Project Grant 2242228

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $163,118 Project Grant under the Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) to the University of Maine System's University of Maine Division. This collaborative research project examines the effectiveness and durability of microbially induced desaturation (MID) to mitigate liquefaction in fine-grained, silt-based soils vulnerable to earthquake damage. The key objectives are to: (i) evaluate changes in excess pore water pressure due to MID to prevent liquefaction, (ii) examine the persistence of biogas produced by MID over timescales relevant to civil infrastructure, and (iii) link spatial and temporal soil saturation changes to the fundamental physics governing gas mobility and longevity. The project will combine laboratory experiments, field testing, and theoretical modeling to generate data and understanding to move MID from an abstract to a practicable long-term ground improvement method. No sub-awards are planned under this grant, which has an end date of August 31, 2026.