Bacterially Stabilized Desert-Sand Bricks: Sustainable Building Material
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation carried out to determine the consolidating effect of ureolytic and nonureolytic Bacillus sp. on desert sand. Bacteria-infused desert-sand bricks were prepared using various binders (cement, lime, fly ash), and their engineering properties were evaluated. The results showed an increase of ~19% in compressive strength and water absorption value of 17% in bacteria treated desert sand-cement bricks relative to the same properties in control. In treated bricks field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis revealed thick biodepositions at points of particle to particle contact of desert sand, creating a densified microstructure compared to untreated bricks. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of bacteria-treated desert sand–cement bricks indicated the enhanced formation of other hydration products in addition to calcite, and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis validated the formation of additional C─ S─ H (approximately 12%) and calcium hydroxide (approximately 40%). This study shows that nonureolytic bacteria–infused desert sand–cement bricks can achieve an unfired compressive strength ≥ 5 MPa and, therefore, may serve as a sustainable alternative to other conventionally available bricks.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Uttarakhand Council of Biotechnology, Uttarakhand, India. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Uttarakhand Council of Biotechnology.
References
Aono, Y., F. Matsushita, S. Shabita, and Y. Hama. 2007. “Nanostructural changes of C─ S─ H in hardened cement paste during drying at 50°C.” J. Adv. Concr. Technol. 5 (3): 313–323. https://doi.org/10.3151/jact.5.313.
Bang, S., S. H. Min, and S. S. Bang. 2011. “Application of microbiologically induced soil stabilization technique for dust suppression.” Int. J. Geo-Eng. 3 (2): 27–37.
Bernardi, D. J. 2012. “Biologically cemented sandstone brick.” MSCE thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of California Davis.
Bernardi, D. J., J. T. DeJong, B. M. Montoya, and B. C. Martinez. 2014. “Biobricks: Biologically cemented sandstone brick.” Constr. Build. Mater. 55 (Mar): 462–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.01.019.
Bharti, R. K., S. Srivastava, and I. S. Thankur. 2014. “Isolation, purification, characterization and mass spectroscopic analysis of carbonic anhydrase from Serratia sp. for sequestration of carbon dioxide and formation of calcite.” J. Environ. Chem. Eng. 2 (1): 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2013.11.018.
Carrasco, L. F., D. T. Martin, L. M. Morales, and S. M. Ramirez. 2012. “Infrared spectroscopy in the analysis of building and construction materials.” In Infrared spectroscopy—Materials science, engineering and technology, 369–382. London: IntechOpen.
Chen, F., C. Deng, W. Song, D. Zhang, F. A. Al-Misned, M. G. Mortuza, and X. Pan. 2016. “Biostabilization of desert sands using bacterially induced calcite precipitation.” Geomicrobiol. J. 33 (3–4): 243–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2015.1053584.
DeJong, J. T., M. B. Fritzges, and K. Nusslein. 2006. “Microbially induced cementation to control sand response to undrained shear.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 11 (132): 1381–1392. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2006)132:11(1381).
DeJong, J. T., B. M. Mortensen, B. C. Martinez, and D. C. Nelson. 2010. “Bio-mediated soil improvement.” Ecol. Eng. 36 (2): 197–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2008.12.029.
Dhami, N. K., A. Mukherjee, and M. S. Reddy. 2012. “Improvement in strength properties of ash bricks by bacterial calcite.” Ecol. Eng. 39 (Feb): 31–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2011.11.011.
Dhami, N. K., A. Mukherjee, and M. S. Reddy. 2014. “Synergistic role of bacterial urease and carbonic anhydrase in carbonate mineralization.” Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 172 (5): 2552–2561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-013-0694-0.
Dick, J., W. D. Windt, B. D. Graef, H. Saveyn, M. P. Vander, N. D. Belie, and W. Verstraete. 2006. “Bio-deposition of a calcium carbonate layer on degraded limestone by Bacillus species.” Biodegradation 17 (4): 357–367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-005-9006-x.
Emmanuel, S., M. Erica, R. I. Kannan, W. K. Charles, and T. Alessandro. 2016. “Application of microbially induced calcite precipitation in erosion mitigation and stabilization of sandy soil foreshore slopes: A preliminary investigation.” Eng. Geol. 201 (Feb): 96–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.12.027.
Eric, C. G., and B. Philippe. 2006. “Cement/clay interactions: A review: Experiments, natural analogues and modeling.” Waste Manage. (Oxford) 26 (7): 776–788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2006.01.027.
Fujita, Y., F. G. Ferris, R. D. Lawson, E. S. Colwell, and R. W. Smith. 2000. “Calcium carbonate precipitation by ureolytic substrate bacteria.” Geomicrobiol. J. 17 (4): 305–318. https://doi.org/10.1080/782198884.
Horgnies, M., J. J. Chen, and C. Bouillon. 2013. “Overview about the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to study cementitious materials.” WIT Trans. Eng Sci. 77: 251–262.
IS (Indian Standards). 1963a. Methods of test for aggregates for concrete. I: Particle size and shape. IS 2386-1. New Delhi, India: IS.
IS (Indian Standards). 1963b. Methods of test for aggregates for concrete. 3: Specific gravity, density, voids, absorption and bulking. IS 2386-3. New Delhi, India: IS.
IS (Indian Standards). 1970. Specification for coarse and fine aggregates from natural sources for concrete. IS 383. New Delhi, India: IS.
IS (Indian Standards). 1984. Specification for building limes [CED 4: Building limes and gypsum products. IS 712. New Delhi, India: IS.
