Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spectral induced polarization study on enzyme induced carbonate precipitations: influences of size and content on stiffness of a fine sand

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Acta Geotechnica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Heterogeneity in either chemically or microbiologically induced carbonate-based ground improvement methods is a major obstacle in engineering application. Spectral induced polarization (SIP), an innovative and nondestructive method, which has demonstrated promise in monitoring microbial activity, was used in this study to monitor enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP). The complex conductivities, together with the shear wave velocities (Vs), of an EICP modified sand were monitored using a self-developed spectral induced polarization–bender element column. The mean precipitate size was calculated by relaxation time (τ) and the Schwarz equation. The precipitate contents were calculated by cumulative gamma distribution function on the global polarization magnitude (mn) with R2 = 0.989. The stiffness of the enhanced geomaterial, in terms of Vs, correlates to mn with a cumulative lognormal distribution function with R2 = 0.967. Contact cementation was postulated as the dominant association pattern. The possible mechanism for this may be the formation of eddies and the nucleation of CaCO3 crystals during precipitation. The results suggest that SIP can be used as an effective nondestructive monitoring tool to assess the stiffness of geomaterials.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abdel AGZ, Atekwana EA, Slater LD, Atekwana EA (2004) Effects of microbial processes on electrolytic and interfacial electrical properties of unconsolidated sediments. Geophys Res Lett 31(12):L12505

    Google Scholar 

  2. Almajed A, Tirkolaei HK, Kavazanjian E (2018) Baseline investigation on enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 144(11):04018081

    Google Scholar 

  3. Almajed A, Tirkolaei HK, Kavazanjian E, Hamdan N (2019) Enzyme induced biocementated sand with high strength at low carbonate content. Sci Rep 9(1):1135

    Google Scholar 

  4. Archie GE (1942) The electrical resistivity log as an aid in determining some reservoir characteristics. SPE-942054-G 146(01):54–62

    Google Scholar 

  5. Atekwana EA, Slater LD (2009) Biogeophysics: a new frontier in earth science research. Rev Geophys 47(4):RG4004

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bate B, Burns SE (2014) Complex dielectric permittivity of organically modified bentonite suspensions (0.2–1.3 GHz). Can Geotech J 51(7):782–794

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bate B, Cao J, Zhang C, Hao N, Wang S (in press) Monitoring lime and cement improvement by spectral induced polarization and bender element techniques. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng

  8. Bate B, Zhang LM (2013) Use of vacuum for the stabilization of dry sand slopes. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 139(1):143–151

    Google Scholar 

  9. Börner FD, Schopper JR, Weller A (1996) Evaluation of transport and storage properties in the soil and groundwater zone from induced polarization measurements. Geophys Prospect 44(4):583–601

    Google Scholar 

  10. Breede K, Kemna A, Esser O, Zimmermann E, Vereecken H, Huisman JA (2011) Joint measurement setup for determining spectral induced polarization and soil hydraulic properties. Vadose Zone J 10(2):716–726

    Google Scholar 

  11. Briscoe WH, Klein J (2007) Friction and adhesion hysteresis between surfactant monolayers in water. J Adhes 83(7):705–722

    Google Scholar 

  12. Briscoe WH, Titmuss S, Tiberg F, Thomas RK, McGillivray DJ, Klein J (2006) Boundary lubrication under water. Nature 444:191

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cao J, Zhang C, Bate B (2018) Complex conductivity and shear wave velocity responses of sand-calcite mixture. In: Proceedings of the 8th international congress on environmental geotechnics, vol 3. pp 324–331

  14. Cha M, Santamarina JC, Kim H-S, Cho G-C (2014) Small-strain stiffness, shear-wave velocity, and soil compressibility. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 140(10):06014011

    Google Scholar 

  15. Chaudhary K, Cardenas MB, Deng W, Bennett PC (2011) The role of eddies inside pores in the transition from Darcy to Forchheimer flows. Geophys Res Lett 38(24):L24405

    Google Scholar 

  16. Choi S-G, Wu S, Chu J (2016) Biocementation for sand using an eggshell as calcium source. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 142(10):06016010

    Google Scholar 

  17. Chu Y, Nie S, Liu S, Lee C, Bate B (2019) Complex dielectric permittivity of metal and polymer modified montmorillonite. J Hazard Mater 374:382–391

    Google Scholar 

  18. Cole KS, Cole RH (1941) Dispersion and absorption in dielectrics I. Alternating current characteristics. J Chem Phys 9(4):341–351

    Google Scholar 

  19. Dadda A, Geindreau C, Emeriault F, Rolland du Roscoat S, Esnault Filet A, Garandet A (2019) Characterization of contact properties in biocemented sand using 3D X-ray micro-tomography. Acta Geotech 14(3):597–613

