18th C. W. Lovell Distinguished Lecture

4:30 p.m., Friday, November 3, 2023
Burton Morgan Bldg, Room 121, Purdue University

Professor Edward Kavazanjian, Jr.
Arizona State University

"GEO-Alchemy: Biogeotechnical Carbonate Precipitation for Hazard Mitigation and Ground Improvement"

Biomediated carbonate precipitation is perhaps the most studied phenomena in the emerging field of biogeotechnical engineering. These geotechnologies use either enzymes (enzyme induced carbonate precipitation, or EICP) or microbes (microbially induced carbonate precipitation, or MICP) to induce precipitation of calcium carbonate in granular soils, turning cohesionless sand into a sandstone-like material (“geo-alchemy”). Laboratory testing and field trials show that these technologies can non-disruptively enhance foundation bearing capacity and mitigate the potential for earthquake-induced liquefaction. Other applications include wind and water erosion control, scour protection, coastal protection, and tunneling in running and flowing sands. Several of these applications have progressed to field or field- scale trials and show promise to provide economy and enhanced sustainability compared to conventional alternatives. However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed to make this promise a reality.

About Professor Edward Kavazanjian, Jr.

Dr. Edward Kavazanjian, Jr. is a Regents' Professor and the Ira A. Fulton Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU). He joined ASU in 2004 after 20 years in engineering practice. He is Director of the Center for Bio-mediated and Bio- inspired Geotechnics (CBBG), a National Science Foundation-funded Gen-3 Engineering Research Center dedicated to the emerging sub- discipline of biogeotechnical engineering. His expertise also includes geotechnical engineering for civil infrastructure systems, geotechnical earthquake engineering, design and construction of waste containment systems, and the mechanical properties of solid waste. In 2013, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and in 2018 he was elected a Distinguished Member of ASCE.