Evaluation of Factors Affecting Erodibility Improvement for MICP-Treated Beach Sand
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 3
Abstract
Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) was used to treat several sandboxes filled with naturally occurring beach sand collected from Atlantic Beach, Florida. A surface-spray/percolation technique was used to treat these sandboxes where a relatively high-concentration bacteria solution and high-concentration calcium chloride/urea solutions were applied directly to the boxes’ surfaces. Several different treatment combinations were tested whereby bacterial optical density, bacteria/urea/calcium chloride volume relative to pore volume, and bacteria/urea/calcium chloride ratio were manipulated. Treated sandboxes were tested for erodibility using a pocket erodometer. In addition, sandboxes were dissected after erosion testing to examine crust depth. Results showed that higher optical densities, higher bacteria quantities relative to void volume, and higher bacteria quantities relative to urea led to lower erodibility and greater crust depth. When MICP constituent quantities were maximized to give the best erosion/crust-depth results, erodibility improvements began to approach what may be considered adequate erosive resistance. Further investigation is required to better classify this behavior more quantitatively.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank previous researchers who helped their group develop so that they could complete a research project like this: Matthew Davies, Paige Ammons, and Jacob Fuller. Acknowledgements to Josh Sasser and Jon Berube for assisting with sandbox testing. Thanks as well to the Florida DOT, especially David Horhota, for funding the authors’ first MICP-related project. Although results from that project did not pan out as hoped, the work paved the way for this study. Special thanks to the folks at the UNF Environmental Center, especially Dave Lambert and James Taylor for their support of this research; this work was partially funded by a UNF Environmental Center Seed Grant. Lastly, thanks to the US Navy Civil Engineering Corps (CEC) program and the officers overseeing the program, particularly CDR Tetreault and LT Pringle for supporting Ms. Chek during her MS studies at UNF.
References
Achal, V., and X. Pan. 2014. “Influence of calcium sources on microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation by Bacillus sp. CR2.” Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 173 (1): 307–317. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-0842-1.
Anbu, P., C.-H. Kang, Y.-J. Shin, and J.-S. So. 2016. “Formations of calcium carbonate minerals by bacteria and its multiple applications.” SpringerPlus 5 (1): 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-1869-2.
ASTM. 2014. Standard test methods for specific gravity of soil solids by water pycnometer. ASTM D854-14. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Bloomquist, D., D. M. Sheppard, S. Schofield, and R. W. Crowley. 2012. “The rotating erosion testing apparatus (RETA): A laboratory device for measuring erosion rates versus shear stresses of rock and cohesive materials.” Geotech. Test. J. 35 (4): 104221. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ104221.
Briaud, J., M. Bernhardt, and M. Leclair. 2011. “The pocket erodometer test: Development and preliminary results.” Geotech. Test. J. 35 (2): 342–352.
Briaud, J.-L. 2008. “Case histories in soil and rock erosion: Woodrow Wilson Bridge, Brazos River meander, Normandy cliffs, and New Orleans levees.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 134 (10): 1425–1447. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2008)134:10(1425).
Briaud, J.-L., F. Ting, H. C. Checn, Y. Cao, S.-W. Han, and K. Kwak. 2001. “Erosion function apparatus for scour rate predictions.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 127 (2): 105–113. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2001)127:2(105).
Burdalski, R. J., and M. G. Gomez. 2020. “Investigating the effect of microbial activity and chemical concentrations on the mineralogy and morphology of ureolytic bio-cementation.” In Geo-Congress 2020, 83–95. Reston, VA: ASCE Geo-Institute. https://doi.org/doi:10.1061/9780784482834.010.
Castro-Alonso, M. J., L. E. Montañez-Hernandez, M. A. Sanchez-Muñoz, M. R. Macias Franco, R. Narayanasamy, and N. Balagurusamy. 2019. “Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) and its potential in bioconcrete: Microbiological and molecular concepts.” Front. Mater. 6 (126): 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2019.00126.
Chek, A. 2019. “A study on erosion resistance for micorbially induced calcite treated beaches.” M.S. thesis, Taylor Engineering Research Institute, School of Engineering, Univ. of North Florida.
Cheng, L., R. Cord-Ruwisch, and M. A. Shahin. 2013. “Cementation of sand soil by microbially induced calcite precipitation at various degrees of saturation.” Can. Geotech. J. 50 (1): 81–90. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2012-0023.
Choi, S.-G., S.-S. Park, S. Wu, and J. Chu. 2017. “Methods for calcium carbonate content measurement of biocemented soils.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 29 (11): 06017015. https://doi.org/doi:10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002064.
Chou, C. W., E. A. Seagren, A. H. Aydilek, and M. Lai. 2011. “Biocalcification of sand through ureolysis.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 137 (12): 1179–1189. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000532.
Crowley, R., D. Bloomquist, and C. Robeck. 2012a. “Description of erosion rate testing devices and correlations between rock erosion rate and cohesion.” In Proc., 6th Int. Conf. on Scour and Erosion. Paris: Societe Hydrotechnique de France.
Crowley, R., M. Davies, T. N. Ellis, N. Hudyma, P. Ammons, and C. Matemu. 2019. “Microbial induced calcite precipitation of dune sand using a surface spray technique.” In Geo-Congress 2019. Reston, VA: ASCE Geo-Institute.
Crowley, R. W., D. Bloomquist, J. R. Hayne, C. M. Holst, and F. D. Shah. 2012b. “Estimation and measurement of bed material shear stresses in erosion rate testing devices.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 138 (11): 990–994. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000608.
