SOIL STABILIZATION BY BACTERIAL CEMENTATION

The challenges to enhance the weak soil constantly lay a need for research and exploration to flourish a new and advance method for soil stabilization. The feasible technique is Bacterial cementation which has evolved recently and raised a sustainable technique for soil improvement. This paper aims to analyze the potency of MICP (Microbiologically induced calcium carbonate precipitation) in developing shear strength and lowering the hydraulic conductivity of soil. Laboratory has been done to certify the effect of Biogrout (Bacterial Cementation) process on the strength of 2 types of sand (High Plastic clay and Low plastic clay). The species of Bacillus group, B.magaterium was utilized to activate the calcite precipitation. The strain of Bacillus group was utilized to trigger and catalyze the calcite precipitation due to chemical reaction of calcium chloride and urea. MICP utilizes bacteria to hydrolyze urea and provide carbonate ions and that reacts with the calcium chloride solution which provides calcium carbonate (calcite) that binds and holds the soil particles together leads to increase the strength of soils and raise stiffness. It was also found that the strength developed with advancement in treatment duration. The outcome of this experiment was evidently shows from the pictures of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).