Abstract
Prevention of river or coastal dikes from erosion failure has become more important than ever due to the increasing impact of climate change. A microbially induced carbonate precipitation-based approach was investigated as a possible more sustainable solution for sandy dikes erosion due to overtopping. A series of model tests in a hydraulic flume were carried out on biotreated sand dike models. The models were treated using either surface spray or percolation method and then subjected to flow under various flow rates ranging from 2 to 22 L/s. The erosion, stability, geotechnical parameters, and the amount of calcium carbonate precipitated in the models were measured to assess the effect of the biotreatment. The testing results showed that the untreated sandy dike can be eroded easily, while no erosion occurred after the biocementation using five treatments of 1.5 M of cementation solution through either percolation or surface spray method. Data suggest that in almost the equivalent calcium carbonate content, the percolation method allows soil in a relatively deeper layer to be treated, while the changes occurred just on the formed crust of the models treated with the surface spray method.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The authors confirm that all data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.
References:
Achal V et al (2013) Remediation of Cr(VI) from chromium slag by biocementation. Chemosphere 93(7):1352–1358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.08.008
Amiri A et al (2018) Crack remediation in mortar via biomineralization: Effects of chemical admixtures on biogenic calcium carbonate. Constr Build Mater 190:317–325
Bachmeier K et al (2002) Urease activity in microbiologically-induced calcite precipitation. J Biotechnol 93(2):171–181
Bai H et al (2021) Microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation by a halophilic ureolytic bacterium and its potential for remediation of heavy metal-contaminated saline environments. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 165:105311
Bang S et al (2011) Application of microbiologically induced soil stabilization technique for dust suppression. Int J Geo Eng 3:27–37
Benini S et al (1996) Bacillus pasteurii urease: a heteropolymeric enzyme with a binuclear nickel active site. Soil Biol Biochem Educ 28:819–821
Braissant O et al (2003) Bacterially induced mineralization of calcium carbonate in terrestrial environments: the role of exopolysaccharides and amino acids. J Sediment Res 73:485–490
Briaud J et al (2008) Levee erosion by overtopping in New Orleans during the Katrina Hurricane. ASCE J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 134(5):618–632
Cheng L et al (2019) In-situ microbially induced Ca2+-alginate polymeric sealant for seepage control in porous materials. Microb Biotechnol 12(2):324–333
Chinnarasri C (2000) Experimental investigation of embankment breaching erosion and prediction by numerical models. D. Eng. Dissertation, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
Chu J, Ivanov V (2009) Biocement- a new sustainable and energy saving material for construction and waste treatment. Civ Eng Res 7:53–54
Chu J et al (2009) Construction processes, state-of-the-art report. In: Proceedings of 17th international conference on soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering, Alexandria, Egypt, M. H. e. al., Ed., vol 4. IOS Press, pp 3006–3135
Chu J et al (2012) Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation on surface or in the bulk of soil. Geomicrobiol J 29(6):544–549
Chu J et al (2013) Microbial method for construction of an aquaculture pond in sand. Géotechnique 63(10):871–875
Dhami NK et al (2017) Carbonate biomineralization and heavy metal remediation by calcifying fungi isolated from karstic caves. Ecol Eng 103:106–117
Dubey AA et al (2022) Biopolymer-biocement composite treatment for stabilisation of soil against both current and wave erosion. Acta Geotech 17(1):20
Fell R et al (2015) Geotechnical engineering of dams. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Feng K, Montoya BM (2017) Quantifying level of microbial-induced cementation for cyclically loaded sand. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 143(6):06017005
Fluixá-Sanmartín J et al (2018) Climate change impacts on dam safety. Nat Hazard 18(9):2471–2488
Fujita Y et al (2000) Subscribed content calcium carbonate precipitation by ureolytic subsurface bacteria. Geomicrobiol J 17(4):305–318
Gat D et al (2016) Soil bacteria population dynamics following stimulation for ureolytic microbial-induced CaCO3 precipitation. Environ Sci Technol 50(2):616–624
Ggnn A, Kawasaki S (2017) Factors affecting sand solidification using MICP with Pararhodobacter sp. Mater Trans 59:72
Gomez MG et al (2015) Field-scale bio-cementation tests to improve sands. Proc Inst Civ Eng Ground Improv 168(3):206–216
Gutschick K (1985) Canal lining stabilization proves successful. Pit Quarry 77:58–60
Hamdan N, Kavazanjian E Jr (2016) Enzyme-induced carbonate mineral precipitation for fugitive dust control. Géotechnique 66(7):546–555
Hataf N, Baharifard A (2020) Reducing soil permeability using microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) method: a case study of shiraz landfill soil. Geomicrobiol J 37(2):147–158
Indraratna B et al (2008) Predicting the erosion rate of chemically treated soil using a process simulation apparatus for internal crack erosion. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 134(6):837–844
Jiang N-J, Soga K (2019) Erosional behavior of gravel-sand mixtures stabilized by microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP). Soils Found 59(3):699–709
