CLIMA/Collaborative Research: Enhancing Soil-Based Infrastructure Resilience to Climate Change: Harnessing the Potential of Fractured Soil by Adding Biopolymers

This CiviL Infrastructure research for climate change Mitigation and Adaptation (CLIMA) award supports research that will investigate a novel class of soil composites and their multi-physical coupled phenomenon to mitigate climate change effects on already fractured soil-based infrastructures by enhancing their durability and resilience. In the context of materials employed in soil-based infrastructure applications, traditional and calcium-based materials, as well as synthetic products, have led to greenhouse gas emissions, directly and indirectly contributing to global warming. Thus, there is a growing need for environmentally-friendly and efficient solutions to improve soil characteristics. Biopolymers have demonstrated their effectiveness in soil stabilization for intact natural soils. However, their potential impact on the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of already fractured soil, and their role as a fracture stabilizer has been relatively unexplored. Through this collaborative CLIMA project, the researchers will investigate the potential of biopolymers as fracture stabilizers to enhance the strength and resilience of soil-based infrastructure, particularly concerning climate-induced soil fractures. The research outcomes will be integrated into various educational and outreach activities, engaging students at different academic levels (K-12, undergraduate, and graduate) and diverse backgrounds (women and individuals from underrepresented groups) to promote research on green soil-based infrastructure. Additionally, the project aims to foster multi-institutional collaboration across different classifications (R1 and R2) by developing teaching modules, lectures, and special panel discussions on this subject at conferences. The specific goal of the research is to comprehend the complex interplay between biopolymer, water content, and fracture orientation in fractured biopolymer-soil composites. To achieve this goal, this project will advance scientific knowledge by (1) fully integrating multi-scale multi-physics theoretical formulations, experimental data, and numerical models, (2) pioneering high-resolution 4D in-situ thermo-mechanical characterization methods for biopolymer fractured soil, (3) conducting state-of-the-art thermo-mechanical characterization at the microscale, (4) identifying and quantifying the effect of biopolymers on different water populations in various pore systems, and (5) carrying out the extensive macro-scale fully-coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical experimental program. The outcomes of this CLIMA project will provide a foundational technical roadmap for including biopolymers in soil-based infrastructure, promoting environmental and community-conscious choices, and generating positive societal impacts essential for building a climate-resilient future. This project is supported by the Engineering for Civil Infrastructure (ECI) Program and the Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MoMS) Program of the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) of the Directorate for Engineering (ENG). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.