Anti-erosion mechanism of microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP)-cured loess
摘要
MICP is of potential value in loess erosion mitigation through bacterial decomposition of urease, catalyzing the reaction of calcium chloride with urea to produce calcium carbonate for biocementation. In this study, the effects of three primary control variables (biomass concentration OD600, cementation solution concentration Ccu, and treatment cycles Ntc) on surface strength, permeability, and disintegration properties of MICP-cured loess were investigated, with the mechanism interpreted by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests. Results indicate that the surface strength first rises and then declines with OD600 and Ccu, peaking at OD600 = 1.0, Ccu = 1.0 mol/L, while positively correlated with Ntc. The permeability coefficient declines with Ccu and Ntc, while first declines and then rises with OD600. The disintegration duration of 7 rounds of solidified loess can reach 15 min, which is about 3.5 times that of untreated loess, and the average disintegration rate is 79.7% lower than that of untreated loess. Based on a comprehensive evaluation of the curing benefits, the optimal conditions were determined as OD600 = 1.0, Ccu = 1.0 mol/L, and Ntc = 7. Under this combination, surface strength increased by 2.6 times, and the disintegration duration was prolonged by 431s while the permeability coefficient decreased to 1/17. SEM images show that with higher OD600 and Ccu, the calcium carbonate content is positively correlated with surface strength; marked changes in calcium carbonate content and pores on the soil surface were noted with higher Ntc. XRD-EDS test results indicate calcite crystals formed in MICP-cured loess, and the mass and atomic fractions of the Ca atom increased. The anti-erosion performance of loess was improved primarily due to the formation of calcium carbonate that filled pores and cemented particles.