Effect of filler aggregate on the repairment of rock cracks using microbe-induced calcium precipitation

To overcome the expense of superfine cement slurry and the unfriendly environmental influences of chemical binders, microbe-induced calcium precipitation (MICP) method with filler aggregates was used to simulate jointed rock repairment. The reinforcement quality was investigated in terms of filling material type, density, and particle size, indicating the significant enhancements in tensile strength when enlarging the filler dimension and improving its density. The samples containing coarse sands as a filler produced the best reinforcement in tensile strength, followed by fine and silty sand, respectively. The crystal morphologies differed by filling materials, potentially as a result of the CaCO3 precipitation intensity. © 2021, Saudi Society for Geosciences.