Evaluating the Effectiveness of Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) on Coal Mine Overburden Waste (CMOW) Stabilization
Discuss this preprint
Start a discussion What are Sciety discussions?Listed in
This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.Abstract
Coal Mine Overburden Waste (CMOW), characterized by its loose structure, low cohesion, and high erodibility, poses significant challenges in geotechnical and environmental engineering. This study investigates the application of Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) as a sustainable bio-stabilization technique to improve CMOW’s mechanical properties. Three ureolytic strains of Sporosarcina pasteurii (SP77, SP78, SP79) were evaluated using cementation solutions (CaCl 2 -Urea) at 0.5 Molar (M), 1.0 M, and 1.5 M concentrations. The SP77 strain at 0.5 M exhibited optimal performance, achieving an average unconfined compressive strength of 873.82 kPa and 8.69% calcite content. Stress–strain responses revealed notable improvements in stiffness, ductility, and post-peak behaviour, indicating a transition from brittle to ductile failure. FESEM and XRD analyses confirmed effective calcite precipitation, interparticle bonding, and pore filling. These results highlight MICP’s potential as an eco-friendly, effective solution for enhancing CMOW stability and promoting sustainable mine site rehabilitation.
