Experimental study on mitigating wind erosion of calcareous desert sand using spray method for microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation

Wind erosion is one of the significant natural calamities worldwide, which degrades around one-third of global land. The eroded and suspended soil particles in the environment may cause health hazards, i.e. allergies and respiratory diseases, due to the presence of harmful contaminants, bacteria, and pollens. The present study evaluates the feasibility of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique to mitigate wind-induced erosion of calcareous desert sand (Thar desert of Rajasthan province in India). The temperature during biotreatment was kept at 36 °C to stimulate the average temperature of the Thar desert. The spray method was used for bioaugmentation of Sporosarcina (S.) pasteurii and further treatment using chemical solutions. The chemical solution of 0.25 pore volume was sprayed continuously up to 5 d, 10 d, 15 d, and 20 d, using two different concentration ratios of urea and calcium chloride dihydrate viz 2:1 and 1:1. The biotreated samples were subjected to erosion testing (in the wind tunnel) at different wind speeds of 10 m/s, 20 m/s, and 30 m/s. The unconfined compressive strength of the biocemented crust was measured using a pocket penetrometer. The variation in calcite precipitation and microstructure (including the presence of crystalline minerals) of untreated as well as biotreated sand samples were determined through calcimeter, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX). The results demonstrated that the erosion of untreated sand increases with an increase in wind speeds. When compared to untreated sand, a lower erosion was observed in all biocemented sand samples, irrespective of treatment condition and wind speed. It was observed that the sample treated with 1:1 cementation solution for up to 5 d, was found to effectively resist erosion at a wind speed of 10 m/s. Moreover, a significant erosion resistance was ascertained in 15 d and 20 d treated samples at higher wind speeds. The calcite content percentage, thickness of crust, bulk density, and surface strength of biocemented sand were enhanced with the increase in treatment duration. The 1:1 concentration ratio of cementation solution was found effective in improving crust thickness and surface strength as compared to 2:1 concentration ratio of cementation solution. The calcite crystals formation was observed in SEM analysis and calcium peaks were observed in EDX analysis for biotreated sand.     

Assessment of the bio-cementation effect on shale soil using ultrasound measurement

The assessment of bio-cementation effect using nondestructive testing methods is important for the application of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique. In this study, a special grouting system was designed to conduct the bio-grouting of shale soils on a testing model. The ultrasound technique was used to evaluate the effectiveness of bio-cementation. A method was derived to estimate the distribution of ultrasonic wave velocity values within the testing model based on the average values measured on the model surfaces. From the changes of isosurfaces of velocity values, the evolution of soil improvement within the model corresponding to the different number of grouting cycles was analyzed numerically and visually. The SEM imaging technique was used to illustrate the mechanism of influence of the calcium carbonate precipitation on the wave velocity of the bio-cemented specimen. The linear relationships were established among the ultrasonic wave velocity, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and the amount of CaCO₃ precipitations formed in the MICP process. In combination with the application of the ultrasound measurement technique as demonstrated in this work, the relationship provides a very useful nondestructive testing tool to assess the effectiveness of bio-cementation within a large soil body.     

纤维加筋微生物固化砂土的力学特性

微生物固化能有效提高砂土的强度,但同样会导致土体破坏时呈现明显的脆性。为了平衡微生物固化砂土脆性破坏的不利影响,提出纤维加筋与微生物固化相结合的改性方法,即将质量分数为0%,0.05%,0.15%,0.25%和0.30%的聚丙烯纤维与石英砂均匀混合,然后基于微生物诱导碳酸钙沉积(MICP)技术对土样进行固化,并开展了一系列无侧限抗压试验,同时采用酸洗法测定了各组试样中的碳酸钙含量,进一步分析了试样的微观结构及纤维–土颗粒之间的界面作用特征。结果表明:①在微生物固化砂土中掺入纤维,能极大提高土样的无侧限抗压强度和残余强度,并能显著改善土样破坏时的韧性;②纤维掺量对微生物固化砂土的力学特性有重要影响,无侧限抗压强度随纤维掺量总体上呈先增加后减小的趋势,最优纤维掺量为0.15%,峰后残余强度与纤维掺量呈单调正相关关系;③纤维加筋使微生物固化砂土的峰后应力–应变曲线呈阶梯式下降模式,局部存在波浪式起伏特征;④纤维加筋能够提高微生物诱导碳酸钙的沉积效率和产量,与此同时,碳酸钙的胶结作用对纤维加筋效果具有促进作用。纤维加筋技术与MICP技术相结合能够实现优势互补,对提高工程结构的安全性与稳定性具有积极意义。     

微生物诱导碳酸钙沉积加固有机质黏土的试验研究

利用尿素水解菌ATCC 11859,开展了不同胶结液浓度下MICP压力灌浆加固有机质黏土的研究试验。通过试验前后试样的无侧限抗压强度、CaCO_3含量、渗透系数、有机质含量以及灌浆过程中流出液Ca~(2+)与NH_4~+浓度的变化,综合评价了MICP压力灌浆加固有机质黏土的效果。结果表明:MICP压力灌浆加固有机质黏土是有效的,处理后试样有机质含量可降低1%～4%,无侧限抗压强度提高可达370%,渗透系数可降低约1个数量级;在本试验的菌液活性(即每分钟水解尿素的量为9.68毫摩尔每升)及浓度(约108 cell/mL)下,胶结液浓度对处理效果有明显影响,提高0.25M胶结液中的urea浓度,可显著提高处理后土体的无侧限抗压强度。     

