Debris flow mitigation by using biopolymers as a soil stabilizer

Abstract

Towards rising the attention to the use of green materials in geotechnical applications, this study aims to introduce carrageenan as a new environment-friendly polymer for slope surface stabilization. A set of experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the biopolymer-treated soil to form a resistant surface against the surface erosion and debris flow. samples were tested by changing a variety of effective parameters including biopolymer content, moisture content, curing time, soil type, and durability under wet- dry cycles. Kaolinite soil along with river sand in different combinations were employed and treated by various biopolymer proportions to optimize the biopolymer and soil parameters. Subsequently, the optimum mixture of each biopolymer-treated soil was subjected to 5 cycles of wetting and drying. A broad microstructural study by performing FTIR analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images was conducted and an analytical model was developed to clarify how biopolymer stabilize the slope surface. The results confirm the successful performance of carrageenan in connecting soil grains, increasing mechanical strength and durability of soil against surface erosion. It can be concluded that carrageenan can be considered as a sustainable alternative to conventional materials such as cement and lime.