Correlation of Penetration Resistance with Wind Erosion Resistance for Fugitive Dust Studies

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4. Correlation of Penetration Resistance with Wind Erosion Resistance for Fugitive Dust Studies

A series of laboratory tests were conducted to determine optimal treatment concentrations and deployment strategies for field implementation of enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (EICP). EICP offers the potential for cost-effective mitigation of fugitive dust in a more sustainable way than conventional dust suppression methods. Unsustainable practices associated with traditional dust suppression methods include spraying high volumes of potable water or salt solutions on the soil. EICP, a nature-inspired technology, creates a durable calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) crust on soil surfaces, improving soil resistance to dust formation. A series of 20 tests were conducted to explore the impact of different combinations of EICP treatment solution constituent concentrations (calcium chloride urea, milk powder, and crude urease enzyme) and sequence of application on EICP dust control effectiveness. The Portable In-Situ Soil Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL^TM), penetrometer tests, and carbonate content measurements were used to assess the effect of constituent concentrations, treatment sequences, and number of treatment cycles on EICP performance. The experimental program employed a quasi-factorial design to obtain the optimal combination of parameters for field treatment, providing practical insight on deployment of EICP for fugitive dust mitigation.

2025 International Conference on Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (ICBBG2025)

General session: Case studies on field application of biogeotechnics