微生物水泥研究与应用进展

微生物诱导碳酸钙沉积(MICP),即利用微生物代谢活动中矿化行为,诱导形成碳酸钙沉淀,其具有特殊的胶结作用,可作为一种新颖的生物胶凝材料—微生物水泥。本文从MICP矿化机制、胶结机理以及微生物水泥在岩土工程中的应用等方面探讨了相应的最新进展,分析了目前存在的问题,并对微生物水泥的进一步研究提出了思路和建议。     

微生物温控加固钙质砂动强度特性研究

利用微生物温控加固技术对南海某岛钙质砂进行了MICP加固砂柱试验,并通过循环三轴试验开展了MICP加固钙质砂的动强度特性试验研究,探讨了不同MICP加固程度、相对密实度以及有效围压对钙质砂动强度与液化特性的影响。研究发现,经过MICP加固后松散钙质砂的动力液化特性由"流滑"逐渐演变为"循环活动性";相较于未加固中密砂试样,MICP加固中密钙质砂试样表现出更加明显的"循环活动性"特点。MICP加固钙质砂的动强度随着MICP加固程度、相对密实度以及有效围压的提高表现出不同程度的提高。针对MICP加固钙质砂提出了优化动强度经验公式,建立了MICP加固钙质砂的统一动强度准则。该研究成果将为MICP加固技术在南海岛礁建设发展和应用中提供重要的理论基础。     

微生物改性水泥土的制备与力学特性研究

花岗岩残积土在我国华南地区广泛分布,由于其具有明显的遇水崩解特性,往往带来山体滑坡等地质灾害。基于微生物诱导碳酸钙沉淀技术(MICP)采用巴氏芽孢杆菌对水泥加固花岗岩残积土的工程性质、工程技术进行改良研究,探究以水泥掺入量、钙离子浓度和钙源等因素为变量时,MICP技术对水泥土强度、应力应变关系等力学性能的影响。通过无侧限抗压强度(UCS)试验,分析了经MICP加固后水泥土的力学强度,得到以下结论:①MICP技术可以明显增强花岗岩残积土为基材的水泥土的强度、刚度和韧性等工程性质;②与对照组相比,试验组强度最大增长率为87.5%,最经济的水泥掺入量为15%;③氯化钙和乙酸钙为钙源都可以改善试样的韧性,而乙酸钙的效果更好,与对照组相比,试验组应变最大增长率为69.67%,此时所对应的钙离子浓度为0.5 mol/L。     

A comparative study of using two numerical strategies to simulate the biochemical processes in microbially induced calcite precipitation

In this study, we carried out a comparative study of two different numerical strategies for the modeling of the biogeochemical processes in microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) process. A simplified MICP model was used, which is based on the mass transport theory. Two numerical strategies, namely the operator splitting (OS) and the global implicit (GI) strategies, were adopted to solve the coupled reactive mass transport problems. These two strategies were compared in the aspects of numerical accuracy, convergence property and computational efficiency by solving the presented MICP model. To look more into the details of the model, sensitivity analysis of some important modeling parameters was also carried out in this paper.     

Influence of coal properties on dust suppression effect of biological dust suppressant

In order to study the effect and influencing factors of biological dust suppressant on secondary dust of coal dust, the biological dust suppressant was prepared with bacillus pasteurii and 0.6 mol/L urea-CaCl₂ solution. The experimental result shows that the yield of mineralized products of CC is the highest, reaching 81.11%, in bonding solutions with different calcium source and different concentration. For 5.0 g coal dust, 8 mL is the suitable spraying amount of bacteria solution and bonding solution. Biological dust suppressant has the best secondary dust suppression effect on coal dust with particle size above 200 μm. Moreover, it has the strongest effect on inhibiting secondary dust emission of lignite, and the weight loss rate of coal dust about 200 μm is only 0.84%. At the same time, the proportion of calcite crystals with the strongest thermal stability in mineralized products produced by MICP is higher. When the coalification degree of coal is lower, the effect of biological dust suppressant on secondary dust emission is better.     

MICP在建筑材料中的应用研究

利用微生物在新陈代谢过程中发生的矿化作用,进行诱导形成碳酸钙,称之为微生物诱导碳酸钙沉积（MICP）,其生成的碳酸钙沉淀是一种有机-无机合成物,具有优异的粘结性和固结性能。在总结国内外相关资料的基础上,介绍了MICP的形成条件与反应过程,分析了MICP技术在石灰石、石膏、水泥混凝土等建筑材料中的研究和应用情况,并指出MICP在水泥混凝土中应用需选择适当的微生物种类,调整微生物的培育环境和生长空间,并研究新型微生物生长保护措施。