Biochar is defined as an organic material produced by high-temperature burning of plant straw under anaerobic or low-oxygen conditions. It possesses characteristics such as high specific surface area, high pH value, and high cation exchange capacity. The spatial structure of soil is improved by biochar. Microbial growth is favored by biochar. Biochar was combined with microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology for silty clay solidification. Different biochar contents and different microbial ratios were applied. Unconfined compressive strength tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests were conducted on the solidified samples. The solidification effect and mechanism of biochar combined with MICP on silty clay were studied. First, MICP solidification of silty clay was performed using bacterial solution and cementation solution with volume ratios of 2∶8, 3∶7, 4∶6, and 5∶5. The unconfined compressive strength of the samples was measured. Without biochar addition, the ratio of 4∶6 for bacterial solution to cementation solution was analyzed to provide the best MICP solidification effect. Second, the bacterial solution to cementation solution ratio was maintained at 4∶6. Solidification tests combining biochar and MICP were conducted with biochar contents of 4%, 8%, and 12%. The unconfined compressive strength index was used. The optimal biochar content was determined as 8%. Further tests were carried out, including calcium carbonate content measurement, SEM observation, XRD tests, and FTIR tests on the soil samples. Both MICP and biochar are found to increase the calcium carbonate content in the soil. In the jointly solidified samples, calcium carbonate crystal aggregation is obvious. The cementation at the interface between biochar and soil particles is tighter. The porosity and unconfined compressive strength of the improved samples show a power function relationship. The results demonstrate that the combination of biochar and MICP technology has significant effects on silty clay solidification, and provide guidance for its application in engineering.
HU Qi-zhi, WANG Zi-gui, MA Qiang, TAO Gao-liang.
Experiment on Mechanical Properties of Silty Clay Improved by Biochar and Microorganism[J].
Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(17): 7407-7417 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2506572
结果表明,养护时间相同时,经MICP处理的粉质黏土试样的碳酸钙含量随生物炭掺量的增加而逐渐提高;生物炭掺量相同时,碳酸钙的含量随养护天数的延长而持续增长;生物炭掺量增加时,碳酸钙的生成速率呈现出逐渐加快的趋势。在前14 d 的养护过程中,碳酸钙含量的增长率分别为6.45%、7.89%、10.9%和12.12%,而在后14 d的养护过程中,碳酸钙含量的增长率为4.55%、6.1%、7.38%和8.67%。通过前后对比可以发现碳酸钙含量的增长率在后14 d显著下降,降幅接近一半,说明MICP反应主要在短时间内发挥作用。验证了生物炭与MICP技术对改良粉质黏土的力学性能具有协同作用。
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