An Investigation on Biological Treatment of Sandy Soil

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Civil Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Due to environmental problems of desert expansion as well as dust storms, looking for more
efficient and comprehensive methods to stabilize dune sands seems to be an essential necessity. Microbialinduced
CaCO3 precipitation (MICP) is an innovative technique that harnesses bacterial activities to modify
the physical and mechanical properties of soils. This method produces calcium carbonate precipitation in
the soil pores by fracturing urea in the presence of calcium ions. An important factor in achieving uniform
calcite deposition (and hence consistent enhancement of geotechnical properties) throughout the treated soil
mass is the protocol adopted to inject the reagents of ureolytic bacteria, urea, and calcium. In this study, an
urease microorganism was prepared in the laboratory and injected into cylindrical dune sand samples. After
required and appropriate curing time, the samples were subjected to unconfined compression and fallinghead
permeability tests. The test results showed a significant strength improvement and the reduction of
permeability of the treated samples in comparison with those of untreated soil. The research results verified the
capability of the biological treatment of dune sand which may be regarded as a potential technique to control
desert expansion and dust storms.

Highlights

[1] H. Reuben, Chemical grouting and soil stabilization, Revised and Expanded, (2003).

[2] F. Kalantary, M. Kahani, Evaluation of the Ability to Control Biological Precipitation to Improve Sandy Soils, Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 15 (2015) 278- 284.

[3] V. Ivanov, J. Chu, Applications of microorganisms to geotechnical engineering for bioclogging and biocementation of soil in situ, Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology, 7(2) (2008) 139-153.

[4] G. Stotzky, Soil as an environment for microbial life, Modern soil microbiology, (1997).

[5] M. Umar, K.A. Kassim, K.T.P. Chiet, Biological process of soil improvement in civil engineering: A review, Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 8(5) (2016) 767-774.

[6] C.R. Woese, O. Kandler, M.L. Wheelis, Towards a natural system of organisms: proposal for the domains Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 87(12) (1990) 4576-4579.

[7] H.L. Ehrlich, Geomicrobiology: its significance for geology, Earth-Science Reviews, 45(1) (1998) 45-60.

[8] A. Palmén, Stabilization of frictional soil through injection using CIPS (Calcite In-situ Precipitation System), in, 2012.

[9] K. Lekshmi, Effect of Microbes on the Permeability of Bentonite, (2010).

[10] S. Stocks-Fischer, J.K. Galinat, S.S. Bang, Microbiological precipitation of CaCO 3, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 31(11) (1999) 1563-1571.

[11] V.S. Whiffin, L.A. van Paassen, M.P. Harkes, Microbial carbonate precipitation as a soil improvement technique, Geomicrobiology Journal, 24(5) (2007) 417-423.

[12] S.B. Seena, Effect of microbes on laterite soil and bentonite, (2008).

[13] Anima, Stabilisation using microbes, Thesis Report, 2007.

[14] M.P. Harkes, L.A. Van Paassen, J.L. Booster, V.S. Whiffin, M.C. van Loosdrecht, Fixation and distribution of bacterial activity in sand to induce carbonate precipitation for ground reinforcement, Ecological Engineering, 36(2) (2010) 112-117.

[15] J.T. DeJong, B.M. Mortensen, B.C. Martinez, D.C. Nelson, Bio-mediated soil improvement, Ecological Engineering, 36(2) (2010) 197-210.

[16] N.W. Soon, L.M. Lee, T.C. Khun, H.S. Ling, Improvements in engineering properties of soils through microbial-induced calcite precipitation, KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 17(4) (2013) 718.

[17] L.M. Lee, W.S. Ng, C.K. Tan, S.L. Hii, Bio-Mediated Soil Improvement under Various Concentrations of Cementation Reagent, in: Applied Mechanics and Materials, Trans Tech Publ, 2012, pp. 326-329.

[18] A. Modaresnia, M. Ghazavi, E. Masoumi, Performance evaluation of microbial carbonate precipitation method compared with resin and fiber stabilization on the strength of compacted sandy soils, in: 7th International Symposium on Advances in Science and Technology, 2013.

[19] B. Montoya, J. DeJong, Stress-strain behavior of sands cemented by microbially induced calcite precipitation, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 141(6) (2015) 04015019.

[20] D. Neupane, H. Yasuhara, N. Kinoshita, H. Putra, Distribution of grout material within 1-m sand column in insitu calcite precipitation technique, Soils and Foundations, 55(6) (2015) 1512-1518.

[21] J.P. Carmona, P.J.V. Oliveira, L.J. Lemos, Biostabilization of a sandy soil using enzymatic calcium carbonate precipitation, Procedia Engineering, 143 (2016) 1301-1308.

[22] A. Sharma, R. Ramkrishnan, Study on effect of Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitates on strength of fine grained soils, Perspectives in Science, 8 (2016) 198-202.

[23] S.A. Kimmel, R.F. Roberts, G.R. Ziegler, Optimization of Exopolysaccharide Production byLactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricusRR Grown in a Semidefined Medium, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 64(2) (1998) 659-664.

[24] R. Shahrokhi-Shahraki, S.M.A. Zomorodian, A. Niazi, B.C. O’Kelly, Improving sand with microbial-induced carbonate precipitation, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Ground Improvement, 168(3) (2015) 217-230.

[25] W. Sidik, H. Canakci, I. Kilic, An investigation of bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation in organic soil for geotechnical applications, Iranian Journal of Science and Technology. Transactions of Civil Engineering, 39(C1) (2015) 201.

[26] M. Nemati, E. Greene, G. Voordouw, Permeability profile modification using bacterially formed calcium carbonate: comparison with enzymic option, Process Biochemistry, 40(2) (2005) 925-933.