    Google Scholar 

  20. DeJong J, Martinez B, Ginn T, Hunt C, Major D, Tanyu B (2014) Development of a scaled repeated five-spot treatment model for examining microbial induced calcite precipitation feasibility in field applications. Geotech Test J 37:424–435

    Google Scholar 

  21. DeJong JT, Fritzges MB, Nüsslein K (2006) Microbially induced cementation to control sand response to undrained shear. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 132(11):1381–1392

    Google Scholar 

  22. DeJong JT, Mortensen BM, Martinez BC, Nelson DC (2010) Bio-mediated soil improvement. Ecol Eng 36(2):197–210

    Google Scholar 

  23. Feng K, Montoya BM (2016) Influence of confinement and cementation level on the behavior of microbial-induced calcite precipitated sands under monotonic drained loading. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 142(1):04015057

    Google Scholar 

  24. Fernandez AL, Santamarina JC (2001) Effect of cementation on the small-strain parameters of sands. Can Geotech J 38(1):191–199

    Google Scholar 

  25. Ferris FG, Fyfe WS, Beveridge TJ (1987) Bacteria as nucleation sites for authigenic minerals in a metal-contaminated lake sediment. Chem Geol 63(3):225–232

    Google Scholar 

  26. Gomez MG, Martinez BC, DeJong JT, Hunt CE, deVlaming LA, Major DW, Dworatzek SM (2015) Field-scale bio-cementation tests to improve sands. Proc Inst Civ Eng Ground Improv 168(3):206–216

    Google Scholar 

  27. Hall JR, Wishaw BF, Stokes RH (1953) The Diffusion coefficients of calcium chloride and ammonium chloride in concentrated aqueous solutions at 25°. J Am Chem Soc 75(7):1556–1560

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hamdan N, Kavazanjian E (2016) Enzyme-induced carbonate mineral precipitation for fugitive dust control. Ge´otechnique 66(7):546–555

    Google Scholar 

  29. Hayt WH, Buck JA (2005) Engineering eletromagnetics. McGraw-Hill Companies Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hoang T, Alleman J, Cetin B, Ikuma K, Choi S-G (2018) Sand and silty-sand soil stabilization using bacterial enzyme–induced calcite precipitation (BEICP). Can Geotech J 56(6):808–822

    Google Scholar 

  31. Islam M, Chittoori CSB, Burbank M (2018) Role of clay content in microbial precipitation of calcium carbonate in swelling soils. In: Transportation research board (TRB) annual meeting

  32. Jiang N-J, Soga K, Kuo M (2017) Microbially induced carbonate precipitation for seepage-induced internal erosion control in sand–clay mixtures. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 143(3):04016100

    Google Scholar 

  33. Kanazawa KK, Gordon JG (1985) Frequency of a quartz microbalance in contact with liquid. Anal Chem 57(8):1770–1771

    Google Scholar 

  34. Kang X, Kang G, Bate B (2014) Measurement of stiffness anisotropy in kaolinite using bender element tests in a floating wall consolidometer. Geotech Test J 37(5):869–883

    Google Scholar 

  35. Kavazanjian E, Hamdan N (2015) enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) columns for ground improvement. IFCEE 2015:2252–2261

    Google Scholar 

  36. Kavazanjian E, O’Donnell S, Hamdan N (2015) Biogeotechnical mitigation of earthquake-induced soil liquefaction by denitrification: a two-stage process. In: 6th international conference on earthquake geotechnical engineering. Christchurch, New Zealand

  37. Knight RJ, Nur A (1987) Geometrical effects in the dielectric response of partially saturated sandstones. Log Anal 28(6):513–519

    Google Scholar 

  38. Lade PV (2016) Special tests and test considerations. Triaxial Test Soils 321–341. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119106616.ch10

  39. Lee J-S, Santamarina JC (2005) Bender elements: performance and signal interpretation. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 131(9):1063–1070

    Google Scholar 

  40. Lesmes DP, Frye KM (2001) Influence of pore fluid chemistry on the complex conductivity and induced polarization responses of Berea sandstone. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 106(B3):4079–4090

    Google Scholar 

  41. Lin C-H, Lin C-P, Hung Y-C, Chung C-C, Wu P-L, Liu H-C (2018) Application of geophysical methods in a dam project: life cycle perspective and Taiwan experience. J Appl Geophys 158:82–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2018.07.012

    Google Scholar 

  42. Lin H, Suleiman MT, Brown DG, Kavazanjian E (2016) Mechanical behavior of sands treated by microbially induced carbonate precipitation. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 142(2):04015066

    Google Scholar 

  43. Lin H, Suleiman MT, Helm J, Brown DG (2014) Measurement of bonding strength between glass beads treated by microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP). In: Geo-congress 2014 technical papers. pp 1625–1634

