Abstract:
The concept of using biological process in soil improvement which is known as biomediated
soil improvement technique has shown greater potential in engineering
applications in terms of performance and environmental sustainability. In this
research we performed field investigations and laboratory tests to understand the
major composition of beachrocks in Uswetakeiyawa, Sri Lanka with a focus on
developing a sustainable bio-mediated ground improvement Method. We
performed elemental and mineralogical analyses of the beachrocks and seawater in
the Uswetakeiyawa beachrock sites. Our focus was on the cement formation
mechanism of beachrock. Uswetakeiyawa beachrock composition was mainly
analyzed by using Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and scanning
electron microscope and its formative environment (Beach sand and sea water) was
analyzed using standard sieve analysis, EDTA titrametry. Atomic Absorption
Spectroscopy(AAS) and Iron Chromatography. Overall values suggest that the
studied Uswetakeiyawa beachrock for mation is consisted with CaO and MgO. The
observations suggest that beachrock show similarities with Indian and Japanese
similar occurrences. The beachrock cement is similar to Aragnite that observed in
the majority of the sites globally
Citation:
Weerabahu, M.R.M., Arachchi, G.R.V., Samaraweera, M.W.S.S., Dassanayake, A.B.N., Jayawardena, C.L., & Ratnayaka, N.P. (2018) Elemental and mineralogical analysis of beachrock in Uswetakeiyawa, Sri Lanka with a focus on developing a sustainable ground improvement method. In A.M.K.B. Abeysinghe & G.V.I. Samaradivakara (Eds.), Proceedings of International Symposium on Earth Resources Management & Environment 2018 (pp. 159-164). Department of Earth Resources Engineering, University of Moratuwa.