Engineering microbial-biosolids coupled interface for sustainalbe geoenvironment in extreme weather
Climatic influences various natural phenomena and affect the overall environmental synergy. Precipitation pattern and temperature are among key phenomena that influence the soils and inturn life. Extended periods of droughts leads to loss of nutrition in soils and increases desertification of land. On the other hand, the increase in temperature (natural or anthropogenic activities) that lead to rise in temperatures in the geoenvironment will lead to unstable ground conditions. This situation is more detrimental in the presence of organic matter/organic soils and has been poorly understood. This study proposes to develop a novel technology to rejuvenate derelict soils by utilising native soil microorganisms and stimulating them with biowaste (such as biosolids), with an aim to commercialise the technology. These studies will require screening of the stimulants and the native soil microbes (consortium) that will be amended with a typical coarse-grained and fine-grained soil. Subsequently the efficacy of biomodification will be assessed based on several physical, and biochemical parameters relating to soil and plants. Further, through this proposed study a engineering behaviour of biomodified soils (organic soils) under elevated temperatures (ThermoHydroMechanical behaviour) will be carried out. This will a major step in this direction as till date the conventional practise has been to understand THM behaviour  of soils without biogenic function. These efforts will be followed by developing a mathematical framework that can predict the holistic behaviour of soils under elevated temp. This study will be carried out by Dr.Shashank Bettadapura Subramanyam(ER), Prof.Xiaohui Chen(from UnivLeeds) will be the PI. This collaboration will significantly influence ER's competences in pursuing his interests and achieving career goals and enable a 2way transfer of knowledge between the ER & PI related to biogeotechnics THMbehaviour &numerical aspect in environmental geotechnics.