• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.649-663
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• 2014

In past few years, the use of bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation (biocementation) has become popular as a ground improvement technique for sandy soil. However, this technique was not applied to organic soil. This study focused on bacterial calcium carbonate precipitation and its effect on permeability in organic soil. A special injection system was prepared for inducing bacterial solution to the samples. The bacterial solution supplied to the samples by gravity for 4 days in specific molds designed for this work. Calcite precipitation was observed by monitoring pH value and measuring amount of calcium carbonate. Change in the permeability was measured before and after biocementation. The test results showed that the pH values indicates that the treatment medium is appropriate for calcite precipitation, and amount of precipitated calcium carbonate in organic soil increased about 20% from untreated one. It was also found that the biocementation can be considered as an effective method for reducing permeability of organic soil. The results were supported by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.782-788
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• 2010

Microbiological calcium carbonate precipitation (MCP) has been investigated for its ability to improve the compressive strength of mortar. However, very few studies have been conducted on the use of calcite-forming bacteria (CFB) to improve compressive strength. In this study, we discovered new bacterial genera that are capable of improving the compressive strength of mortar. We isolated 4 CFB from 7 environmental concrete structures. Using sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA genes, the CFB could be partially identified as Sporosarcina soli KNUC401, Bacillus massiliensis KNUC402, Arthrobacter crystallopoietes KNUC403, and Lysinibacillus fusiformis KNUC404. Crystal aggregates were apparent in the bacterial colonies grown on an agar medium. Stereomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analyses illustrated both the crystal growth and the crystalline structure of the $CaCO_3$ crystals. We used the isolates to improve the compressive strength of cement-sand mortar cubes and found that KNUC403 offered the best improvement in compressive strength.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.19-22
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• 2004

Two-dimensional modeling studies using TOUGHREACT were conducted to investigate the coupling between flow and transport developed as a consequence of differences in density, dissolution/ precipitation, and medium heterogeneity. The model includes equilibrium reactions for aqueous species, kinetic reactions between tile solid phases and aqueous constituents, and full coupling of porosity and permeability changes resulting from precipitation and dissolution reactions in porous media. Generally, the evolutions in the concentrations of the aqueous phase are intimately related to the reaction-front dynamics. Plugging of the medium contributed to significant transients in patterns of flow and mass transport.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.135-150
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• 2012

This paper presents the study of the effect of microorganism Bacillus pasteurii on the properties such as Atterbergs' limit and unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soils. The results of this study reveal that the liquid limit and plasticity index for all clay soils decreased and the unconfined compressive strength increased. Decrease in plasticity index is very high for Kuttanad clay followed by bentonite and laterite. The unconfined compressive strength increased for all the soils. The increase was high for Kuttanad soil and low for laterite soil. After 24 h of treatment the improvement in the soil properties is comparatively less. Besides the specific bacteria selected Bacillus pasteurii, other microorganisms may also be taking part in calcite precipitation thereby causing soil cementation. But the naturally present microorganisms alone cannot work on the calcite precipitation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.497-505
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• 2019

Biocementation based on the microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) process is a novel soil improvement method. Biocement can improve significantly the properties of soils by binding soil particles to increase the shear strength or filling in the pores to reduce the permeability of soil. In this paper, results of triaxial consolidated undrained (CU) tests and constant shear drained (CSD) tests on biocemented Ottawa sand are presented. In the CU tests, the biocemented sand had more dilative behaviour by showing a higher stress-strain curves and faster pore pressure reducing trends as compared with their untreated counterparts. In the CSD tests, the stress ratio q/p' at which biocemented sand became unstable was higher than that for untreated sands, implying that the biocementation will improve the stability of sand to water infiltration or liquefaction.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1015-1020
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• 2012

Antifungal cement mortar or microbiological calcium carbonate precipitation on cement surface has been investigated as functional concrete research. However, these research concepts have never been fused with each other. In this study, we introduced the antifungal calcite-forming bacteria (CFB) Bacillus aryabhattai KNUC205, isolated from an urban tunnel (Daegu, South Korea). The major fungal deteriogens in urban tunnel, Cladosporium sphaerospermum KNUC253, was used as a sensitive fungal strain. B. aryabhattai KNUC205 showed $CaCO_3$ precipitation on B4 medium. Cracked cement mortar pastes were made and neutralized by modified methods. Subsequently, the mixture of B. aryabhattai KNUC205, conidiospore of C. sphaerospermum KNUC253, and B4 agar was applied to cement cracks and incubated at $18^{\circ}C$ for 16 days. B. aryabhattai KNUC205 showed fungal growth inhibition against C. sphaerospermum. Furthermore, B. aryabhattai KNUC205 showed crack remediation ability and water permeability reduction of cement mortar pastes. Taken together, these results suggest that the $CaCO_3$ precipitation and antifungal properties of B. aryabhattai KNUC205 could be used as an effective sealing or coating material that can also prevent deteriorative fungal growth. This study is the first application and evaluation research that incorporates calcite formation with antifungal capabilities of microorganisms for an environment-friendly and more effective protection of cement materials. In this research, the conception of microbial construction materials was expanded.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.41-48
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• 2023

