doi:10.3850/GI195

ABSTRACT

Biocement is a new material that can be used to treat soil and waste in a way similar to ordinary cement. The mechanisms of this method is to use microbial process to strengthen soil or reduce the permeability of the soil. This new approach has the merit of both environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Different typess of microorganisms that are able to exert biocement ation or bioclogging effect have been identified. These include iron-reducing bacteria, urease-producing bacteria, nitrifying bacteria, and oligotrophic bacteria. For each type of microorganism, the biological process, cultivation procedure and cementation mechanism are briefly presented. The effectiveness of some of the treatment is also demonstrated.

Keywords: Boicement; microbial technology; soil improvement.

© 2010 by Geotechnical Society of Singapore (GeoSS)