Strength Behavior of Temperature-Dependent MICP-Treated Soil
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 12
Abstract
Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a novel soil-strengthening technique that involves a biogeochemical process. Temperature plays a crucial role in influencing the biological and chemical processes involved in the formation of carbonate precipitates, which in turn affect the mechanical properties of the treated soil. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of temperature on the cementing structure of MICP-treated soils and its subsequent effects on their strength parameters. The results revealed that temperature considerably affected the content, size, and distribution of crystals produced, resulting in variations in the friction angle, cohesion, stiffness, peak strength, residual strength, and dilation of the MICP-treated soil samples. Lower strength enhancement was observed when fewer and smaller carbonate crystals were produced at 4°C and 50°C. In contrast, higher numbers of larger crystal clusters were produced at 20°C and 35°C, which effectively bonded the soil particles. Increasing the number of bacterial injections at 50°C promoted the formation of larger crystals and enhanced strength effectively. This study highlights the temperature effects on calcium carbonate growth in biocemented soils, which is a critical step in determining the field-scale application of this innovative soil stabilization technique.
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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
Y. W. acknowledges the financial support of National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52171262) and Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality (Grant Nos. JCYJ20210324103812033, ZDSYS20200421111201738) for conducting this study.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 12 • December 2023
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Dec 2, 2022
Accepted: Jul 21, 2023
Published online: Sep 28, 2023
Published in print: Dec 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Feb 28, 2024
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Cited by
- Yuze Wang, Charalampos Konstantinou, A Comprehensive Optimization Study of Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation for Soil Strength Enhancement: Impact of Biochemical and Environmental Factors, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 10.1061/JGGEFK.GTENG-12230, 150, 10, (2024).