Improvement of Engineering Properties of Expansive Soil Treated with Ureolytic Bacteria by Microbial-Induced Calcite Precipitation Method

IJEP 46(7): 644-651 : Vol. 46 Issue 7 (July 2026)

Full Text

S.P. Jeyapriya1, M. Rama1* and S. Pravin2

1. Government College of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Coimbatore – 641 013, Tamil nadu, India
2. Government College of Technology, Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Coimbatore – 641 013, Tamil nadu, India

Abstract

Microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) serves as an alternative stabilization technique and a sustainable ground improvement method for fine-grained soils. The study used the bacterial phase of the soil to precipitate calcite via ureolytic bacteria (Bacillus megaterium) using nutrient broth. An adequate concentration of the cementitious solution is required to achieve sufficient calcium carbonate precipitation. The optimum molarity of the cementitious solution was determined from pH tests. The unconfined compressive strength of the sample with optimum cementitious content, cured for 1, 7 and 28 days, was 30%, 46% and 69% higher, respectively, than that of the untreated sample. The plasticity index decreased by 32%, thereby reducing the soil’s compressibility from high to low. Consolidation test was conducted and the results demonstrated that the compression index, initial void ratio and coefficient of consolidation of the biotreated soil decreased. The optimum concentration of the cementitious solution was reported to be 0.5 M calcium chloride and 1 M urea. Beyond 0.5 M calcium chloride, compressibility increased. The compression index, coefficient of consolidation and initial void ratio of the sample decreased by 65%, 46% and 11%, respectively, compared with the control sample. The study proved that the MICP approach had a positive effect on expansive soil.

Keywords

Microbial-induced calcite precipitation, Ureolytic bacteria, Bioremediation, Compressibility, Cementitious solution

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