Rock-like behavior of biocemented sand treated under non-sterile environment and various treatment conditions

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a recently developed technique for microbiological ground improvement that has been applied for mitigating various geotechnical challenges. However, the major challenges, such as calcite precipitation uniformity, presence of different bacteria, cementation solution optimization for cost reduction, and implementation under non-sterile and uncontrolled field environment are still not fully explored and require detailed investigation before field application. This study aims to address these challenges of MICP to improve the geotechnical properties of sandy soils. Several series of experiments were conducted using poorly graded Narmada River (India) sand, which were subjected to various biotreatment schemes and tested for unconfined compressive strength (UCS), split tensile strength (STS), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), hydraulic conductivity (after 6 d, 12 d, and 18 d of treatment), and calcite content. The microstructure of sand was examined through a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Initially, the sand was individually augmented with two non-pathogenic bacterial strains, i.e. Sporosarcina (S.) pasteurii and Bacillus (B.) sphaericus. The stopped-flow injection method was adopted to provide cementation solutions at three different durations (treatment cycle) of 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h and three different pore volumes (PVs) of 1, 0.75, and 0.5. The pore volume here refers to the porosity which is expressed as a ratio, i.e. a porosity of 50% was used as 0.5. The results showed rock-like behaviors of biocemented sand with the UCS, STS, and UPV enhancement up to 2333 kPa, 437 kPa, and 2670 m/s, respectively. The hydraulic conductivity reduction of 96.6% was achieved by 12% of calcite formation after 18 d of treatment using Sporosarcina pasteurii, 12-h treatment cycle, and one pore volume of cementation media in each cycle. Overall, a 24-h treatment cycle and 0.5-pore volume cementation solution were found to be the optimal treatment which was effective and economical to achieve heavily cemented, rock-type biocemented sand using both bacteria.     

Strength-increase mechanism and microstructural characteristics of a biotreated geomaterial

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a recently proposed method that is environmentally friendly and has considerable potential applications in artificial biotreated geomaterials. New artificial biotreated geomaterials are produced based on the MICP technology for different parent soils. The purpose of this study is to explore the strength-increase mechanism and microstructural characteristics of the biotreated geomaterial through a series of experiments. The results show that longer mineralization time results in higher-strength biotreated geomaterial. The strength growth rate rapidly increases in the beginning and remains stable afterwards. The calcium ion content significantly increases with the extended mineralization time. When standard sand was used as a parent soil, the calcium ion content increased to a factor of 39 after 7 days. The bacterial cells with attached calcium ions serve as the nucleus of crystallization and fill the pore space. When fine sand was used as a parent soil, the calcium ion content increased to only a factor of 7 after 7 days of mineralization. The nucleus of crystallization could not normally grow because of the limited pore space. The porosity and variation in porosity are clearly affected by the parent soil. Therefore, the strength of the biotreated geomaterial is affected by the parent soil properties, mineralization time, and granular material pore space. This paper provides a basis for theory and experiments for biotreated geomaterials in future engineering practice.     

Mid-scale biocemented soil columns via enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP)

Biocemented soil columns were created at a reduced scale (mid-scale) using enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) as a prelude to field scale deployment. Approximately 0.3 m diameter × 0.75 m long columns were created using a tube-à-manchette grouting technique in 0.6 m × 0.6 m × 1.2 m boxes filled with a dry washed quarry sand. Treatment solution composition and treatment protocol, including number of cycles of treatment and time interval between cycles, were established based upon laboratory testing. The urease enzyme used in the treatment solution was extracted from jack beans in a just-in-time manner on site. The biocemented soil columns were characterized in situ using shear wave velocity, needle penetrometer and pocket penetrometer testing, dimensional measurements, and by unconfined compression strength (UCS) and carbonate content measurements on specimens recovered from the columns. The in situ measurements indicated the target UCS of 500 kPa was achieved. However, the UCS tests on recovered specimens had inconsistent results, which may be attributed to sample disturbance. Overall, the results demonstrate that EICP is a viable method for creating biocemented soil columns for ground improvement.     

