Mineral Type Impact on Thermal Conductivity of Biocement and Biocemented Sand

Abstract

This study experimentally investigates the influence of CaCO3 polymorphs on the thermal conductivity (TC) of biocement and biocemented sand. Calcite-rich biocements consistently showed higher TC than vaterite-dominated ones, regardless of density or saturation. Vaterite-rich biocement, resulting from rapid precipitation and elevated organic content, yields inherently lower TC. This study shed light on the limited TC improvement observed in vaterite-rich biocemented sand.