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Mathematical modelling and simulation of microbial carbonate precipitation: the urea hydrolysis reaction

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Abstract

Microbial carbonate precipitation is expected to play a major role in next-generation soil improvement technologies. To date, research into this method has relied on experimental and/or observational approaches. However, in order to understand the long-term effects of microbial carbonate precipitation and apply these to real environments, it is necessary to employ a predictive approach to determine the future state of the soil when using this soil improvement method. In this work, a mathematical model and numerical simulations based on the reaction–diffusion system for the microbial urea hydrolysis reaction are proposed. These techniques may be used to provide the spatiotemporal precipitation patterns of carbonates between soil particles and the particle surfaces. The simulation results revealed that the characteristic precipitation patterns depend on the diffusion of carbonates caused by the microbial urea hydrolysis reaction, and there was a significant shift in the amount of carbonate from a dissipated state into an equilibrium state.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the helpful comments and discussions by Prof. Aydan Ömer, Prof. Eizo Nakaza, Dr. Kosaburo Hirose, and Mr. Ryogo Kawakami, University of the Ryukyus. This work was supported by the JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) Grant Number 26790079 and by the University of the Ryukyus Strategic Research Grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan

    Hitoshi Matsubara

  2. Department of Systems Innovation, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Tomonori Yamada

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  1. Hitoshi Matsubara
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  2. Tomonori Yamada
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Correspondence to Hitoshi Matsubara.

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Matsubara, H., Yamada, T. Mathematical modelling and simulation of microbial carbonate precipitation: the urea hydrolysis reaction. Acta Geotech. 15, 29–38 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-019-00896-6

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