IS (Indian Standards). 1989. Grade ordinary portland cement—Specification. IS 8112. New Delhi, India: IS.
IS (Indian Standards). 1992. Methods of tests of burnt clay building bricks. IS 3495. New Delhi, India: IS.
IS (Indian Standards). 2013. Pulverized fuel ash—Specification. IS 3812. New Delhi, India: IS.
Ivanov, V., and J. Chu. 2008. “Applications of microorganisms to geotechnical engineering for bioclogging and biocementation of soil in situ.” Rev. Environ. Sci. Biotechnol. 7 (2): 139–153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-007-9126-3.
Jain, S. 2016. “Development of unfired bricks using industrial waste.” MSCE thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology.
Jonkers, H. M. 2011. “Bacteria-based self-healing concrete.” Heron 56 (1–2): 1–12.
Jonkers, H. M., A. Thijssen, G. Muyzer, O. Copuroglu, and E. Schlangen. 2010. “Application of bacteria as self-healing agent for the development of sustainable concrete.” Ecol. Eng. 36 (2): 230–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2008.12.036.
Lam, L., Y. L. Wong, and C. S. Poon. 2000. “Degree of hydration and gel/space ratio of high-volume fly ash/cement systems.” Cem. Concr. Res. 30 (5): 747–756. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00213-1.
Lea, F. M. 1970. The chemistry of cement and concrete. 3rd ed. London: Arnold.
Maithel, S., and R. Uma. 2000. “Environmental regulations and the Indian brick industry.” Environ. Pract. 2 (3): 230–231. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1466046600001526.
Martinez, B. C., J. T. DeJong, T. R. Ginn, B. M. Montoya, T. H. Barkouki, and C. Hunt. 2013. “Experimental optimization of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation for soil improvement.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 139 (4): 587–598. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000787.
Mitchell, J. K., and J. C. Santamarina. 2005. “Biological considerations in geotechnical engineering.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 131 (10): 1222–1233. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2005)131:10(1222).
Montoya, B. M., K. Feng, and C. Shanahan. 2013. “Bio-mediated soil improvement utilized to strengthen coastal deposits.” In Proc., 18th Int. Conf. on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 2565–2568. London: International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.
Mortensen, B. M., and J. T. DeJong. 2011. “Strength and stiffness of MICP treated sand subjected to various stress paths.” In ProcGeo-Frontiers Conf., 4012–4020. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Mukherjee, A., N. K. Dhami, B. V. V. Reddy, and M. S. Reddy. 2013. “Bacterial calcification for enhancing performance of low embodied energy soil-cement Bricks.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies. Paris: RILEM.
Rai, A., A. K. Mandal, K. K. Singh, and T. R. Mankhand. 2013. “Preparation and characterization of lime activated unfired bricks made with industrial wastes.” Int. J. Waste Resour. 3 (1): 40–46.
Ramachandran, S. K., V. Ramakrishnan, and S. S. Bang. 2001. “Remediation of concrete using microorganisms.” ACI Mater. J. 98 (1): 3–9.
Rodriguez, N. C., G. M. Rodriguez, C. K. Ben, and M. T. Gonzalez-Munoz. 2003. “Conservation of ornamental stone by Myxococcusxanthus induced carbonate biomineralization.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69 (4): 2182–2193. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.69.4.2182-2193.2003.
Sarda, D., H. Choonia, D. Sarode, and S. Lele. 2009. “Biocalcification by Bacillus pasteurii urease: A novel application.” J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotech. 36 (8): 1111–1115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-009-0581-4.
Singh, L. P., S. K. Bhattacharyya, S. P. Shah, G. Mishra, and U. Sharma. 2015. “Studies on early stage hydration of tricalcium silicate incorporating silica nanoparticles. Part II.” Constr. Build. Mater. 102 (1): 943–949.
Stabnikov, V., V. Ivanov, and J. Chu. 2015. “Construction biotechnology: A new area of biotechnological research and applications.” World J. Microbiol. Biotech. 31 (9): 1303–1314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-015-1881-7.
Stabnikov, V., M. Naeimi, V. Ivanov, and J. Chu. 2011. “Formation of water-impermeable crust on sand surface using biocement.” Cem. Concr. Res. 41 (11): 1143–1149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2011.06.017.
Stocks, F. S., J. K. Galinat, and S. S. Bang. 1999. “Microbiological precipitation of .” Soil Biol. Biochem. 31 (11): 1563–1571. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(99)00082-6.
Tittelboom, K. V., N. D. Belie, W. D. Muynck, and W. Verstraete. 2010. “Use of bacteria to repair cracks in concrete.” Cem. Concr. Res. 40 (1): 157–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2009.08.025.
Van Paassen, L. A. 2009. “Biogrout, ground improvement by microbial induced carbonate precipitation.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Biotechnology, Delft Univ. of Technology.
Varlikli, C., V. Bekiari, M. Kus, N. Boduroglu, I. Oner, P. Lianos, G. Lyberatos, and S. Icli. 2009. “Adsorption of dyes on Sahara desert sand.” J. Hazard. Mater. 170 (1): 27–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.05.030.
Warren, L. A., P. A. Maurice, N. Parmar, and F. G. Ferris. 2001. “Microbially mediated calcium carbonate precipitation: Implications for solid-phase capture of inorganic contaminants.” Geomicrobiol. J. 18 (1): 93–115. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490450151079833.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 5, 2018
Accepted: Sep 5, 2019
Published online: Mar 25, 2020
Published in print: Jun 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Aug 25, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.