沙漠地区铁路路基沙害及其防治措施

分析了沙漠地区铁路路基的沙害,包括风蚀和沙埋两种,通过具体工程实例,提出了铁路路基沙害的防治措施,指出铁路路基风沙的防护主要是路基本体和路基两侧防沙体系两个方面,风沙地区的沙害防治措施大体可归为防风和固沙两类。     

珊瑚砂微生物固化体单轴损伤本构模型

利用MICP技术固化南海某岛礁吹填珊瑚砂,对固化体试样进行了单轴抗压强度试验,基于损伤力学理论建立了单轴压缩条件下的固化体损伤本构模型。结果表明:利用MICP技术得到的珊瑚砂微生物固化体无侧限抗压强度均大于5 MPa,固化体单轴受压应力-应变曲线可大致分为压密阶段、弹性阶段、塑性阶段与破坏软化阶段。基于连续介质损伤力学理论,假定固化体微元强度服从双参数的Weibull分布,考虑应力-应变曲线特征进行参数简化后建立了单轴压缩条件下的损伤本构模型;模型采用经验拟合方程与损伤本构方程结合的分段函数形式,用试验资料初步验证了模型的合理性。     

微生物处理砂土不排水循环三轴剪切CFD-DEM模拟

微生物诱导碳酸钙沉积是一种新型的地基处理技术,处理后的土体可以看成一种结构性土。首先,在已有三维含颗粒抗转动和抗扭转模型及三维胶结破坏准则的基础上,通过考虑颗粒碰撞接触过程中颗粒本身的塑性变形及率相关性的接触黏滞阻尼,建立考虑循环荷载作用下的三维胶结模型;然后,参考已有研究,建立了反硝化反应在加固砂土中的时效性关系。并引入CFD-DEM耦合程序,用以模拟分析不同胶结含量以及不同气泡含量下,微生物处理砂土在固结不排水循环剪切试验中的力学特性;最后,从宏微观角度分析生物胶结与生物气泡对砂土抗液化性能的影响及其作用机理。研究表明,胶结和气泡共同存在对抗液化能力的提升并没有起到“1+1=2”的效果;胶结的存在提高了非饱和砂土的抗液化能力,明显抑制孔压比和轴向应变的发展,力学配位数得到了提升;而气泡的存在却降低了胶结砂土的抗液化能力,使得胶结砂土达到初始液化的振次减少,轴向应变向受拉方向大幅增长,力学配位数下降明显。     

Experimental investigation of the aerodynamic stability of the “Endless Column”, Romania

Wind tunnel tests have been performed on several models of the “Endless Column”, a 30 m tall sculpture, created by C. Brancusi in 1938. In spite of its slenderness, the Column, located in Targul Jiu, Romania, has shown a great stability against wind. In order to clarify if the symmetric, original shape has influence upon its stability, we have carried out tests on section models of “Endless Column” shape (EC models) and square shape (SQ models), of various Sc numbers. Across-wind response was determined in smooth flow for wind speeds in wind tunnel of 1–10 m/s (Re=4000–46,000) for angles of attack 0°, 10° and 45°. Furthermore, an aerolastic full model was created and tests under smooth and turbulent flow conditions were performed for angles of attack between 0° and 45°. For low wind speeds, in the area of vortex-induced vibrations, the EC models had similar response with the SQ models; however, for higher wind speeds the EC models proved to be more stable. Based on measurements of aerodynamic drag and lift coefficients and by a verification of Glauert den Hartog criterion, it could be concluded that is a very low possibility for EC model to encounter galloping; for extremely high wind speeds though, this might not be impossible.     

珊瑚砂微生物固化体三轴压缩声发射试验研究

对不同干密度增量的珊瑚砂微生物固化体进行了三轴压缩声发射试验,研究不同围压条件下固化体的应力应变曲线特征及对应的声发射信号特征。试验结果表明,珊瑚砂微生物固化体的三轴压缩声发射曲线可分为三个阶段,在应力应变曲线的近似线弹性阶段声发射活动不频繁,屈服阶段声发射活动频度增大,延性流动阶段声发射活动频度降低,但仍有少量声发射振铃计数与能量高峰出现;累计振铃计数曲线呈直线型,反映了声发射活动在变形全过程均维持了一定的频度,说明内部的胶结断裂与颗粒破碎持续发生,颗粒发生错动并重新排列,导致固化体表现出延性流动特性。通过声发射试验,可以更好地理解珊瑚砂微生物固化体的宏观变形与破坏过程,为建立珊瑚砂微生物固化体损伤本构模型奠定基础。     

Centrifuge modeling of scale effect on hydraulic gradient of backward erosion piping in uniform aquifer under river levees

