State-of-the-Art Review of Enzyme-Induced Calcite Precipitation (EICP) for Ground Improvement: Applications and Prospects

The global construction industry consumes huge amounts of mined materials that are considered unsustainable for earth resources. In addition, Portland cement which is a key element in concrete and most construction materials is considered one of the main contributors to worldwide CO2 emissions. On t...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Geosciences (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 12; p. 492
Main Authors:	Arab, Mohamed G., Alsodi, Rami, Almajed, Abdullah, Yasuhara, Hideaki, Zeiada, Waleed, Shahin, Mohamed A.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Basel MDPI AG 01-12-2021
Subjects:	Bacteria Binders bio-cementation bio-grouting bio-inspired treatment Biomimetics Calcite Calcium Calcium carbonate Calcium carbonates Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide emissions Carbonates Cement Chemical precipitation Commercialization Concrete Concrete construction Construction industry Construction materials Earth resources Earth science Emissions Environmental conditions Enzymatic activity Enzyme activity Enzymes Erosion control ground improvement Marketing Mechanical properties Mimicry Mineralization Oil recovery Permeability Physical factors Porosity Portland cement Portland cements Shear strength Soil Soil erosion Soil mechanics Soil particles Soil permeability Soil porosity Soil properties soil stabilization Soil treatment Soils State-of-the-art reviews Stiffness Survival urea hydrolysis
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	The global construction industry consumes huge amounts of mined materials that are considered unsustainable for earth resources. In addition, Portland cement which is a key element in concrete and most construction materials is considered one of the main contributors to worldwide CO2 emissions. On the other hand, natural cemented soil deposits are examples of sustainable structures that have survived decades of severe environmental conditions. Mimicking these natural biological systems provide an alternative to the current practices of construction materials production. Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) is a bio-inspired technique based on the precipitation of calcium carbonate for enhancing the geo-mechanical properties of soils. In this technique, calcium carbonate acts as a cementitious agent that binds the soil particles together at the points of contact, hence, increasing the strength and stiffness of treated soils, while relatively reducing the soil permeability and porosity. The achieved enhancements make EICP useful for applications such as ground improvement, construction materials, and erosion control over traditional binders. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of EICP for ground improvement including the fundamental basics of EICP treatment. The paper also discusses the chemical and physical factors affecting the performance of EICP such as enzyme source, enzyme activity and solution constitutes. Moreover, the paper reviews the different methods and testing techniques used in the application of EICP for soil treatment. Furthermore, the paper compares EICP with other biomineralization techniques in terms of performance and applicability on ground improvement. Finally, the paper discusses the research gaps and existing challenges concerning the commercialization and large-scale implementation of the technology.
ISSN:	2076-3263 2076-3263
DOI:	10.3390/geosciences11120492