Thermal, Electrical and Viscous (TEV) Characterization of Biomodified Geomaterials

Abstract

Biomodification serves as a means for alteration of inherent engineering properties of geomaterials using microbes. In this regard, the present investigation is devoted towards pre and post biomodification assessment of thermal, electrical and viscou (TEV)properties of several geomaterial specimens. The scope of the current research also includes establishing correlations among the above mentioned properties and other geotechnical parameters of the earth materials.To assist the study, a soil thermal probe, electrical probe and viscometer are designed and fabricated .The thermal probe (ThP) works on the principle of transient heating technique, and is preferred over the ones based on steady state measurements to eliminate the effects of moisture migration and to reduce the time lag in measurement. The electrical probe (EcP) is based on the principle of application of a constant regulated AC voltage across the sample, measurement of electrical current flow and subsequent calculations to assess electrical conductivity of the soil mass. A soil viscometer (GeoVM) is designed and fabricated for shear strength and viscosity appraisal of geomaterial slurries. Subsequently, these equipment are calibrated and used for estimation of the respective soil properties.A radiation resistant bacterial sp.)featured in the study.Field application of this investigation applies to hazardous waste disposal systems and for suitability assessment of thermal backfills.