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Review on Biopolymer Binders as Renewable, Sustainable Stabilizers for Soils

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Abstract

The main objective of soil stabilization is to transform the soil into engineered soils that can better support the loading of buildings, either prior to construction or following damages from excessive loading, earthquakes, landslides, and problematic behaviors and geo-hazards. The biological amendment procedures used to enhance soil properties are referred to as soil bio-stabilization. This fraction of ground improvement practice is increasingly frequently used as an alternative to chemical stabilizers. Biopolymers constitute a large body of stabilizers in the bio-stabilization context and are fundamentally polysaccharides having a monosaccharide network. For instance, it is currently known that adding xanthan gum to sand can enhance the angle of internal friction in the range of 1.0–3.0%, hence an effective intervention despite the debatable workability of compositions at such lower concentrations. This brief review will look at how different types of soil are stabilized using biopolymers. The influence of mechanical qualities is highlighted, along with the resistance of improved soils to erosion and water retention. The paper will present evidence for the viability of biopolymers as an alternative to conventional procedures given their typically more environmentally friendly and low carbon footprint. The benefits of biopolymer-based ground improvement and how biopolymers are used to stabilize various soil types are evaluated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cyprus International University, Via Mersin 10, Haspolat, North Cyprus, Turkey

    Bugse Ilman & Ayse Pekrioglu Balkis

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  1. Bugse Ilman
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  2. Ayse Pekrioglu Balkis
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BI: Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Visualization, Roles/Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. APB: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Roles/Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing.

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Correspondence to Ayse Pekrioglu Balkis.

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Ilman, B., Balkis, A.P. Review on Biopolymer Binders as Renewable, Sustainable Stabilizers for Soils. Int. J. of Geosynth. and Ground Eng. 9, 49 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40891-023-00470-x

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