Internal erosion of embankments often occurs by outflow of sand particles due to degradation of geotextiles. While the chemical grout into the embankment is a useful technique to control internal erosion, the cement mixture used in the grout contains hazardous substance. Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is well-known as an environmentally friendly soil improvement technique. MICP can be observed in formations such as beachrock, which protects against erosion by sea wave. In this study, the authors propose a coupling simulation of MICP, degradation of geotextiles, and sand particle movement to confirm the applicability of MICP against degradation of geotextiles. The results of the proposed simulations show that the amount of sand outflow depends on the degradation ratio of geotextiles. In the case treated with MICP, sinkholes didnt occur at same degradation ratio. Therefore, MICP may have the potential to control internal erosion and prevent sinkhole formation.
2025 International Conference on Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (ICBBG2025)
General session: Fundamental research on biogeotechnics