Microbially induced calcite precipitation(MICP) is a novel cementation method meant to enhance soil engineering properties through the use of microorganisms. This study investigates the effect of different MICP concentrations on plant growth. Tall fescue seeds are grown in plant columns filled with Jumunjin sand. Following plant growth, the soil samples are treated with MICP via spraying method. The results indicate that the MICP-treated plants exhibit hampered growth compared with the untreated plants. pH and electrical conductivity(EC) tests are performed to analyze the changes in soil properties by MICP. The MICP-treated soils exhibit a pH = 7, similar to the untreated soil. However, the EC dramatically increases with the increase in the MICP concentration, which leads to an increase in the osmotic pressure of the soil surrounding the plant roots. Eventually, the higher osmotic pressure in MICP-treated soil hinders the absorption of water and nutrients in plant roots, thus inhibiting plant growth.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.5-13
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• 2016

A calcium source is necessary for calcite precipitation within soil particles by microbial decomposition of urea and a calcium chloride is usually used. The harmful environmental impact of calcium chloride on road, ground and plants is severe. In this study, an eggshell with vinegar is investigated for an environmental-friendly calcium source. Urea-decomposing microorganism and eggshell or calcium chloride as a calcium source are mixed with Ottawa sand to precipitate calcite. Then, the cemented sand with calcite is tested for calcite precipitation, permeability and unconfined compressive strength. A specimen is prepared by loose Ottawa sand in a size of 5 cm in diameter and 10 cm in height. A urea solution with Sporosarcina pasteurii and two different calcium sources is injected into the specimen once a day for 30 days. Calcite precipitated at average of 7.2% on the specimen with eggshell as a calcium source, which was 1.2 times more than that with calcium chloride. The permeability of a specimen with eggshell was at average of 3.82E-5 cm/s, which was 7.7 times lower than that with calcium chloride. Unconfined compressive strength of a specimen with eggshell was at average of 387 kPa, which was 1.2 times higher than that with calcium chloride. As more calcite precipitated, the strength increased while the permeability decreased, regardless of calcium sources.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.383-391
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• 2019

Bio-grouting based on microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is recently emerging as a novel and environmentally friendly technique for improvement of coarse-grained ground. To date, the mechanical behaviour of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil with different calcite contents and grain sizes still remains poorly understood. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence of calcite content on the mechanical properties of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil with different grain sizes. This is achieved through an integrated study of uniaxial loading experiments of bio-grouted coarse-grained soil, 3D digitization of the grains in conjunction with discrete element modelling (DEM). In the DEM model, aggregates were represented by clump logic based on the 3D morphology digitization of the typical coarse-grained aggregates while the CaCO₃ was represented by small-sized bonded particle model. The computed stress-strain relations and failure patterns of the bio-grouted coarse-grained soil were validated against the measured results. Both experimental and numerical investigation suggest that aggregate sizes and calcite content significantly influence the mechanical behaviour of bio-cemented aggregates. The strength of the bio-grouted coarse-grained soil increases linearly with calcite content, but decreases non-linearly with the increasing particle size for all calcite contents. The experimental-based DEM approach developed in this study also offers an optional avenue for the exploring of micro-mechanisms contributing to the mechanical response of bio-grouted coarse-grained soils.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.26-36
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• 2001

A novel approach of microbiologically-enhanced crack remediation (MECR) has been initiated and evaluated in this report. Under the laboratory conditions, Bacillus pasteurii was used to induce $CaCO_3$ precipitation as the microbial urease hydrolyzes urea to produce ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia released in surroundings subsequently increases pH, leading to accumulation of insoluble $CaCO_3$. Scanning electron micrography (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses evidenced the direct involvement of microorganisms in $CaCO_3$ precipitation. In biochemical studies, the primary roles of microorganisms and microbial urease were defined. Furthermore, the role of urease in $CaCO_3$ precipitation was characterized utilizing recombinant Escherichia coli that encoded B. pasteurii urease genes in a plasmid. Microorganisms immobilized in polyurethane (PU) polymer were applied to remediate concrete cracks. Although microbiologically- induced calcite precipitation enhanced neither the tensile strength nor the modulus of elasticity of the PU polymer, cement mortar whose crack was remediated with the cemaden polymer showed a significant increase in compressive strength. Through detailed investigation, MECR showed an excellent potential in cementing cracks in granite, concrete, and beyond.