Resumen

VALENCIA GONZALEZ, YAMILE; CAMAPUM DE CARVALHO, JOSÉ  y  LARA VALENCIA, LUIS AUGUSTO. A FIELD STUDY ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF A TROPICAL SOIL WITH BIOTECHNOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES. Dyna rev.fac.nac.minas [online]. 2012, vol.79, n.173, pp.56-65. ISSN 0012-7353.

This research studies biotechnology applied to civil engineering construction in order to improve the physical, mechanical and hydraulic behavior of tropical soils. The method used is considered environmentally clean as this process is not a method of incorporation of certain microorganisms to the soil or addition of specific microorganisms into nutrient media. The process used consists in adding only B4 nutrient to the soil (15g of calcium acetate, 4g of yeast extract and 5g of glucose to 1 liter of distilled water, pH = 8.0), which induces the precipitation of calcium carbonate minerals (biomineralization), caused by the native bacteria existing in the soil. The improvement of the mechanical and hydraulic behavior occurs in about fifteen days after the addition of the nutrient, which is verified by tests compatible with the application of the soil such as shear strength, density, permeability, erosion potential, etc. Soil improvement is a consequence of the increase of soil structural stability. This result is quite favorable to the activities of civil engineering related to construction, maintenance and preservation of civil works in general.

Palabras clave : Biotechnology; Tropical soil; Calcium carbonate; Civil construction.

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