Unconfined Compressive Strength and Visualization of the Microstructure of Coarse Sand Subjected to Different Biocementation Levels
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Volume 145, Issue 8
Abstract
Biocementation processes rely on microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP), which is a naturally occurring biochemical process. Biocement materials are a form of environmental cementitious agents used to improve the mechanical properties of granular soils by physically binding soil particles together. Efficient improvement of the macromechanical behavior of coarse sand treated by various amounts of biocement materials requires an in-depth understanding of its microstructure. This paper examined the effect of a number of bacterial suspension and cementation solution flushes on the macromechanical behavior of coarse sand. Also, X-ray computed tomography (XCT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to investigate changes occurring at microlevels. The results show that compressive strength increased with an increase of biocement materials, and the maximum compressive strength achieved was around 14 MPa. The microscopic investigations were linked to the macromechanical changes, providing unique insight into the causation of the changes. Furthermore, several common soil properties (calcium carbonate content, dry density, void ratio, and porosity) were successfully identified using the XCT technique.
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Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the use of the facilities within the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy. The XCT equipment used in this study was purchased through a Monash University-led multi-institutional grant funded in part by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Large Equipment and Infrastructure scheme (LEIF) (Grant No. LE13010006).
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 8 • August 2019
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©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 9, 2018
Accepted: Jan 10, 2019
Published online: May 30, 2019
Published in print: Aug 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Oct 30, 2019
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