[27] W.-S. Ng, M.-L. Lee, S.-L. Hii, An overview of the factors affecting microbial-induced calcite precipitation and its potential application in soil improvement, World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 62 (2012) 723-729.

[28] H. Yasuhara, K. Hayashi, M. Okamura, Evolution in mechanical and hydraulic properties of calcite-cemented sand mediated by biocatalyst, in: Geo-Frontiers 2011: Advances in Geotechnical Engineering, 2011, pp. 3984- 3992.

Keywords

References

[1] H. Reuben, Chemical grouting and soil stabilization, Revised and Expanded, (2003).
[2] F. Kalantary, M. Kahani, Evaluation of the Ability to Control Biological Precipitation to Improve Sandy Soils, Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 15 (2015) 278- 284.
[3] V. Ivanov, J. Chu, Applications of microorganisms to geotechnical engineering for bioclogging and biocementation of soil in situ, Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology, 7(2) (2008) 139-153.
[4] G. Stotzky, Soil as an environment for microbial life, Modern soil microbiology, (1997).
[5] M. Umar, K.A. Kassim, K.T.P. Chiet, Biological process of soil improvement in civil engineering: A review, Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 8(5) (2016) 767-774.
[6] C.R. Woese, O. Kandler, M.L. Wheelis, Towards a natural system of organisms: proposal for the domains Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 87(12) (1990) 4576-4579.
[7] H.L. Ehrlich, Geomicrobiology: its significance for geology, Earth-Science Reviews, 45(1) (1998) 45-60.
[8] A. Palmén, Stabilization of frictional soil through injection using CIPS (Calcite In-situ Precipitation System), in, 2012.
[9] K. Lekshmi, Effect of Microbes on the Permeability of Bentonite, (2010).
[10] S. Stocks-Fischer, J.K. Galinat, S.S. Bang, Microbiological precipitation of CaCO 3, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 31(11) (1999) 1563-1571.
[11] V.S. Whiffin, L.A. van Paassen, M.P. Harkes, Microbial carbonate precipitation as a soil improvement technique, Geomicrobiology Journal, 24(5) (2007) 417-423.
[12] S.B. Seena, Effect of microbes on laterite soil and bentonite, (2008).
[13] Anima, Stabilisation using microbes, Thesis Report, 2007.
[14] M.P. Harkes, L.A. Van Paassen, J.L. Booster, V.S. Whiffin, M.C. van Loosdrecht, Fixation and distribution of bacterial activity in sand to induce carbonate precipitation for ground reinforcement, Ecological Engineering, 36(2) (2010) 112-117.
[15] J.T. DeJong, B.M. Mortensen, B.C. Martinez, D.C. Nelson, Bio-mediated soil improvement, Ecological Engineering, 36(2) (2010) 197-210.
[16] N.W. Soon, L.M. Lee, T.C. Khun, H.S. Ling, Improvements in engineering properties of soils through microbial-induced calcite precipitation, KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 17(4) (2013) 718.
[17] L.M. Lee, W.S. Ng, C.K. Tan, S.L. Hii, Bio-Mediated Soil Improvement under Various Concentrations of Cementation Reagent, in: Applied Mechanics and Materials, Trans Tech Publ, 2012, pp. 326-329.
[18] A. Modaresnia, M. Ghazavi, E. Masoumi, Performance evaluation of microbial carbonate precipitation method compared with resin and fiber stabilization on the strength of compacted sandy soils, in: 7th International Symposium on Advances in Science and Technology, 2013.
[19] B. Montoya, J. DeJong, Stress-strain behavior of sands cemented by microbially induced calcite precipitation, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 141(6) (2015) 04015019.
[20] D. Neupane, H. Yasuhara, N. Kinoshita, H. Putra, Distribution of grout material within 1-m sand column in insitu calcite precipitation technique, Soils and Foundations, 55(6) (2015) 1512-1518.
[21] J.P. Carmona, P.J.V. Oliveira, L.J. Lemos, Biostabilization of a sandy soil using enzymatic calcium carbonate precipitation, Procedia Engineering, 143 (2016) 1301-1308.
[22] A. Sharma, R. Ramkrishnan, Study on effect of Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitates on strength of fine grained soils, Perspectives in Science, 8 (2016) 198-202.
[23] S.A. Kimmel, R.F. Roberts, G.R. Ziegler, Optimization of Exopolysaccharide Production byLactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricusRR Grown in a Semidefined Medium, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 64(2) (1998) 659-664.
[24] R. Shahrokhi-Shahraki, S.M.A. Zomorodian, A. Niazi, B.C. O’Kelly, Improving sand with microbial-induced carbonate precipitation, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Ground Improvement, 168(3) (2015) 217-230.
[25] W. Sidik, H. Canakci, I. Kilic, An investigation of bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation in organic soil for geotechnical applications, Iranian Journal of Science and Technology. Transactions of Civil Engineering, 39(C1) (2015) 201.
[26] M. Nemati, E. Greene, G. Voordouw, Permeability profile modification using bacterially formed calcium carbonate: comparison with enzymic option, Process Biochemistry, 40(2) (2005) 925-933.
[27] W.-S. Ng, M.-L. Lee, S.-L. Hii, An overview of the factors affecting microbial-induced calcite precipitation and its potential application in soil improvement, World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 62 (2012) 723-729.
[28] H. Yasuhara, K. Hayashi, M. Okamura, Evolution in mechanical and hydraulic properties of calcite-cemented sand mediated by biocatalyst, in: Geo-Frontiers 2011: Advances in Geotechnical Engineering, 2011, pp. 3984- 3992.
AUT Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 1, Issue 1
May 2017
Pages 93-100

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