
These basalt blocks used have a Youngs modulus of
27.6 GPa and a uniaxial compressive strength (UCSg)
of 133 MPa. Drilling holes which were 10 mm larger
than the bolt diameter, having a diameter of 2028 mm
for installation of bolts, were drilled up to 1532 cm in
depth. The bolt was grouted with cement mortar. The
grout was a mixture of Portland cement with a water to
cement ratio of 0.34, 0.36, 0.38 and 0.40 cured for 28
days. In order to obtain different grout types that have
different mechanical properties, siliceous sand N100 mm;
500 mmM and fly ash N10 mm; 200 mmM were added in
a proportion of 10% of cement weight and white cement
with a water to cement ratio of 0.40. The sand should
be well graded, with a maximum grain size of 2 mm
(Schack et al., 1979). The Youngs modulus of the
grouts was measured during unconfined compression
tests and shear strength was calculated by means of ring
shear tests.
The test set-up is illustrated schematically in Fig. 1
and the procedure is explained below:
After filling prepared grout mortar into the hole, bolt
is inserted to the centre of drilling hole.
After curing time, the rebars in the rock were axially
loaded and the load was gradually increased until the
bolt failed.

357

Table 1
Influence of the bolt diameter on the bolt strength
db
(mm)

dd
(mm)

Lb
(cm)

Ab
(cm2)

Pb
(kN)

tb
(MPa)

10
12
14
16
18

20
22
24
26
28

24.2
24.2
24.2
24.2
24.2

76
91
106
122
137

43.2
54.7
59.2
73.6
81.6

5.68
6.01
5.58
6.03
5.96

Rock: Basalt; curing time: 35 days; wycs0.40; tgs8.15 MPa.

The bond strength (tb) was then calculated by dividing the load (Pb) by surface area (Ab) of the bolt bar
in contact with the grout.
Pull-out tests were repeated for various grout types,
bolt dimensions and curing times.
The influence of the bolt diameter and the bond area
on the bond strength of a rock bolt can be formulated
as follows (Littlejohn and Bruce, 1975):
tbsPb ypdblb

(5)

where tb, ultimate bolt bond strength (MPa); Pb, maximum pull-out load of bolt (kN); db, bolt diameter
(mm); lb, bolt length (cm); pdblb, bonded area (cm2).
3.2. Analysis of laboratory test results
3.2.1. Influence of the bolt material
Bolt diameters of 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 mm were
used in pull-out tests. Typical results are represented in
Table 1, Figs. 2 and 3. The most important observations
were:
(1) The maximum pull-out load (Pb) increases linearly with the section of the bolt while embedment length
was constant.

Fig. 1. Pull-out test set-up of rebar.

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A. Klc et al. / Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

Table 2
Influence of the bolt length on the bolt bond strength
Lb
(cm)

Ab
(cm2)

Pb
(kN)

tb
(MPa)

15.0
24.7
27.0
30.0
32.0

57
93
102
113
121

44.3
72.8
79.0
90.2
91.7

7.77
7.83
7.75
7.98
7.58

Rock: Basalt; dbs12 mm; curing time: 21 days; tg: 10.4 MPa;
UCSgs35.5 MPa; Egs7.54 GPa.

Fig. 2. Influence of the bolt diameter on the pull-out load of bolt.

Fig. 5. The relationship between bolt length and pull-out load.

Fig. 3. Influence of the bond area on the pull-out load of bolt.

(2) Bolt section depends upon bolt diameter. The

relation between bolt diameter and bolt bearing capacity
can be explained as follow empiric formulae (Fig. 2).
Pbs4.785dby4.53R2s0.9824

Fig. 4. The pull-out test set-up of different bolt length.

(6)

A. Klc et al. / Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

359

Fig. 6. The relationship between bolt bond area and pull-out load.
Table 3
The influence of the water to cement ratio on the bolt bond strength
wyc

UCSg
(MPa)

tg
(MPa)

Ab
(cm2)

Pb
(kN)

tb
(MPa)

0.34
0.36
0.38
0.40

42.0
38.9
33.3
32.0

11.9
11.3
10.7
10.3

102
102
102
102

80.9
79.0
77.4
75.3

7.93
7.75
7.59
7.38

Fig. 8. The influence of water to cement ratio on the bolt pull-out

load.

