Mitigation of Liquefaction Hazards Using the Combined Biodesaturation and Bioclogging Method Shifan Wu Iowa State University

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Mitigation of Liquefaction Hazards Using the Combined Biodesaturation and Bioclogging Method Shifan Wu Iowa State University Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2015 Mitigation of liquefaction hazards using the combined biodesaturation and bioclogging method Shifan Wu Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Civil Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Wu, Shifan, "Mitigation of liquefaction hazards using the combined biodesaturation and bioclogging method" (2015). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 14728. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/14728 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Mitigation of liquefaction hazards using the combined biodesaturation and bioclogging method by Shifan Wu A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering) Program of Study Committee: Jian Chu, Major Professor James Alleman Jeramy Ashlock David White Thomas Loynachan Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2015 Copyright © Shifan Wu, 2015. All rights reserved. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................... xii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................1 1.1 Background and Motivation .......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Scope of Research .......................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Outline of Dissertation ................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................6 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Liquefaction Susceptibility and Mitigation Methods .................................................... 6 2.2.1 Liquefaction terminology ........................................................................................ 6 2.2.2 Liquefaction susceptibility assessment ................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Liquefaction mitigation methods .......................................................................... 11 2.2.4 Desaturation method for liquefaction mitigation .................................................. 13 2.3 Microbial Geotechnology Process and Application .................................................... 23 2.3.1 Bio-mediated soil improvement ............................................................................ 24 2.3.2 Biogas (N2) generation through biological denitrification process ....................... 31 2.3.3 Challenges and recommendations for microbial geotechnology .......................... 34 2.4 Engineering Property of Granular Soil ........................................................................ 38 2.4.1 Critical state soil mechanics framework ............................................................... 38 2.4.2 Undrained behavior of sand under monotonic loading ......................................... 41 2.4.3 Undrained behavior of sand under cyclic loading ................................................ 44 2.4.4 Instability of sand .................................................................................................. 45 2.4.5 Improvement of engineering properties of soil through microbial process .......... 46 2.5 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 52 iii CHAPTER 3 BACTERIA CULTIVATION, BIOGAS GENERATION AND BIOCLOGGING PROCESSES ...............................................................................................55 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 55 3.2 Cultivation of Bacteria ................................................................................................. 55 3.2.1 Cultivation of denitrifying bacteria ....................................................................... 55 3.2.2 Cultivation of urease producing bacteria .............................................................. 58 3.3 Biogas Generation Test ................................................................................................ 62 3.3.1 Test setup .............................................................................................................. 63 3.3.2 Results and discussion .......................................................................................... 64 3.4 Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) in Sand ..................... 68 3.4.1 Test setup .............................................................................................................. 69 3.4.2 Treatment procedure ............................................................................................. 70 3.4.3 Monitoring and sampling methods ....................................................................... 71 3.4.4 Results and discussion .......................................................................................... 73 3.5 Conclusions .................................................................................................................. 81 CHAPTER 4 BIOGAS STABILITY AND MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SAND TREATED WITH BIOCEMENT ................................................................................84 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 84 4.2 Stability of Biogas in Sand .......................................................................................... 84 4.2.1 Sand properties ...................................................................................................... 84 4.2.2 Testing setup ......................................................................................................... 86 4.2.3 Test results and discussion .................................................................................... 92 4.3 Microscopic Characteristics of Microbial Techniques Treated Sand ........................ 103 4.3.1 X-ray computed tomography and scanning electron microscope ....................... 103 4.3.2 Sand sample preparation ..................................................................................... 106 4.3.3 Analysis of test images ....................................................................................... 109 4.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 120 CHAPTER 5 MODEL TESTS TO STUDY THE SEISMIC RESPONSE OF BIOGAS DESATURATED SAND.......................................................................................................122 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 122 5.2 Material and Equipment ............................................................................................. 123 5.2.1 Laminar box ........................................................................................................ 123 5.2.2 Shaking table ....................................................................................................... 125 5.2.3 Instrumentation ................................................................................................... 127 iv 5.2.4 Sand properties .................................................................................................... 130 5.3 Test Methodology ...................................................................................................... 130 5.3.1 Test arrangement ................................................................................................. 130 5.3.2 Test procedures ................................................................................................... 133 5.3.3 Monitoring the denitrification process ................................................................ 138 5.4 Test Results ................................................................................................................ 140 5.4.1 Overview ............................................................................................................. 140 5.4.2 The leveled ground condition ............................................................................
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