Properties of Jointed Rock Mass under Triaxial Compression Based on Microbial-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 3
Abstract
Rock mass is a structural system composed of intact rock and joints. The properties and strength of rock mass determine the macroscopic mechanical properties of rock mass. Enhancing the self-stability of rock mass by improving the integrity of jointed rock mass and the joint strength is a popular research topic in the geotechnical field. As a new reinforcement method for joints, the microbial healing technique has attracted much attention. This study investigated a healing technique for jointed sandstone based on microbial-induced calcium carbonate mineralization, and triaxial compression tests were conducted on the jointed rock mass after healing. Bacillus cohnii (lyophilized powder) was activated in the laboratory, and calcified precipitation was induced in sandstone joints to realize healing and reinforcement of joints. Observations by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that the mineralization products in the joints were microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) and that the sandstone joints were fully cemented. Finally, triaxial compression tests were conducted on jointed rock specimens after healing to investigate their mechanical properties. The experimental results showed that the deviatoric stress of the specimens after MICP repair increased by 50% compared with that before repair. When the dip angle of the joint surface was 15°–45°, the shear failure along the structural plane was the main failure before repair; after MICP repair, the main failure was shear failure of the rock block. The strength of the rock specimen with microbial-induced calcite precipitation was analyzed theoretically using the Jaeger criterion. It was shown that the microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation technique not only can enhance the integrity of rock joints, but also can improve the strength of jointed rock mass remarkably. This study provides new ideas for reinforcement of jointed rock mass.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This work is supported by Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Grant No. Z020017; and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (N2101041).
References
Adolphe, J. P., J. F. Loubière, J. Paradas, and F. Soleilhavoup. 1990. Procédé de traitement biologique d’une surface artificielle. European Patent No. 90400G97.0. Munich, Germany: European Patent Office.
Burbank, M., T. Weaver, R. Lewis, T. Williams, B. Williams, and R. Crawford. 2013. “Geotechnical tests of sands following bioinduced calcite precipitation catalyzed by indigenous bacteria.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 139 (6): 928–936. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000781.
Cheng, L., C. X. Qian, R. X. Wang, and J. Y. Wang. 2007. “Study on the mechanism of calcium carbonate formation induced by carbonate-mineralization microbe.” [In Chinese.] Acta Chim. Sinica 65 (19): 2133–2138.
Chu, J., V. Ivanov, M. Naeimi, V. Stabnikov, and H.-L. Liu. 2014. “Optimization of calcium-based bioclogging and biocementation of sand.” Acta Geotech. 9 (2): 277–285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-013-0278-8.
Dick, J., W. D. Windt, B. D. Graef, H. Saveyn, P. V. D. Meeren, 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.
Ferris, F. G., L. G. Stehmeier, A. Kantzas, and F. M. Mouritis. 1992. “Bacteriogenic mineral plugging.” In Proc., Petroleum Conf. of the South Saskatchewan Section. Richardson, TX: OnePetro. https://doi.org/10.2118/SS-92-11.
Gollapudi, U. K., C. L. Knutson, S. S. Bang, and M. R. Islam. 1995. “A new method for controlling leaching through permeable channels.” Chemosphere 30 (4): 695–705. https://doi.org/10.1016/0045-6535(94)00435-W.
Gorospe, C. M., S.-H. Han, S.-G. Kim, J.-Y. Park, C.-H. Kang, J.-H. Jeong, and J.-S. So. 2013. “Effects of different calcium salts on calcium carbonate crystal formation by Sporosarcina pasteurii KCTC 3558.” Biotechnol. Bioprocess Eng. 18 (5): 903–908. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12257-013-0030-0.
Jin, C., D. Liu, A. Shao, X. Zhao, L. Yang, F. Fan, K. Yu, R. Lin, J. Huang, and C. Ding. 2018. “Study on healing technique for weak interlayer and related mechanical properties based on microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation.” PLoS One 13 (9): e0203834. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203834.
Jin, C., Y. Lu, T. Han, T. Chen, J. Cui, and D. Cheng. 2021. “Study on refined back analysis method for stress field based on in situ and disturbed stresses.” Int. J. Geomech. 21 (8): 04021141. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0002024.
Jonkers, H. M., and E. Schlangen. 2007. “Crack repair by concrete-immobilized bacteria.” In Proc., 1st Int. Conf. on Self Healing Materials, 18–20. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Springer.
Jonkers, H. M., and E. Schlangen. 2008. “Development of a bacteria-based self healing concrete.” In Proc., Int. FIB Symp., 425–430. London: Tayor & Francis.
Liu, D., A. Shao, C. Jin, and L. Yang. 2018. “Healing technique for rock cracks based on microbiologically induced calcium carbonate mineralization.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 30 (11): 04018286. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002497.
Liu, D., A. Shao, H. Li, C. Jin, and Y. Li. 2020. “A study on the enhancement of the mechanical properties of weak structural planes based on microbiologically induced calcium carbonate precipitation.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ. 79 (8): 4349–4362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-020-01818-7.
Qian, C., J. Wang, R. Wang, and L. Cheng. 2009. “Corrosion protection of cement-based building materials by surface deposition of by Bacillus pasteurii.” Mater. Sci. Eng., C 29 (4): 1273–1280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2008.10.025.
Rodriguez-Navarro, C., M. Rodriguez-Gallego, K. Ben Chekroun, and M. T. Gonzalez-Munoz. 2003. “Conservation of ornamental stone by Myxococcus xanthus-induced carbonate biomineralization.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69 (4): 2182–2193. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.69.4.2182-2193.2003.
van Paassen, L. A., R. Ghose, T. J. van der Linden, W. R. van der Star, and M. C. van Loosdrecht. 2010. “Quantifying biomediated ground improvement by ureolysis: A large scale biogrout experiment.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136 (12): 1721–1728. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000382.
Whiffin, V. S. 2004. Microbial CaCO3 precipitation for the production of biocement. Perth, WA, Australia: Murdoch Univ.
Whiffin, V. S., L. A. van Paassen, and M. P. Harkes. 2007. “Microbial carbonate precipitation as a soil improvement technique.” Geomicrobiol. J. 24 (5): 417–423. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490450701436505.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 3 • March 2022
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 22, 2020
Accepted: Jun 18, 2021
Published online: Dec 16, 2021
Published in print: Mar 1, 2022
Discussion open until: May 16, 2022
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.
Cited by
- Jie Yuan, Yuanyuan Li, Yi Shan, Huawei Tong, Jitong Zhao, Effect of Magnesium Ions on the Mechanical Properties of Soil Reinforced by Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 10.1061/JMCEE7.MTENG-15080, 35, 11, (2023).