Desiccation Cracking Behavior of Clayey Soils Treated with Biocement and Bottom Ash Admixture during Wetting–Drying Cycles

TY - JOUR

T1 - Desiccation Cracking Behavior of Clayey Soils Treated with Biocement and Bottom Ash Admixture during Wetting–Drying Cycles

AU - Vail, Mark

AU - Zhu, Cheng

AU - Tang, Chao Sheng

AU - Maute, Nate

AU - Montalbo-Lomboy, Melissa Tababa

N1 - Funding Information: The support from Dr. Wei Xue of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rowan University is greatly appreciated. Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This material is based on work supported by Rowan University under the Camden Health Research Initiative. The support of Rowan University through the Startup Fund and the Seed Fund is also acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: © National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2020.

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - Desiccation cracking considerably impairs the hydraulic and mechanical properties of clayey soils that are critical to the long-term performance of infrastructure foundations and earth structures. Typical crack remediation methods are associated with high labor and maintenance costs or the use of environmentally unfriendly chemicals. Recycling waste materials and developing biomediated techniques have emerged as green, sustainable soil stabilization solutions. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of soil crack remediation through use of bottom ash admixtures and microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP). We carried out cyclic wetting–drying tests to characterize the effects of bottom ash and MICP on the desiccation cracking behaviors of bentonite soils. Two groups of soil samples that contained different percentages of bottom ash (0%, 20%, 40% by weight) were prepared for cyclic water and MICP treatments, respectively. The desiccation cracking patterns captured by a high-resolution camera were quantified using image processing. We also employed scanning electron microscopy for microstructural characterizations. Experimental results revealed that cyclic water treatment resulted in more cracking, whereas cyclic MICP treatment improved soil strength owing to the precipitation of calcite crystals on the soil particle surface and inside the interparticle pores. Adding bottom ash to bentonite reduced the plasticity of the mixture, promoted the flocculation of clay particles by cation exchange, and also provided soluble calcium to enhance calcite precipitation. This study demonstrates the potential of bottom ash and MICP for crack remediation and brings new insights into the design and assessment of sustainable infrastructures under climate changes.

AB - Desiccation cracking considerably impairs the hydraulic and mechanical properties of clayey soils that are critical to the long-term performance of infrastructure foundations and earth structures. Typical crack remediation methods are associated with high labor and maintenance costs or the use of environmentally unfriendly chemicals. Recycling waste materials and developing biomediated techniques have emerged as green, sustainable soil stabilization solutions. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of soil crack remediation through use of bottom ash admixtures and microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP). We carried out cyclic wetting–drying tests to characterize the effects of bottom ash and MICP on the desiccation cracking behaviors of bentonite soils. Two groups of soil samples that contained different percentages of bottom ash (0%, 20%, 40% by weight) were prepared for cyclic water and MICP treatments, respectively. The desiccation cracking patterns captured by a high-resolution camera were quantified using image processing. We also employed scanning electron microscopy for microstructural characterizations. Experimental results revealed that cyclic water treatment resulted in more cracking, whereas cyclic MICP treatment improved soil strength owing to the precipitation of calcite crystals on the soil particle surface and inside the interparticle pores. Adding bottom ash to bentonite reduced the plasticity of the mixture, promoted the flocculation of clay particles by cation exchange, and also provided soluble calcium to enhance calcite precipitation. This study demonstrates the potential of bottom ash and MICP for crack remediation and brings new insights into the design and assessment of sustainable infrastructures under climate changes.

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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198120924409

DO - https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198120924409

M3 - Article

SN - 0361-1981

VL - 2674

SP - 441

EP - 454

JO - Transportation Research Record

JF - Transportation Research Record

IS - 8

ER -