Experimental Study on Bio-Reinforcement of Calcareous Sand through Hydrochloric Acid Solution Precipitation into Cementing Solution

Abstract

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology holds great potential in enhancing soil properties. MICP can be employed to enhance the stability and strength of diverse sandy soil, but it has the shortcoming of low curing efficiency. In response to the identified problem, this study aims to investigate an optimized treatment protocol that involves formulating a cementing solution in a hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution to enhance the solidification rate in the MICP reaction and evaluate its effectiveness. The results indicate that when preparing a 1 M cementing solution in a 0.2 M HCl solution, it promotes the rapid bonding of calcareous sand particles, resulting in an unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of 1312.6 kPa in the sand column after five treatments. Compared to the conventional test group, the experimental group containing HCl exhibited an approximately 1357% increase in UCS. The analysis unveiled the pivotal role of metal ions dissolved from calcareous sand by HCl in enhancing the UCS of MICP-treated calcareous sand. The proposed experimental methodology serves as a valuable tool for designing treatment strategies for MICP-cemented calcareous sand in practical engineering applications.