(1) The pull-out force of a bolt increases linearly

with the embedded length of the bolt.
Pbs2.8876Lbq1.2741R2s0.9936

(7)

(2) Maximum pull-out strength of a bolt is limited to

the ultimate strength of the bolt shank.

Rock: Basalt; dbs12 mm.

Fig. 7. The influence of water to cement ratio on the bolt bond

strength.

(3) The values of bolt bond strength were calculated

between 5.68 and 5.96 MPa (Table 1).
Bolt lengths of 15.0, 24.7, 27.0, 30.0 and 32.0 cm
were used in pull-out tests as seen in Fig. 4. Typical
results are represented in Table 2, and Figs. 5 and 6.
The most important observations were:

3.2.2. Influence of grouting material

The water to cement ratio should be no greater than
0.40 by weight; too much water greatly reduces the
long-term strength. Because, part of the mixing water is
consumed by the hydration of cement used. Rest of the
mixing water evaporates and then capillary porosities
exist which results in unhomogenities internal structure
of mortar. Thus, this structure reduces the long-term
strength by irregular stress distribution (Neville, 1963;
Atis,
1997). To obtain a plastic grout, bentonit clay can
be added in a proportion of up to 2% of the cement
weight. Other additives can accelerate the setting-time,
improve the grout fluidity allowing injection at lower
water to cement ratios, and make the grout expand and
pressurize the drill hole. Additives, if used at all, should
be used with caution and in the correct quantities to
avoid harmful side effect such as weakening and corrosion (Franklin and Dusseault, 1989).
The water to cement ratio (wyc) in grouting materials
considerably affects pull-out strength of bolt. As seen
in Table 3, UCSg and shear strength (tg) of grout in
high wyc ratio show lower values whereas in low wyc
ratio higher values. The ratio between 0.34 and 0.40
presents quite good results. Although the wyc ratio of
0.34 gives the best bond strength, groutibility (pumpability) decreases and a number of difficulties in application appear. In high wyc ratio, the pumpability of

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A. Klc et al. / Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

Table 4
Influence of the mechanical properties of the grouting materials on the bolt load capacity
Grout
type

UCSg
(MPa)

Eg
(GPa)

tg
(MPa)

Pb
(kN)

Ab
(cm2)

tb
(MPa)

tbytg

wycs0.40a
wycs0.40b
wycs0.40c
wycs0.40d
wycs0.40e
10% sandf
10% fly ashf
5% fly ashf
White cementf
wycs0.40f
wycs0.38f
wycs0.36f
wycs0.34f

5.30
12.84
17.74
20.80
22.94
31.60
30.58
33.33
37.72
32.01
33.33
38.94
42.00

1.15
2.74
2.96
3.39
3.79
6.22
4.89
5.25
6.63
7.40
8.05
9.12
9.30

2.04
4.99
6.22
7.95
9.17
6.73
7.34
8.05
8.15
10.30
10.70
11.30
11.93

16.53
43.75
55.28
57.59
59.84
55.45
58.15
56.01
58.15
75.26
77.39
78.99
80.87

84
84
84
84
84
83
83
83
83
102
102
102
102

1.94
5.20
6.63
6.83
7.14
6.73
6.32
6.73
7.03
7.34
7.54
7.75
7.95

0.95
1.04
1.07
0.86
0.78
1.00
0.86
0.84
0.86
0.71
0.70
0.68
0.67

Curing time: a1 day; b3 days; c5 days; d7 days; e14 days; f21 days.

grouting materials into the drilling hole is easy but the

bond strength of bolt decreases (Figs. 7 and 8).
The bond strength of fully cement-grouted rock bolts
is primarily frictional and depends on the shear strength
at the boltgrout or groutrock interface. Thus any
change in this shear strength of interfaces affects the
bolt bond strength and load capacity. The influences of
mechanical properties of grouting materials on the bearing capacity of bolt can be described as follows:
(1) The uniaxial compressive and shear strength of
the grouting materials has an important role on the
behaviour of rock bolts. It was observed that increasing
shear strength of the grouting material logarithmically
increases bolt bond strength as shown in Table 4 and
Fig. 9. The relation between grout shear strength and
bolt bond strength was formulated as follows:
tbs3.2843ln(tg)y0.0523R2s0.9621

(8)

Fig. 9. The relationship between grout shear strength and bolt bond
strength.