The hydraulic gradient that causes backward erosion piping under a river levee is influenced by the scale of the levee, which is a major concern in the physical modeling. In this study, the results of 1 g and centrifuge tests performed on backward erosion piping were analyzed to facilitate a better understanding of the scale effect mechanism. The three-dimensional profile of the pipe and the flow rate of water in the pipe were observed using a transparent model levee. Although the flow in the pipe was determined to be laminar in most tests, it was found to be transient and turbulent in the coarse sand model at high g levels. The hydraulic gradient in the pipe was significantly high in the turbulent flow. Additionally, the scale effect was investigated based on the hydraulic conditions that cause sand transportation in an ideal pipe. The critical Shields number (θ_c), estimated for the model pipes, was consistent with that observed in the Shields diagram. The effects of centrifugal acceleration on the hydraulic gradient of the extending pipes can be explained by the change in θ_c with the particle Reynolds number and the hydraulic gradient in the pipe.     

Investigation of the physico-chemical and microscopic properties of Ottoman mortars from Erzurum (Turkey)

Ottoman mortar is the long-established binding material used for centuries and there are many historical buildings as evidence of its use by Ottomans in Erzurum (Eastern Turkey). The physico-chemical and microscopic properties of the Ottoman mortars in Erzurum have been studied in detail as part of an investigation of the mineral raw materials present in the territory of Turkey. For this purpose, SEM, XRD and EDS analyses of six main types of mortars were carried out showing the presence of organic fibers and calcite, quartz and muscovite minerals. The chemical analyses of the specimens showed that higher SiO₂ + Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃ contents yielded in higher values of hydraulicity and cementation indices. A significant result of this investigation was that mortars with higher hydraulicity and cementation indices had higher compressive strengths. Most probably this is the main reason why historical Ottoman buildings were resistant against serious earthquakes.     

The macrometeorological spectrum—a preliminary study

The whole of the modern treatment of wind engineering depends on the 1957 work by Van der Hoven in which he identified the macrometeorological spectrum, the micrometeorological spectrum and the spectral gap between them centred, roughly, on a frequency of 1 cycle/h. Since then, very little work seems to have been done on the macrometeorological spectrum. This paper reports the analysis of a long (up to 30 years) record of hourly mean wind speeds recorded at 17 m above ground on an open site at Boscombe Down, Wilts, UK. The broadband macrometeorological spectrum was very similar to that reported by Van der Hoven. Additionally, periodic deterministic components were identified corresponding to an annual cycle, a diurnal cycle and harmonics up to the sixth of the diurnal cycle. A model for the diurnal cycle is suggested which would produce these harmonic effects. This model implies that the diurnal cycle is intermittent and may be associated with the anti-cyclonic portion of the wind climate. The implications of the results on the derivation of design wind speeds are briefly discussed.     

基于风洞试验的风沙两相流耦合流场特性

风沙两相流结构的理论与研究方法已趋于成熟,主要集中在风沙物理运动本身和防风固沙工程方面,然而,将风沙运动现象及其对建筑结构物的作用效应相结合的研究还比较鲜见,继续开展风沙地区工程结构的抗风沙研究具有重要的现实与工程意义。通过风沙风洞试验,模拟了实际沙漠地貌下的风场特征,重点通过风洞顶部落沙研究了类似沙尘暴环境下的沙浓度、风沙流速度廓线以及湍流强度随高度的变化情况。通过控制相同风速、变化不同输沙率进行落沙,以此形成多种不同类型的风沙两相流耦合流场,并与净风工况相比较。试验结果表明:沙浓度梯度分布与落沙孔数量、控制风速以及高度均相关;风沙流场中沙颗粒的运动对风速剖面有一定的削弱作用,对湍流强度却有增强作用;风场中沙质量浓度沿高度方向的分布特征直接影响了各高度处风速和湍流强度的大小,沙浓度越大的高度处对风速的削弱程度越显著,且对湍流强度的增强程度越大。     

微生物矿化碳酸钙改良土体的进展、展望与工程应用技术设计

利用微生物矿化碳酸钙（Microbial Induced Calcium carbonate Precipitation,简称MICP）沉积出具有胶结功能的碳酸钙,填充土内孔隙、胶结土颗粒,能够提高土体强度、降低渗透性,具有很好的土体改良作用,在微生物注浆、加固土坝、防风固砂、库底防渗、坝体防渗、污染土壤（地下水）修复等方面具有工程应用前景。对MICP土体改良研究进行了总结、分析和展望：利用MICP技术能够将砂土的无侧限抗压强度提高到20MPa以上,渗透系数降低到处理前的1%,剪切波速提高4倍,能够胜任岩土工程任务;认为下一步应重点对处理效果的均匀性、适用的地基土范围、处理土的全面性能开展系统研究,如耐久性、动力性能和防腐性能等。MICP技术已经在砂砾体稳定、地下室堵漏中得到了少量应用,工程应用施工技术是MICP应用的瓶颈。对MICP在岩土工程领域应用的施工技术进行了设计,包括地基加固、液化地基改良、污染土壤（地下水）修复、坝体防渗堵漏和加固砂桩,以推动MICP技术的实际工程应用为盼。     

