Biocementation treatment of a Portuguese motorway slope to prevent ravine formation

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Publication Title
Biocementation treatment of a Portuguese motorway slope to prevent ravine formation

Abstract
Biocementation is an environmentally sustainable technique for soil improvement, in which the precipitation of calcium carbonate is promoted by using biological agents such as bacteria or enzymes. The precipitated calcium carbonate, or biocement, is responsible for soils strength and stiffness increment due to the bonds created between the particles, and for reducing the permeability caused by pore clogging. The shallow treatment of sandy soils to increase resistance to the formation of ravines is a new application. This treatment was carried out in a real case to avoid ravines caused by rain and is being monitored over time as part of an ongoing project of Instituto Superior Técnico funded by FCT (ref. PTDC/ECI- EGC/1086/2021). This case-study is an excavation slope in sandy soil on the A13 Motorway managed by Brisa. The treatment was carried out by Rodio Portugal, from the Soletanche-Bachy group, who provided the technology to inject into the soil the treatment fluids with bacteria. The first monitoring data are presented, consisting in the amounts of calcium carbonate measured right after treatment and after the first heavy rains, with encouraging results.
Authors
Rafaela Cardoso; M. Oliveira; Manuel Cruz; I. Gonzalez; A. T. Rodrigues; B. Anjos; L. Sapin; A. Esnault-Fillet

Published In

18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)

Theme

D - Current and new construction methods

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