23-11-2014

Challenge the future

Delft University of Technology

Masterclass: Bio-based Geo & Civil Engineering

Leon van Paassen

2

STW program BioGeoCivil

Bio-Based Geo & Civil Engineering for a Sustainable Society:

Develop Bio-based materials and processes that substantially mitigate the pressure from the geo & civil engineering activities on the environment.

3

Why Bio-based?

4

Current BioGeoCivil projects

• Biofix: Bio-mediated ground improvement to mitigate liquefaction and piping of granular sediments: Van Paassen (TUD), Van Loosdrecht(TUD), Hicks (TUD), Heimovaara (TUD).

• Lift up Lowlands: Upgrading of natural materials and methods for sustainable lift up of low lying polder areas: Grotenhuis (WUR), Reinaarts (WUR), Van Paassen (TUD), Van Tol (TUD).

• Biocement: Towards the development of carbondioxide neutral renewable cement: Jonkers (TUD), Grotenhuis (WUR), Coomans (WUR/ECN).

• Bioretrofit: Biobased Repair and Performance Improvements of Aged Concrete Structures: Jonkers (TUD), Van Loosdrecht (TUD), Muyzer (TUD).

• Biocoatings: Engineering of biobased substrates on buildings and infrastructure: Heimovaara (TUD), Hassanizadeh (UU), Van Veen (NIOO).

• BioWoPro: Biofilms for Wood Protection: Samson (KNAW-CBS), Adan (TUE), Huinink (TUE).

www.biogeocivil.nl

5

BioFix: Using bacteria to improve

soil strength

6

Lake Clifton,Yalgorup National Park, Australia

Algea, cyanobacteria precipitate CaCO3

Micro-organisms precipitate CaCO3

7

Initial concept: Biogrout

1. Select and cultivate suitable bacteria. 2. Inject bacteria in the subsurface. 3. Inject substrates in the subsurface. 4. Bacteria produce calcium carbonate. 5. Remaining products are removed.

8

CO(NH2)2 + CaCl2 + 2H2O 2 NH4Cl + CaCO3 (s)

Urease

(Sporosarcina Pasteurii)

Sporosarcina pasteurii Urea CaCO3 crystals

MICP by urea hydrolysis

9

Scale-up in 5 years: 2004-2009

10 cm 1 m 1m3 100m3

2004 2005 2007

1D 2D-radial 3D

2009

10

2009: Sand to sandstone in 12 days

40m3 solidified, but heterogeneous

11

2010: First full scale application:

Stabilizing a borehole in gravel

12

Conclusions after Biogrout field trial

• Biological ground reinforcement is possible!

• But…

• Costs: 400.000 Euro (about 400 Euro /m3 soil)

• Resources (Urea and Calcium chloride)

• Ammonium chloride removal

• Cultivation of bacteria

• Environmental impact?

13

calcium-fatty acid + calcium nitrate Biomass + CaCO3 + N2(g)

Urea hydrolysis

Resources Waste Sandstone

ureum + calcium chloride CaCO3 + ammonium chloride

Denitrification

Resources Sandstone

Denitrifying micro-organisms

Microbes

Microbes

Sporosarcina pasteurii

Waste

Alternative processes

14

N-rich waste stream organic waste stream

Biological nitrification

reactor

Biological Acidification

reactor

CaCO3

Calcium - fatty acids Calcium nitrate

N2, CO2

Sand Sandstone

N2, CO2

CaCO3

MICP by denitrification:

using waste as a resource

15

Proof of principle on denitrification

16

Research challenges

• Unproven technology

• Reactive transport of liquid, solutes, gas, bacteria and solids?

• Reaction Rates?

• Accumulation of toxic intermediates N2O, NO?

• Bacterial growth the role of biomass?

• Gas production?

17

Biogas: threat or potential?

• Biogas reduces liquefaction potential

18

Research team

• TU Delft: GeoScience and Engineering/Environmental

Biotechnology/Numerical mathematics:

• Luke Bergwerff: use numerical models to define the optimum process

rates and how substrates and products are distributed in the

subsurface.

• Vinh Pham: define the requirements for liquefaction and piping

mitigation and prove experimentally that these requirements can be

fulfilled.

• Miranda van Wijngaarden: develop a numerical models which can be

used to predict the effect of biocementation at full scale.

• Industrial partners: Deltares, Volker Wessels

19

Lift up lowlands

Using and upgrading dredged sediments to mitigate subsidence in low

lying polder areas

© Deltares

20

Subsidence

• Subsidence rates up to 1 cm /year

due to:

• Gas extraction

• Peat oxidation

• Dewatering and compaction

• Associated problems

• Increased flood risk

• Salinization, land deterioration

• Increased energy for water

management

www.kennislink.nl

21

Dredging

100 million m3/year dredged sediments

For

• Maintaining water ways

• Water quality

• Remove Nutrients

• Remove Contamination

99% not contaminated

5% is reused as construction material

22

Lift up lowlands strategies

Three scenario’s to reverse the process of land subsidence are

envisioned:

1. Accelerate peat formation in constructed wetlands,

2. Use of dredged materials to mitigate subsidence

3. Use enhanced dredged sediments for civil engineering

structures e.g. dike reinforcement (high strength, limited

deformation).

23

Field site Wormer & Jisperwater

x N P

24

Installing equipment at depot X

level gauges access platform

25

Sampling and monitoring monthly

26

Studying the effect of crack formation and

plant growth

27

Research questions

• How much dredging sludge is required?

• How do volume and consistency change in time? What is best

strategy to accelerate drying?

• How do cracks develop? And how do they affect the physical and

biological ripening process?

• How does the composition change (moisture, organic content,

grain size distribution, nutrients)?

• What is the role of plant?

• How does a change in composition affect the mechanical

properties?

• What is the feasibility for reusing the sediments?

28

Lift up lowlands research group

• Wageningen University

• Bruna Oliveira: study the environmental and physical requirements

for reuse of dredged sediments to mitigate subsidence and can added

materials improve the material properties

• Delft University of Technology

• Roderick Tollenaar: develop a mechanical model to quantify volume

change and crack formation due to physical ripening.

• Nor Hazwani: study how the decomposition of organic matter affects

the compressibility of organic soils

• Industrial partners

• Arcadis, Deltares, Tauw, Witteveen & Bos, Hoogheemraadschap

Hollands Noorderkwartier