Comparison of the impact of biopolymer on grassroots growth and strength of surficial soils
Comparison of the impact of biopolymer on grassroots growth and strength of surficial soils
In this study, we show the impact of a commercially available biopolymer, Xanthan Gum (XG), on the growth rate of grassroots and their combined effect on the shear strength of soils. The effects of XG on root growth were evaluated by scanning the roots of 6-week-old samples. The shear strength of the soils was measured using a custom-designed device capable of shearing soil specimens under low normal stresses, simulating surface soils exposed to erosion forces. The shear stress versus position of the 6-week-old sample was compared with freshly treated samples to assess the enhancement in strength because of root growth. The results demonstrated that varying biopolymer concentrations distinctly altered the average root diameter and the total root length. Biopolymer enhanced the growth of root diameter while inhibiting the growth of root length at higher concentrations. In comparison, at lower concentrations, it boosted root length with a slight reduction in root diameter. Biopolymer-treated soil with roots exhibited higher shear strength enhancement than untreated samples, with higher concentrations of XG further enhancing this effect.
Anish Lamsal; Mohammadhasan Sasar; S. Abdelaziz
4th Asia-Pacific Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ACPMG2024)
Other
https://doi.org/10.53243/ACPMG2024-50
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