Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soil

The ubiquitous vertical cracks in loess areas are one of the main factors that cause disasters in engineering projects, and the restoration of cracked loess is of great significance for disaster prevention. Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP), as a green solidification method, i...

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Main Authors: Chaofan Pan, Chen Zhang, Tuo Ji
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Materials
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2025.1583278/full
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author Chaofan Pan
Chen Zhang
Tuo Ji
author_facet Chaofan Pan
Chen Zhang
Tuo Ji
author_sort Chaofan Pan
collection DOAJ
description The ubiquitous vertical cracks in loess areas are one of the main factors that cause disasters in engineering projects, and the restoration of cracked loess is of great significance for disaster prevention. Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP), as a green solidification method, is widely used in soil remediation. Microstructural changes in crack-free loess after solidification were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope, and the optimal grouting scheme of microbial solution catalyzed by urea was determined. Solidification tests were carried out on fractured loess with different openings, and the solidification effect of MICP was evaluated using the direct shear test. The results show that the surface contact between micro-aggregates and the contact area between soil particles increased greatly after MICP curing. Under the catalysis of urea, the amount of CaCO3 increased by 30%, which enhanced the strength of the soil on both sides of the fractured loess structural plane after solidification. It provides a solid experimental basis and detailed microscopic explanation for MICP strengthening fractured loess.
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publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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spelling doaj-art-4b3d9f357ff84ea693759d8a275a4b392025-08-20T02:58:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Materials2296-80162025-05-011210.3389/fmats.2025.15832781583278Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soilChaofan Pan0Chen Zhang1Tuo Ji2Geotechnical Engineering Department, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu, ChinaGeotechnical Engineering Department, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu, ChinaSchool of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, ChinaThe ubiquitous vertical cracks in loess areas are one of the main factors that cause disasters in engineering projects, and the restoration of cracked loess is of great significance for disaster prevention. Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP), as a green solidification method, is widely used in soil remediation. Microstructural changes in crack-free loess after solidification were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope, and the optimal grouting scheme of microbial solution catalyzed by urea was determined. Solidification tests were carried out on fractured loess with different openings, and the solidification effect of MICP was evaluated using the direct shear test. The results show that the surface contact between micro-aggregates and the contact area between soil particles increased greatly after MICP curing. Under the catalysis of urea, the amount of CaCO3 increased by 30%, which enhanced the strength of the soil on both sides of the fractured loess structural plane after solidification. It provides a solid experimental basis and detailed microscopic explanation for MICP strengthening fractured loess.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2025.1583278/fullmicrobial-induced calcium carbonate precipitationfissured loessCaCO3 productionstraight shear testmicroanalysis
spellingShingle Chaofan Pan
Chen Zhang
Tuo Ji
Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soil
Frontiers in Materials
microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation
fissured loess
CaCO3 production
straight shear test
microanalysis
title Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soil
title_full Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soil
title_fullStr Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soil
title_full_unstemmed Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soil
title_short Experimental study of urea-catalyzed microbial solution-based curing of fissured loess soil
title_sort experimental study of urea catalyzed microbial solution based curing of fissured loess soil
topic microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation
fissured loess
CaCO3 production
straight shear test
microanalysis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2025.1583278/full
work_keys_str_mv AT chaofanpan experimentalstudyofureacatalyzedmicrobialsolutionbasedcuringoffissuredloesssoil
AT chenzhang experimentalstudyofureacatalyzedmicrobialsolutionbasedcuringoffissuredloesssoil
AT tuoji experimentalstudyofureacatalyzedmicrobialsolutionbasedcuringoffissuredloesssoil