A multi-beach study of Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, and enterococci in seawater and beach sand

Incidences of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) have risen worldwide prompting a need to better understand routes of human exposure and whether standard bacterial water quality monitoring practices adequately account for this potential threat. Beach water and sand samples were analyzed during summer months for S. aureus, enterococci, and MRSA at three southern California beaches (Avalon, Doheny, Malibu Surfrider). S. aureus frequently was detected in samples of seawater (59%, n = 328) and beach sand (53%, n = 358). MRSA sometimes was detected in seawater (1.6%, n = 366) and sand (2.7%, n = 366) at relatively low concentrations. Site specific differences were observed, with Avalon Beach presenting the highest concentrations of S. aureus and Malibu Surfrider the lowest in both seawater and sand. S. aureus concentrations in seawater and sand were correlated to each other and to a variety of other parameters. Multiple linear regression on the combined beach data indicated that significant explanatory variables for S. aureus in seawater were S. aureus in sand, water temperature, enterococci in seawater, and the number of swimmers. In sand, S. aureus concentrations were related to S. aureus in seawater, water temperature, enterococci in seawater, and inversely to surf height classification. Only the correlation to water temperature held for individually analyzed beaches and for S. aureus concentrations in both seawater and sand. To provide context for these results, the prevalence of S. aureus in sand was compared to published fomite studies, and results suggested that beach prevalence was similar to that in homes.     

Distribution of aerobic motile and non-motile bacteria within the capillary fringe of silica sand

Retention of bacterial cells as “particles” by silica sand during formation of a capillary fringe (CF) and the influence of motility was examined with motile Pseudomonas putida and non-motile Corynebacterium glutamicum suspensions in the absence of nutrients. The fractional retention of C. glutamicum cells at all regions of the CF was higher than for P. putida cells, most probably due to the motility of P. putida. Only about 5% of P. putida cells and almost no C. glutamicum cells reached the upper end of a CF of 10 cm height.With cell suspensions of P. putida and C. glutamicum in nutrient broth the development of a CF in silica sand fractions of 355-710 μm and 710-1000 μm respectively, was finished after about 6 h. Growth of cells proceeded for about 6 days. P. putida formed a biofilm on silica grains, whereas no attachment of C. glutamicum on silica sand occurred. Relative cell densities of C. glutamicum on the bottom and in the upper regions of the CF were always lower than those of P. putida and were also lower than those reached in suspended cultures with the same medium. In coarse sand the motile P. putida cells reached significantly higher cell densities in upper CF regions than in fine sand. Growth of C. glutamicum in the CF apparently was slower and a higher proportion of the energy was required for maintenance. Whereas cell densities of P. putida, in CFs of both sand fractions, varied less than one order of magnitude, those of C. glutamicum varied in a wider range from the basis to the top of the CF.Analyses of the esterase activity of P. putida and C. glutamicum with fluorescein diacetate (FDA) revealed that the cells in higher CF regions were significantly more active than those at the bottom of the CF. Furthermore, a significant correlation (r = 0.66, p < 0.01) between cells ml⁻¹ and the FDA conversion to fluorescein was found.     

基于ArcGIS的艾比湖周边灌丛沙堆三维形态特征的提取与分析

艾比湖周边广泛分布着湖滨沙地化生物与风力作用下形成的灌丛沙堆。灌丛沙堆的退化演替过程通常是自然因素和人为活动对生态系统的压力综合作用的结果,是反映生态变化和气候演变的重要标志之一,因此,灌丛沙堆的产生和衰亡与土地荒漠化正逆过程关系密切。研究灌丛沙滩的空间分布格局现状,对荒漠化防治以及区域生态保护具有重要作用。本文尝试以...     

