State-of-the-art on geotechnical engineering perspective on bio-mediated processes

Geotechnical engineering has primarily focused on the mechanical and physical aspects of geomaterials (both naturally occurring and anthropogenic) by, to a certain extent, ignoring the effect of various bio-activities (by plants and microorganisms) impinging on them. However, in recent years, researchers have investigated ‘bio-mediated soil improvement techniques’ such as bio-cementation, bio-clogging, bio-remediation and phytoremediation. Further, the studies from geo-microbiology and hydrometallurgy perspectives demonstrate that microbial activities in geoenvironment might result in its degradation, mineral deposition and mineralogical alteration, and hence influence of these activities on geomaterials should be understood, and investigated, in detail. With this in view, a review of the processes induced/influenced by various biological activities that might impact the geomaterials and their performance, from the geotechnical engineering point of view, has been reported in this manuscript. Furthermore, a need for revamping the conventional geotechnical engineering practices by assimilating the concepts of bio-activities occurring in geomaterials has been discussed, and the challenges and a way forward to incorporate them have also been presented.