par Lefevre, Elise ;Cuccurullo, Alessia
Référence Materials and structures, 58, 340
Publication Publié, 2025-11-14
Article révisé par les pairs
Résumé : Growing concerns about the environmental impact of modern construction materials, particularly concrete, have renewed interest in earth-based construction. While chemical binders like cement and lime are commonly used to improve strength and durability, they increase embodied energy and limit recyclability. As a promising sustainable alternative, Enzyme-Induced Calcite Precipitation (EICP) enhances mechanical performance through calcium carbonate precipitation. However, its application to fine-grained soils remains limited, particularly regarding the influence of curing conditions and environmental factors on performance. This study explores EICP stabilization of compacted raw earth using soybean-derived urease in juice (SJ) and fine powder (SP) form, focusing on the effects of curing temperature (25 °C, 40 °C and 60 °C) and relative humidity RH (30%, 50% and 90%) on the mechanical performance and durability against water erosion. Results show that highest strength is reached at 25 °C and at 60 °C for SP and SJ stabilized samples, respectively. SP-stabilized samples showed no erosion in drip tests under all conditions except at RH=90%, where erosion depth reached 2.88 mm. SJ samples instead were less erosive when cured at 60 °C, with an erosion depth of 3.35 mm. Results finally showed that drier samples (equalized at RH=30%) are stronger and stiffer for both SJ and SP stabilizations. These findings underscore the critical role of curing conditions - specifically temperature and relative humidity - in the efficiency of EICP stabilization. They also demonstrate that the suction concept, widely accepted for unsaturated soils, remains applicable to EICP-stabilized soils, which are engineered materials incorporating calcium carbonate crystals and soybean-derived organic matter.

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