多浓度营养盐处理对微生物胶结砂土均匀性与强度的影响

采用二次注入菌液方式,制备不同浓度营养盐处理的MICP(微生物诱导碳酸钙沉淀)胶结砂样。选用巴氏芽孢杆菌作为固化细菌,采用单一浓度(0.5、1.0mol/L)和多浓度相结合(前期采用0.5mol/L,后期采用1.0mol/L)的处理方式注射营养盐(尿素/氯化钙混合液),研究多浓度营养盐结合处理方式对微生物固化砂土强度及均匀性的影响。基于试验测试分析了固化砂土试样不同区间段的强度、弹性模量以及碳酸钙含量。试验结果表明,多浓度营养盐处理方式对固化砂土试样的强度及碳酸钙含量有明显影响;多浓度营养盐结合处理方式能够保证试样有较好的均匀性条件下获得较高强度及弹性模量。基于多浓度营养盐处理方式,探讨分析了影响试样强度和均匀性的基本因素。     

Experiments of evacuation speed in smoke-filled tunnel

Among tunnel fire safety strategies, evacuation speed in smoke, which is the basic evacuation performance characteristic, is one of the most important factors when assessing safety. An evacuation experiment in a full-scale tunnel filled with smoke has been done in order to clarify the relation between extinction coefficient up to Cs = 1.0 m⁻¹, which includes Cs = 0.4 m⁻¹ as a Japanese road tunnel fire prevention standard, and evacuation speed. The maximum, minimum and mean values of normal walking speeds are almost constant regardless of the extinction coefficient. As for the emergency evacuation speeds, the maximum speed is largely influenced by extinction coefficient, decreasing rapidly from 3.55 m/s at Cs = 0.30 m⁻¹ to 2.53 m/s at Cs = 0.75 m⁻¹ while the minimum and mean speeds are almost constant with a slight decrease as Cs increases. The maximum evacuation speed trends in the present experiments and those in Frantzich and Nillson (2003, 2004) and Fridolf et al. (2013), lie on the same decreasing logarithmic curve as a function of extinction coefficient.     

As oxidation by Thiomonas arsenivorans in up-flow fixed-bed reactors coupled to As sequestration onto zero-valent iron-coated sand

The combined processes of biological As^III oxidation and removal of As^III and As^V by zero-valent iron were investigated with synthetic water containing high As^III concentration (10 mg L⁻¹). Two up-flow fixed-bed reactors (R1 and R2) were filled with 2 L of sieved sand (d = 3 ± 1 mm) while zero-valent iron powder (d = 76 μm; 1% (w/w) of sand) was mixed evenly with sand in R2. Thiomonas arsenivorans was inoculated in the two reactors. The pilot unit was studied for 33 days, with HRT of 4 and 1 h. The maximal As^III oxidation rate was 8.36 mg h⁻¹ L⁻¹ in R1 and about 45% of total As was removed in R2 for an HRT of 1 h. A first order model fitted well with the As^III concentration evolution at the different levels in R1. At the end of the pilot monitoring, batch tests were conducted with support collected at different levels in R1. They showed that bacterial As^III oxidation rate was correlated with the axial length of reactor, which could be explained by biomass distribution in reactor or by bacterial activity. In opposition, As^III oxidation rate was not stable in R2 due to the simultaneous bacterial As^III oxidation and chemical removal by zero-valent iron and its oxidant products. However, a durable removal of total As was realized and zero-valent iron was not saturated by As over 33 days in R2. Furthermore, the influence of zero-valent iron and its oxidant corrosion products on the evolution of As^III-oxidizing bacteria diversity was highlighted by the molecular fingerprinting method of PCR-DGGE using aoxB gene as a functional marker of aerobic As^III oxidizers.     

Dependence of urban air pollutants on meteorology

Dependence of air pollutants on meteorology is presented with the aim of understanding the governing processes pollutants phase interaction. Intensive measurements of particulate matter (PM10) and gaseous materials (e.g., CO, NO2, SO2, and O3) are carried out regularly in 2002 at 14 measurement sites distributed over the whole territory of Great Cairo by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency to assess the characteristics of air pollutants. The discussions in this work are based upon measurements performed at Abbassiya site as a case study. The nature of the contributing sources has been investigated and some attempts have been made to indicate the role played by neighboring regions in determining the air quality at the site mentioned. The results hint that, wind direction was found to have an influence not only on pollutant concentrations but also on the correlation between pollutants. As expected, the pollutants associated with traffic were at highest ambient concentration levels when wind speed was low. At higher wind speeds, dust and sand from the surrounding desert was entrained by the wind, thus contributing to ambient particulate matter levels. We also found that, the highest average concentration for NO2 and O3 occurred at humidity相似文献