KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering (2023) 27(6):2497-2499 pISSN 1226-7988, eISSN 1976-3808

DOI 10.1007/s12205-023-0499-9 www.springer.com/12205

Geotechnical Engineering
Discussions & Replies

Discussion of “Direct Shear Characteristics of Enzymatically Cemented

Sands” by Mohammed Alwalana, Abdullah Almajeda, Kehinde Lemboyea and
Ahmed Alnuaima
b
Abdellah Cherif Taiba , Youcef Mahmoudic, and Mostefa Belkhatir d

a
Author: Alwalan M, Almajed A, Lemboye K, Alnuaim A (2023) KSCE J Civ Eng 27(4):1512-1525, DOI: 10.1007/s12205-023-0817-2 /
Dept. of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
b
Writer: Laboratory of Material Sciences & Environment, Laboratory of Architecture, Cities and Environment, Hassiba Ben Bouali University,
Ouled Fares 02180, Chlef, Algeria
c
Writer: Laboratory of Material Sciences & Environment, Hassiba Ben Bouali University, Ouled Fares 02180, Chlef, Algeria
d
Writer: Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation Researcher, Berlin, Germany

ARTICLE HISTORY ABSTRACT

Received 21 March 2023 The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the primary topic covered in the published article
Accepted 27 April 2023 titled “Direct Shear Characteristics of Enzymatically Cemented Sands” in KSCE Journal of Civil
Published Online 8 May 2023 Engineering. This additional content aims to augment the paper's coherence and make it
suitable for discussion, authored by Alwalan et al. (2023).
KEYWORDS

Sand
EICP
Direct shear
Stress dilatancy
Friction angle
Bolton index

1. Introduction
In their published paper in KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering
(Alwalan et al., 2023), Alwalan and their colleagues conducted a
significant study examining the influence of enzyme-induced
carbonate precipitation (EICP) on the shear strength of sand
cemented with bio-cement. The study used a direct shear test and
tested four different methods of applying the EICP solution:
spraying, mix-and-compact, percolation, and injection. The authors
also investigated the potential of EICP to improve the interaction
strength between sand and concrete. Their results showed that the
application method of the EICP solution affects the distribution of
CaCO3 precipitation in the soil matrix, and thus, the shear
strength of the specimens. Each method produced different results
compared to untreated sand. The discussers recognize and
appreciate the authors' hard work in preparing their paper. However,
there are certain matters that require additional explanation and
evaluation, and this discussion piece aims to address those issues
as its primary objective.
2. Body
The discussers highlighted a crucial aspect that the experiment
could have addressed regarding the impact of the enzyme-
induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) on the strength-dilatancy
relationship of sand. The strength-dilatancy relationship is a
fundamental soil behavior property that describes the change in
volume as the soil undergoes deformation under load, as defined
in previous studies (Bolton, 1986; Vieira et al., 2015; Strahler et
al., 2016; Xiao and Desai, 2016; Mahmoudi et al., 2021; Azaiez
et al., 2021a; Cherif Taiba et al., 2022a; Taibi et al., 2023).
However, the authors did not explicitly investigate the strength-
dilatancy relationship in their research, nor did they provide any
data or analysis on this aspect in their paper. It is possible that the

CORRESPONDENCE Abdellah Cherif Taiba a.cheriftaiba@univ-chlef.dz Laboratory of Material Sciences & Environment, Laboratory of Architecture, Cities and
Environment, Hassiba Ben Bouali University, Ouled Fares 02180, Chlef, Algeria
ⓒ 2023 Korean Society of Civil Engineers
2498 A. C. Taiba et al.
authors considered the impact of (EICP) on the shearing resistance
of the sand as an indirect indicator of the strength-dilatancy
relationship, but this is not clearly stated in the paper.
On the other hand, the authors overlooked the application of
the well-known Bolton stress-dilatancy equation, commonly used in
geotechnical engineering to evaluate the behavior of granular
soils under different loading conditions, in analyzing the stress-
dilatancy behavior of sand-(EICP) mixtures. This raises doubts
about whether the stress-dilatancy behavior of the mixtures
adheres to the predicted pattern by the Bolton equation, which
could assist in optimizing their design and use in geotechnical
engineering. Moreover, they did not assess how the stress-
dilatancy of the examined materials was affected by the four
different application methods of the (EICP) solution that were
tested, namely spraying, mix-and-compact, percolation, and
injection. In this context, the discussers suggest that the authors
should be conducted to evaluate the influence of the different
EICP application methods on stress-dilatancy behavior of their
examined materials under consideration. This could provide
valuable information for geotechnical engineers and help
determine the optimal method for applying EICP in various
geotechnical projects.
Therefore, in this experimental study, the authors did not
investigate the peak, excess, and maximum friction angles of the
sand-EICP mixtures. These parameters are crucial for evaluating
the shear strength of soil and its behavior under different loading
conditions (refer to the published papers: Vaid and Sasitharan,
1992; Fioravante, 2002; Lings and Dietz, 2005; Chakraborty and
Salgado, 2010; Chang and Yin, 2011; Nimbalkar et al., 2012;
Guzman and Iskander, 2014; Kong et al., 2016; Nejad et al.,
2017; Doumi et al., 2021; Azaiez et al., 2021b; Cherif Taiba et
al., 2022b). The lack of data on these parameters in the study
limits the understanding of the effect of enzyme-induced carbonate
precipitation (EICP) on the shear strength of sand and its potential
use in geotechnical engineering applications. The discussers
propose that the authors should consider evaluating the peak,
excess, and maximum friction angles of sand-EICP mixtures to
provide a more comprehensive understanding of their mechanical
behavior.
Although the study observed promising results regarding the
potential of enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation treatment to
improve the shear strength of cohesionless soils, it did not
examine the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of applying the
treatment in the field. The enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation
is a relatively new technology, and its practical applications
require considerations beyond the laboratory experiments. Factors
such as the availability of materials, the cost of the treatment, and
the potential impact on the environment must be taken into
account when evaluating the feasibility of applying the enzyme-
induced carbonate precipitation in the field. Therefore, the lack
of investigation into the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of
enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation treatment in the field
limits the practical implications of the study.
3. Conclusions
In general, the experimental investigation has some limitations, it
still offers a valuable contribution to the field of geotechnical
engineering. However, there is a need for further research to
explore the potential of using the enzyme-induced carbonate
precipitation (EICP) treatment to enhance the shearing behaviour
of granular soils.
Acknowledgments
Not Applicable
ORCID
Abdellah Cherif Taiba https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8130-4118
Mostefa Belkhatir https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0701-2605
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