The Influence of Biofilm on the Mechanical Behavior of Sand

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The Influence of Biofilm on the Mechanical Behavior of Sand

S. W. Perkins,1 P. Gyr,2 and G. James3

REFERENCE: Perkins, S. W., Gyr, P., and James, G., “The Influence
of Biofilm on the Mechanical Behavior of Sand,”
Geotechnical Testing Journal, GTJODJ, Vol. 23, No. 3, September
2000, pp. 300–312.
ABSTRACT: The growth of microbes on the surface of an object
results in the formation of a biofilm, which in sand can lead to a reduction
of hydraulic conductivity and can be used for groundwater
containment and remediation. Sample preparation and testing techniques
for triaxial and oedometer experiments were devised for the
purpose of examining the influence of biofilm on the stress-straintime
properties of Ottawa sand. Results have shown that biofilm has
a negligible influence on the strength and stiffness of the sand but
increases time-dependent creep deformation. An elasto-viscoplastic
constitutive model was calibrated for biofilm and non-biofilm sand
and implemented into a finite-element code for the purpose of predicting
creep deformation of a slope and a foundation resting on
level ground. Numerical simulations showed that additional creep
behavior of the biofilm sand had a negligible influence on the behavior
of these geotechnical engineering facilities.
KEYWORDS: microbial bacteria, biofilm, biobarrier, sand, triaxial
testing, oedometer testing, mechanical behavior, creep, constitutive
modeling, finite-element modeling

 

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