Department of Civil Engineering, Government Polytechnic Bellary, Karnataka, India.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 13(01), 867-874
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.13.1.0704
Received on 13 January 2022; Revised 25 January 2022; accepted on 29 January 2022
Soil stability is a crucial factor in mitigating landslides and ensuring the long-term durability of infrastructure built on slopes. Traditional soil stabilization techniques rely heavily on chemical additives and mechanical reinforcements, which can be expensive, labor-intensive, and environmentally harmful. As an alternative, bio-mediated soil improvement methods harness biological processes to enhance soil cohesion, reduce erosion, and increase load-bearing capacity, offering a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to geotechnical engineering. This paper explores key bio-mediated soil improvement techniques, including microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP), bio-polymer treatments, and plant-root reinforcement. MICP leverages the ability of specific bacteria to precipitate calcium carbonate, thereby enhancing soil strength and reducing permeability. Bio-polymer treatments use natural polymers derived from microbial or plant sources to improve soil aggregation and water retention properties. Plant-root reinforcement capitalizes on vegetation to provide mechanical stability by interlocking soil particles and preventing surface erosion. The effectiveness, advantages, and limitations of these bio-mediated methods are analyzed in detail, along with case studies demonstrating their application in real-world slope stabilization projects. Comparative assessments of their performance, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact are provided to highlight their viability as sustainable alternatives to conventional stabilization approaches. Additionally, future research directions are proposed to improve the efficiency, durability, and scalability of bio-mediated soil improvement techniques, particularly in the context of large-scale infrastructure and climate change resilience. By integrating biological solutions with modern engineering practices, bio-mediated soil improvement offers promising potential for enhancing slope stability while minimizing environmental disruption. This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing development of sustainable geotechnical solutions and foster broader adoption of bio-mediated approaches in slope stabilization efforts worldwide.
Io-mediated soil improvement; Slope stabilization; Microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP); Bio-polymer treatments; Plant-root reinforcement
Preview Article PDF
Rekha N and Ramakrishna U B. Bio-mediated soil improvement techniques for slope stability. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 13(1), 867-874. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2022.13.1.0704