Characteristics of Biopolymer Guar Gum Solution Injection for Eco-Friendly Ground Reinforcement

Abstract

Recently, research on the use of biopolymers for environmentally friendly soil improvement has been actively conducted. Biopolymer soil treatment has various effects, such as the enhancement of soil strength, reduction of hydraulic conductivity, and enhancement of vegetation. In this study, the flow and injection characteristics of guar gum solutions were analyzed to develop biopolymer-based injection materials. Viscosity measurements and micromodel experiments were conducted to analyze the flow and injection properties. Viscosity measurements indicated that the guar gum solution showed a tendency of shear-thinning, in which the viscosity decreased as the shear rate increased. By applying the Power-law, the consistency index tended to increase as the concentration of aqueous guar gum solution increased. However, no clear trend was observed for the behavior index. As a result of the micromodel experiment, the pore saturation tended to increase as the volumetric flow rate and concentration of the guar gum solution increased. This is because of an increase in the injection pressure and apparent viscosity. When applied to an actual field, the required injection pressure varies depending on the ground conditions. Therefore, the results of this study will be used as fundamental data for determining the concentration of aqueous guar gum solution suitable for ground conditions.