  44. Liu K-W, Jiang N-J, Qin J-D, Wang Y-J, Tang C-S, Han X-L (2020) An experimental study of mitigating coastal sand dune erosion by microbial- and enzymatic-induced carbonate precipitation. Acta Geotech. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-020-01046-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Maleki M, Ebrahimi S, Asadzadeh F, Emami Tabrizi M (2016) Performance of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation on wind erosion control of sandy soil. Int J Environ Sci Technol 13(3):937–944

    Google Scholar 

  46. Martinez B, DeJong J (2009) Bio-mediated soil improvement: load transfer mechanisms at the micro- and macro-scales. In: Advances in ground improvement, 2009 US-China workshop on ground improvement technologies. pp 242–251

  47. Martinez BC, DeJong JT, Ginn TR, Montoya BM, Barkouki TH, Hunt C, Tanyu B, Major D (2013) Experimental optimization of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation for soil improvement. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 139(4):587–598

    Google Scholar 

  48. Montoya BM, DeJong JT, Boulanger RW, Wilson DW, Gerhard R, Ganchenko A, Chou J-C (2012) Liquefaction mitigation using microbial induced calcite precipitation. GeoCongress 2012:1918–1927

    Google Scholar 

  49. Mortensen BM, DeJong JT (2011) Strength and stiffness of MICP treated sand subjected to various stress paths. In: Geo-frontiers 2011. pp 4012–4020

  50. Nafisi A, Safavizadeh S, Montoya BM (2019) Influence of microbe and enzyme-induced treatments on cemented sand shear response. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 145(9):06019008

    Google Scholar 

  51. Pelton WH, Ward SH, Hallof PG, Sill WR, Nelson PH (1978) Mineral discrimination and removal of inductive coupling with multifrequency IP. Geophysics 43(3):588–609

    Google Scholar 

  52. Qabany AA, Soga K (2013) Effect of chemical treatment used in MICP on engineering properties of cemented soils. Géotechnique 63(4):331–339

    Google Scholar 

  53. Revil A (2012) Spectral induced polarization of shaly sands: influence of the electrical double layer. Water Resour Res 48(2):W02517

    Google Scholar 

  54. Salifu E, MacLachlan E, Iyer KR, Knapp CW, Tarantino A (2016) Application of microbially induced calcite precipitation in erosion mitigation and stabilisation of sandy soil foreshore slopes: a preliminary investigation. Eng Geol 201:96–105

    Google Scholar 

  55. Saneiyan S, Ntarlagiannis D, Ohan J, Lee J, Colwell F, Burns S (2019) Induced polarization as a monitoring tool for in situ microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) processes. Ecol Eng 127:36–47

    Google Scholar 

  56. Saneiyan S, Ntarlagiannis D, Werkema DD, Ustra A (2018) Geophysical methods for monitoring soil stabilization processes. J Appl Geophys 148:234–244

    Google Scholar 

  57. Santamarina J, Klein A, Fam A (2001) Soils and waves: particulate materials behavior, characterization and process monitoring. J Soils Sediments 1:130

    Google Scholar 

  58. Schneider JM, Fratta D (2009) Time-domain reflectometry—parametric study for the evaluation of physical properties in soils. Can Geotech J 46(7):753–767

    Google Scholar 

  59. Schwarz G (1962) A theory of the low-frequency dielectric dispersion of colloidal particles in electrolyte solution1,2. J Phys Chem 66(12):2636–2642

    Google Scholar 

  60. Silva J, Azenha M, Correia AG, Ferreira C (2013) Continuous stiffness assessment of cement-stabilised soils from early age. Géotechnique 63(16):1419–1432

    Google Scholar 

  61. Slater L, Lesmes DP (2002) Electrical-hydraulic relationships observed for unconsolidated sediments. Water Resour Res 38(10):31-1–31-13

    Google Scholar 

  62. Smith RW, Fujita Y, Ginn TR, Hubbard SS (2012) Final report for DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-07ER64404—field investigations of microbially facilitated calcite precipitation for immobilization of strontium-90 and other trace metals in the subsurface. University of Idaho, Medium: ED; Size: 20 pages

  63. Song JY, Sim Y, Jang J, Hong W-T, Yun TS (2020) Near-surface soil stabilization by enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation for fugitive dust suppression. Acta Geotech 15(7):1967–1980

    Google Scholar 

  64. Sposito G, Prost R (1982) Structure of water adsorbed on smectites. Chem Rev 82(6):553–573

    Google Scholar 

  65. Sun X, Miao L, Tong T, Wang C (2019) Study of the effect of temperature on microbially induced carbonate precipitation. Acta Geotech 14(3):627–638