(2) Table 4 and Fig. 10 show that increasing grout

compressive strength considerable increases the bond
strength of the grouted bolts.
tbs2.4992lnUCSg.y1.4579R2s0.8576

(9)

(3) In Fig. 11 and Table 4 show that there is another

relationship between Youngs modulus of grout and bolt
bond strength. Increasing the Youngs modulus increases
bolt bond strength.
tbs2.3137lnEg.q2.9394R2s0.7882

(10)

3.2.3. Influence of the curing time

An important problem in the application of cementgrouted bolts is the setting time of the mortar, which
strongly affects the stabilizing ability of bolt. Cementgrouted dowels cannot be used for immediate support
because of the time needed for the cement to set and
harden (Franklin and Dusseault, 1989).

Fig. 10. The relationship between UCS of grout materials and bolt
bond strength.

A. Klc et al. / Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

361

Fig. 11. Changing of bolt bond strength due to Youngs modulus of grout.
Table 5
The influence of the setting time on pull-out resistance
Curing time
(days)

db
(mm)

Lb
(cm)

Ab
(cm2)

Pb
(kN)

tb
(MPa)

1
3
5
7
14
21
28
35

12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12

24.2
24.2
24.2
24.2
24.2
24.2
24.2
24.2

91
91
91
91
91
91
91
91

17.64
43.75
56.83
71.25
75.48
76.55
78.46
80.06

1.94
4.79
6.22
7.85
8.36
8.46
8.66
8.77

Rock: Basalt; wycs0.40; dds22 mm.

Fig. 13. Changing of bolt bond strength due to curing time.

Fig. 12. Changing of pull-out load of bolt due to curing time.

In the pull-out tests, eight group of bolts having same

length and mortar with a water to cement ratio of 0.4
were used for determining the effects of curing time on
the bolt bond strength. Each group of rock bolt testing
was performed after different setting times (Table 5).

As can be seen in Figs. 12 and 13, the strength of bolt

bond increases rapidly in 7 days due to curing time.
However, the bond strength of bolt continues to increase
rather slowly after 7 days.
Rock bolts may lose their supporting ability because
of yielding of bolt material, failure at the boltgrout or
groutrock interface, and unravelling of rock between
bolts. However, laboratory tests and field observations
suggest that the most dominant failure mode is shear at
the boltgrout interface (Hoek and Wood, 1989). So,
this laboratory study focussed on the interface between
rock bolt and rock and the mechanical properties of
grouting materials.
4. Conclusions
The laboratory investigation showed that the bolt
capacity depends basically on the mechanical properties

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A. Klc et al. / Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 17 (2002) 355362

of grouting materials which can be changed by water to

cement ratio, mixing time, additives, and curing time.
Increasing the bolt diameter and length increases the
bolt bearing capacity. However, this increase is limited
to the ultimate tensile strength of the bolt materials.
Mechanical properties of grouting materials have an
important role on the bolt bearing capacity. It is offered
that the optimum water to cement ratio must be 0.34
0.4 and the mortar have to be well mixed before poured
into drill hole. Improving the mechanical properties of
the grouting material increases the bolt bearing capacity
logarithmically. The best relationship was observed
between grout shear strength and bolt bond strength.
Increasing the curing time increases the bolt bond
strength. Bolt bond strength of 19 kgycm2 in first day,
77 kgycm2 in 7 days and 86 kgycm2 in 35 days was
determined respectively. The results show that bolt bond
strength increases quickly in first 7 days and then the
increase goes up slowly.
Bond failure in the pull-out test occurred between the
bolt and cement grout, of which the mechanical behaviour is observed by shear spring.
This explains the development of bolt bond strength
and the failure at the boltgrout interface considering
that the bond strength is created as a result of shear
strength between bolt and grout. This means that any
change at the grout strength causes to the changing of
bolt capacity. The failure mechanism in a pull-out test
was studied in order to clarify the bond effect of rock
bolt. Thus one main bond effect was explained from
bond strength of rock bolts.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Research Fund
of Cukurova University for supporting this research. No.
FBE.2000.YL.50.

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