Kerem Bozkurt is doctoral researcher at the Department of Hydromechanics and Modelling of Hydrosystems and member of SFB 1313 "Interface-Driven Multi-Field Processes in Porous Media – Flow, Transport and Deformation". On Thursday, 20th March 2025, he will give his milestone-presentation:
Date: Thursday, 20th March 2025
Time: 16:00 pm
Title: "Experimental and Numerical Studies on Evolving Hydraulic Properties in Biomineralization"
Place: Pfaffenwaldring 61, Room U.1.003 (MML), 70569 Stuttgart-Vaihingen
Abstract:
Porous media are living systems—constantly restructured by microbial activity, fluid forces, and mineral formation, all competing to define the fate of flow. Among these processes, biofilm growth and biomineralization play key roles by modifying pore structures, thereby controlling porosity and permeability. Biofilms, by forming within the pore spaces, can create or block flow paths depending on hydraulic forces, leading to complex interactions between growth, detachment, and shear stress. Meanwhile, biomineralization techniques such as Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) and the newly developed Urease-Active Calcite Powder (UACP) offer promising strategies to control and stabilize porous media for applications like soil reinforcement and hydraulic barrier formation. In this work, the evolution of flow paths under biofilm growth and shear stress is investigated through microfluidic experiments and numerical simulations. Furthermore, MICP experiments in glass and PDMS microfluidic cells are presented, and the numerical model, along with its calibration, is developed based on sand column experiments using UACP to get homogeneously high strength bio-concrete. The overall aim of this study is to explore the impact of biofilms and shear forces on flow path dynamics, as well as to advance the understanding of biofilm-mediated biomineralization processes.
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