    Google Scholar 

  66. Tang C-S, Yin L-Y, Jiang N-J, Zhu C, Zeng H, Li H, Shi B (2020) Factors affecting the performance of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) treated soil: a review. Environ Earth Sci 79(5):94

    Google Scholar 

  67. Terzis D, Laloui L (2019) Cell-free soil bio-cementation with strength, dilatancy and fabric characterization. Acta Geotech 14(3):639–656

    Google Scholar 

  68. van Paassen LA (2011) Bio-mediated ground improvement: from laboratory experiment to pilot applications. In: Geo-frontiers 2011

  69. Vinegar HJ, Waxman MH (1984) Induced polarization of shaly sands. Geophysics 49(8):1267–1287

    Google Scholar 

  70. Wang Y-H, Dong X (2008) Laboratory characterization of the spatial variability in soils by the EM-wave-based technique. Can Geotech J 45(1):102–116

    Google Scholar 

  71. Wang Y, Soga K, DeJong J, Kabla AJ (2019) A microfluidic chip and its use in characterising the particle-scale behaviour of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP). Geophysics 69(12):1086–1094

    Google Scholar 

  72. Waxman MH, Smits LJM (1968) Electrical conductivities in oil-bearing shaly sands. Trans Am Inst Min Metall Eng 243:107–122

    Google Scholar 

  73. Weil M, DeJong J, Martinez B, Mortensen B (2012) Seismic and resistivity measurements for real-time monitoring of microbially induced calcite precipitation in sand. Geotech Test J 35(2):330–341

    Google Scholar 

  74. Wen K, Li Y, Amini F, Li L (2020) Impact of bacteria and urease concentration on precipitation kinetics and crystal morphology of calcium carbonate. Acta Geotech 15(1):17–27

    Google Scholar 

  75. Whiffin VS, van Paassen LA, Harkes MP (2007) Microbial carbonate precipitation as a soil improvement technique. Geomicrobiol J 24(5):417–423

    Google Scholar 

  76. Wu Y, Hubbard S, Williams KH, Ajo-Franklin J (2010) On the complex conductivity signatures of calcite precipitation. J Geophys Res Biogeosci 115(G2):G00G04

    Google Scholar 

  77. Wu Y, Slater LD, Korte N (2005) Effect of precipitation on low frequency electrical properties of zerovalent iron columns. Environ Sci Technol 39(23):9197–9204

    Google Scholar 

  78. Yasuhara H, Hayashi K, Okamura M (2011) Evolution in mechanical and hydraulic properties of calcite-cemented sand mediated by biocatalyst. In: Geo-frontiers 2011. pp 3984–3992

  79. Yasuhara H, Neupane D, Hayashi K, Okamura M (2012) Experiments and predictions of physical properties of sand cemented by enzymatically-induced carbonate precipitation. Soils Found 52(3):539–549

    Google Scholar 

  80. Yu X, Drnevich VP (2004) Soil water content and dry density by time domain reflectometry. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 130(9):922–934

    Google Scholar 

  81. Zamani A, Montoya BM (2018) Undrained monotonic shear response of MICP-treated silty sands. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 144(6):04018029

    Google Scholar 

  82. Zhan TL-T, Mu Q-Y, Chen Y-M, Ke H (2015) Evaluation of measurement sensitivity and design improvement for time domain reflectometry penetrometers. Water Resour Res 51(4):2994–3006

    Google Scholar 

  83. Zhang C, Slater L, Redden G, Fujita Y, Johnson T, Fox D (2012) Spectral induced polarization signatures of hydroxide adsorption and mineral precipitation in porous media. Environ Sci Technol 46(8):4357–4364

    Google Scholar 

  84. Zhu J, Cao JN, Bate B, Khayat KH (2018) Determination of mortar setting times using shear wave velocity evolution curves measured by the bender element technique. Cem Concr Res 106:1–11

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research is sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Award No.: 2019YFC1805002, 2018YFC1802300), the Basic Science Center Program for Multiphase Evolution in Hypergravity of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Award No.: 51988101), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Award No.: 51779219). Financial support from the Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation (B18047) is also acknowledged. Insightful and constructive comments from the anonymous reviewers are appreciated, which helped improve the quality of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Bate Bate & Na Hao

  2. Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 1401 North Pine Street, Rolla, MO, 65409, USA

    Junnan Cao

  3. Department of Geology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Chi Zhang

Authors
  1. Bate Bate
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Junnan Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chi Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Na Hao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Junnan Cao.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bate, B., Cao, J., Zhang, C. et al. Spectral induced polarization study on enzyme induced carbonate precipitations: influences of size and content on stiffness of a fine sand. Acta Geotech. 16, 841–857 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-020-01059-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-020-01059-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation