Title
Effects of Carbonate Distribution Inhomogeneity on the Improvement Level of Bio-cemented Sands: A DEM Study
Author
Zhang, A. (TU Delft Geo-engineering) 
Dieudonné, A.A.M. (TU Delft Geo-engineering)
Contributor
Barla, Marco (editor)
Insana, Alessandra (editor)
Di Donna, Alice (editor)
Sterpi, Donatella (editor)
Date
2023
Abstract
Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) involves bacteria to drive calcite precipitation and naturally cement soils, thereby improving soils performance. Experimental studies have shown that bio-cemented specimen can suffer from severe spatial inhomogeneity of the calcite content, leading to large uncertainty in treatment efficiency prediction. To evaluate the effect of inhomogeneity on the mechanical behaviour of bio-cemented soils, the discrete element method (DEM) is used to model bio-cemented samples with a single carbonate distribution pattern (i.e. either bridging or contact cementing) but different characteristics of inhomogeneity. Both drained triaxial compression and triaxial extension simulations are carried out to evaluate the impact of inhomogeneity along different loading paths. The results indicate that inhomogeneity has different effects on bio-cemented samples depending on the carbonate distribution patterns and the loading path. Specifically, the shear strength in compression of samples exhibiting bridging cementation is largely affected by inhomogeneity, while the effect on shear strength in extension is negligible. On the other hand, samples with contact cementing show limited sensitivity to the variation of inhomogeneity under both triaxial compression and triaxial extension tests.
Subject
Bio-cemented soil
DEM
Inhomogeneity
MICP
Shear strength
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c4721bbd-466b-4f2c-9dc0-5cb8441597f3
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12851-6_66
Publisher
Springer Science+Business Media
Embargo date
2023-07-01
ISBN
9783031128509
Source
Challenges and Innovations in Geomechanics: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference of IACMAG, 3
Event
6th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, IACMAG 2022, 2022-08-30 → 2022-09-02, Turin, Italy
Series
Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, 2366-2557, 288 LNCE
Bibliographical note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.
Part of collection
Institutional Repository
Document type
conference paper
Rights
© 2023 A. Zhang, A.A.M. Dieudonné