Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation for Soil Stabilization: A State-of-Art Review
Radha Palpi Boruah, Berlin Mohanadhas, K Jayakesh
Abstract
Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is an emerging bio geotechnical method for sustainable soil stabilization, that enhances soil strength, stiffness, and impermeability through microbial calcium carbonate precipitation. This review synthesizes recent advancements in MICP, emphasizing microbial mechanisms, critical influencing parameters, environmental challenges, and multiscale numerical modeling. It comprehensively evaluates microbial strains such as Sporosarcina pasteurii, implementation strategies such as bioaugmentation and biostimulation, and provides a comparative analysis of enzyme-induced calcite precipitation (EICP). The manuscript also integrates modeling tools to predict pore-scale interactions and field-scale behavior, along with field trials, durability under environmental stress, and innovations like fiber-reinforced MICP. This review offers actionable insights to advance MICP from laboratory research to field-ready, sustainable infrastructure applications.