Jiang N-J et al (2017) Microbially induced carbonate precipitation for seepage-induced internal erosion control in sand–clay mixtures. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 143(3):04016100
Jongvivatsakul P et al (2019) Investigation of the crack healing performance in mortar using microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) method. Constr Build Mater 212:737–744
Kalantary F, Kahani M (2015) Evaluation of the ability to control biological precipitation to improve sandy soils. Procedia Earth Planet Sci 15:278–284
Kim J-H, Lee J-Y (2019) An optimum condition of MICP indigenous bacteria with contaminated wastes of heavy metal. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 21(2):239–247
Knodel P (1987) Lime in canal and dam stabilization, US Bureau of Reclamation. Report No GR-87-10, 21p, 1987
Lai H-J et al (2021) Retarding effect of concentration of cementation solution on biocementation of soil. Acta Geotech 16:1457–1472
Lai H-J et al (2022) Effect of pH on soil improvement using one-phase-low-pH MICP or EICP biocementation method. Acta Geotech. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-022-01759-3
Lin H et al (2016) Mechanical behavior of sands treated by microbially induced carbonate precipitation. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 142(2):04015066
Liu J et al (2019) Topsoil reinforcement of sandy slope for preventing erosion using water-based polyurethane soil stabilizer. Eng Geol 252:125–135
Ma G et al (2022) Mechanical properties of biocement formed by microbially induced carbonate precipitation. Acta Geotech 17(11):4905–4919
Naeimi M, Chu J (2017) Comparison of conventional and bio-treated methods as dust suppressants. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24(29):23341–23350
Naeimi M, Haddad A (2020) Environmental impacts of chemical and microbial grouting. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27(2):2264–2272
Nerincx N et al. (2018) Digueelite overflow resistant lime treated soils for dikes and earthdams. In: Twenty-sixth international congress on large dams: vingt-sixième congrès international des grands barrages. CRC Press, pp 409–431
Peng S et al (2020) Factors affecting permeability reduction of MICP for fractured rock. Front Earth Sci 8:217
Perry JP (1977) Lime treatment of dams constructed with dispersive clay soils. Trans ASAE 20(6):1093–1099
Qabany AA, Soga K (2014) Effect of chemical treatment used in MICP on engineering properties of cemented soils. In: Bio-and chemo-mechanical processes in geotechnical engineering: géotechnique symposium in print 2013. ICE Publishing, pp 107–115
Richards K et al (2015) Evaluation and monitoring of seepage and internal erosion. Edited by S. Leffel. Washington: FEMA
Salifu E et al (2016) Application of microbially induced calcite precipitation in erosion mitigation and stabilisation of sandy soil foreshore slopes: a preliminary investigation. Eng Geol 201:96–105
Shafii I, Briaud J, Chen H, Shidlovskaya A (2016) Relationship between soil erodibility and engineering properties. In: ICSE 2016 (8th International conference on scour and erosion), pp 12–15
Shahin M et al (2020) Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation for coastal erosion mitigation of sandy slopes. Géotech Lett 10(2):211–215
Shourijeh PT et al (2020) The effects of lime, bentonite and nano-clay on erosion characteristics of clay soils. Eur J Environ Civ Eng 26(9):3762–3787
Stabnikov V et al (2011) Formation of water-impermeable crust on sand surface using biocement. Cem Concr Res 41(11):1143–1149
Stocks-Fischer S et al (1999) Microbiological precipitation of CaCO3. Soil Biol Biochem 31(11):1563–1571
Sun X et al (2021) Theoretical quantification for cracks repair based on microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) method. Cem Concr Compos 118:103950
Tinney ER, Hsu HY (1961) Mechanics of wash-out of an erodible fuse plug. J Hydraul Eng 97(3):1–30
Torres-Aravena ÁE et al (2018) Can microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) through a ureolytic pathway be successfully applied for removing heavy metals from wastewaters? Crystals 8(11):438
Van Paassen LA et al (2010) Quantifying biomediated ground improvement by ureolysis: large-scale biogrout experiment. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 136(12):1721–1728
Wang Z et al (2020) Slope failure of biotreated sand embankments under rainfall conditions: experimental investigation and numerical simulation. Bull Eng Geol Env 79(9):4683–4699
Warren LA et al (2001) Microbially mediated calcium carbonate precipitation: implications for interpreting calcite precipitation and for solid-phase capture of inorganic contaminants. Geomicrobiol J 18(1):93–115
Whiffin VS et al (2007) Microbial carbonate precipitation as a soil improvement technique. Geomicrobiol J 24(5):417–423
Xiao Y et al (2022) Rainfall-induced erosion of biocemented graded slopes. Int J Geomech 22(1):04021256
Yang Y et al (2019) Seepage control in sand using bioslurry. Constr Build Mater 212:342–349
Yang Y et al (2022) Construction of water pond using bioslurry-induced biocementation. J Mater Civ Eng 34(3):06021009
Zhang Z-j et al (2020) Experimental study on MICP technology for strengthening tail sand under a seepage field. Geofluids 2020(1–7):8819326
Acknowledgements
The study presented in this paper was completed in the laboratories of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. It is supported by the SERC Grant No. 0921420043 from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Naeimi, M., Chu, J. Biocementation of sand dike against erosion due to overtopping. Acta Geotech. 18, 6745–6757 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-023-01934-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-023-01934-0