Biostabilization techniques and applications in Civil Engineering: State-of-the-Art

Biostabilization is an emerging environmental friendly stabilization method for improving the properties/per-formance of civil engineering materials/structures. The present work focuses on various biostabilization methods, the processes, pathways involved, and their applications in civil engineering, which have been explored through laboratory and field-scale studies. Different microorganisms, enzymes, and nutrient dosages used, and the effect of treatment on improvement in compressive strength, reduction in permeability, and other properties have also been discussed. A critical assessment of earlier studies has shown that the increase in compressive strength varies exponentially with calcium carbonate precipitation. It has also been observed that improvement in compressive strength in different studies varies significantly, and efforts have been made to understand the reasons for this variation. The work also discusses the factors controlling upscaling of the biostabilization process and its prospective applications in various infrastructure projects. The detailed assessment presented in this work may help engineers and researchers to understand the challenges associated with biostabilization methods, thereby, leading to their successful implementation in future applications.