Crowley, R. W., D. B. Bloomquist, F. D. Shah, and C. M. Holst. 2012c. “The sediment erosion rate flume (SERF): A new testing device for measuring soil erosion rate and shear stress.” Geotech. Test. J. 35 (4): 649–659.
De Jong, J. T., et al. 2009. “Upscaling of bio-mediated soil improvement.” In Proc., 17th Int. Conf. on Soil Metchanics and Geotechnial Engineering. Amsterdam, Netherlands: IOS Press. https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-031-5-2300.
DeJong, J. T., et al. 2013. “Biogeochemical processes and geotechnical applications: Progress, opportunities, and challenges.” Géotechnique 63 (4): 287–301. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.SIP13.P.017.
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.
Einstein, H. A., and R. B. Krone. 1962. “Experiments to determine modes of cohesive sediment transport in salt water.” J. Geophys. Res. 67 (4): 1451–1461. https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ067i004p01451.
Ferris, F., L. Stehmeier, A. Kantzas, and F. M. Mourits. 1997. “Bacteriogenic mineral plugging.” J. Can. Pet. Technol. 36 (9): 56–61. https://doi.org/10.2118/97-09-07.
Ghasemi, P., A. Zamani, and B. M. Montoya. 2019. “The effect of chemical concentration of the strength and erodibility of MICP treated sands.” In Geo-Congress 2019, 241–249. Reston, VA: ASCE Geo-Institute.
Gomez, M. G., C. M. R. Graddy, J. T. DeJong, D. C. Nelson, and M. Tsesarsky. 2018. “Stimulation of native microorganisms for biocementation in samples recovered from field-scale treatment depths.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 144 (1): 04017098. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001804.
Hanson, G. J. 1990. “Surface erodibility of earthen channels at high stresses part II-developing and in situ testing device.” Trans. ASAE 33 (1): 132–137. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.31306.
Hanson, G. J., and K. R. Cook. 1997. “Development of excess shear stress parameters for circular jet testing.” In Proc., ASAE Annual Int. Meeting. St. Joseph, MI: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
Hanson, G. J., and A. Simon. 2001. “Erodibility of cohesive streambeds in the loess area of the Midwestern USA.” Hydrol. Process. 15 (1): 23–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.149.
Hudyma, N., M. Landon, R. Sharma, C. Akan, C. J. Brown, R. Crowley, W. R. Dally, and X. Song. 2017. “Geotechnical damage in central and northeastern Florida from Hurricane Irma.” In Geotechnical extreme events reconnaissance, turning disaster into knowledge. Washington, DC: National Science Foundation.
Martin, D., K. Dodds, B. T. Ngwenya, I. B. Butler, and S. C. Elphick. 2012. “Inhibition of Sporosarcina paasteurii under anoxic conditions: Implications for subsurface carbonate precipitation and remediation via ureolysis.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 46 (15): 8351–8355. https://doi.org/10.1021/es3015875.
Martinez, B. C., and J. T. DeJong. 2013. “Bio-mediated soil improvement: Load transfer mechanisms at the micro- and macro-scales.” In Proc., US-China Workshop on Ground Improvement Technologies, 10. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Mehta, A. J. 1991. “Review notes on cohesive sediment erosion.” In Proc., Coastal Sediments, 40–43. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Montoya, B. M., J. Do, and M. M. Gabr. 2018. “Erodibility of microbial induced carbonate precipitation-stabilized sand under submerged impinging jet.” In Proc., IFCEE 2018, 19–28. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Mortensen, B. M., M. J. Haber, J. T. DeJong, L. F. Caslake, and D. C. Nelson. 2011. “Effects of environmental factors on microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation.” J. Appl. Microbiol. 111 (2): 338–349. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2011.05065.x.
Mujah, D., M. A. Shahin, and L. Cheng. 2017. “State-of-the-art review of biocementation by microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) for soil stabilization.” Geomicrobiol. J. 34 (6): 524–537. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2016.1225866.
Salifu, E., E. MacLachlan, K. R. Iyer, C. W. Knapp, and A. Tarantino. 2016. “Application of microbially induced calcite precipitation in erosion mitigation and stabilisation of sandy soil for foreshore slopes: A preliminary investigation.” Eng. Geol. 201 (Feb): 96–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.12.027.
Shanahan, C., and B. M. Montoya. 2016. “Erosion reduction of coastal sands using microbial induced calcite precipitation.” In Geo-Chicago 2016, 42–51. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Tang, C.-S., L.-Y. Yin, N.-J. Jiang, C. Zhu, H. Zeng, H. Li, and B. Shi. 2020. “Factors affecting the performance of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) treated soil: A review.” Environ. Earth Sci. 79 (5): 94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8840-9.
van Paassen, L. A. 2011. “Bio-mediated ground improvement: From laboratory experiment to pilot applications.” In Geo-Frontiers 2011 Technical Papers, 4099–4108. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Weil, M. H., J. T. DeJong, B. C. Martinez, and B. M. Mortensen. 2012. “Seismic and resistivity measurements for real-time monitoring of microbially induced calcite precipitation in sand.” Geotech. Test. J. 35 (2): 330–341.
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 Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 3 • March 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 13, 2019
Accepted: Oct 30, 2020
Published online: Jan 4, 2021
Published in print: Mar 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jun 4, 2021
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.