Descrizione del progetto
Stabilizzazione del terreno ispirata dalla natura
La stabilizzazione del terreno rappresenta un processo importante nell’edilizia, perché può attenuare i rischi di stabilità innescati da terremoti, erosione del suolo, invecchiamento delle infrastrutture e frane. La stabilizzazione del suolo è applicata alle infrastrutture industriali, di trasporto e commerciali. È necessaria inoltre per gli edifici a causa della crescente urbanizzazione, in particolare nelle regioni in via di sviluppo. Tuttavia, gli additivi minerali e gli agenti stabilizzanti utilizzati oggi nel mercato della stabilizzazione del terreno sono pericolosi per l’ambiente e costosi da applicare in quanto richiedono attrezzature pesanti. Il progetto CEBREWA, finanziato dall’UE, si concentra sul rinforzo del terreno bio-mediato, ispirato dalla natura, che viene chiamato bio-cementazione. Sarà sviluppato e controllato l’intero sistema a livello industriale così da permettere applicazioni di bio-cementazione del terreno veloci e riproducibili.
Obiettivo
CEBREWA (Construction & Environmental Biocementation in REal World Applications) tackles the emerging ground stabilisation problems which are becoming increasingly pressing in construction and environmental engineering. Ground stabilization mitigates stability risks associated with geohazards, such as earthquakes, soil erosion, and landslides. Such problems are expected to be further intensified by extreme weather and aging infrastructure. Traditionally, ground stabilization is applied to roads, railroads, airfields, embankments, reservoirs, bank protection, canals, dams, and coastal engineering. Rapid urbanization, particularly in developing regions, is fuelling the ground stabilization market growth. This is primarily due to: (i) the scarcity of suitable land for development and (ii) the need to extend existing infrastructure (typically by building more floors, and therefore increasing the loads sustained by foundations) to support increasing populations in urban zones. The mineral additives & stabilizing agents segment currently accounts for the largest share in the ground stabilization market. Mineral & stabilizing agents include, amongst others, cement, lime, fly ash, and polyurethane resins. This market has not been disrupted for decades, with current solutions complex and expensive, mainly due to the heavy equipment required for their application, and often hazardous to the environment, as they rely on the extensive use of industrial fluids or microplastics. The ERC-funded project BIOGEOS (grant agreement 788587) focuses on bio-mediated, nature-inspired ground reinforcement (bio-cementation). The goal is to develop and master the complete, industrial-scale system which will allow fast and reproducible ground bio-cementation applications. The PoC is expected to result in IP consolidation, scaling-up of production through outsourcing and demonstration of value created for end-users.
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantIstituzione ospitante
1015 Lausanne
Svizzera