Optimization of glass fiber reinforced MICP cured coastal sediments

This study integrates glass fibers (GF) with Microbial Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) to enhance the consolidation of coastal dredged sediments (CDS) and reduce treatment costs. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize four parameters-moisture content, reaction time, fiber length, and fiber content-using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and calcium carbonate content (CC) as response variables. The developed regression models exhibited high predictive accuracy (R2 0.98). Moisture content and reaction time were identified as the most influential factors for UCS and CC, respectively. Under the optimal conditions (moisture content 39.9%, reaction time 4 days, fiber length 5.6 mm, and fiber content 2.44%), the predicted UCS and CC reached 4.29 MPa and 3.21%, respectively, which closely matched experimental values. SEM and XRD analyses revealed that GF enhanced the formation of a CaCO₃-fiber network and increased calcite content from 10.5 to 11.5%. These findings demonstrate that integrating GF with MICP significantly improves mechanical strength and calcium carbonate deposition while reducing treatment costs, offering a sustainable solution for coastal sediment stabilization and reuse.