Engineering FUngal Networks for Ground Improvement (Engineering FUNGI)

传统的地基改良技术是高度侵入性的，通常是能源密集型的，并且可能需要将对环境有害的化学品或碳密集型材料（例如化学灌浆、水泥）引入地下。建筑业占英国碳排放量的7%。英国的目标是到2050年将碳排放量减少80%（相对于1990年的基线），这为英国建筑业向低碳经济过渡带来了挑战和巨大的机遇。水泥材料的使用在传统的地基加固技术中很普遍，水泥生产占全球二氧化碳排放总量的5-7%，因此显然需要开发新的地基加固技术。在过去的十年中，岩土工程研究界见证了一个新的分支学科的创建：岩土工程学，一个生物学，地球化学，土壤力学和岩土工程界面的多学科领域。这代表了岩土工程的一个范式转变-到目前为止，公认的观点一直认为地面是无菌和惰性的;现在工程师正在探索在地面工程应用中使用生物和生物化学过程的潜力。这一提议是利用工程真菌网络开发一种新型低碳、最少干预、基于生物的技术的第一步。已知自然界的生物土壤结皮（由真菌、细菌和其他生物体组成）能够承受水或风的作用造成的侵蚀。本项目将研究丝状真菌，即生长菌丝（管状结构）的真菌。人们认为真菌菌丝的行为类似于植物的根系-渗透到土壤颗粒之间并缠绕它们-帮助将土壤颗粒结合在一起，但规模较小。此外，真菌可以分泌生化产物，这也可能有助于土壤颗粒的结合。该项目将通过调查三种不同类型的真菌及其增强不同土壤类型行为的能力，系统地量化土壤中真菌处理的机械效益。该项目将确定快速真菌网络生长所需的条件，并优化菌丝发育的方向，以获得最大的机械效益。从拟议的实验活动中产生的数据集将作为开发一系列新的自然启发的地基加固技术的跳板。拟议的研究可能会改变我们如何考虑地基加固技术的设计，开发和部署。这项研究建议通过使用真菌网络来“提高”所需的治疗水平，而不是让地面受到不同的能源密集型或侵入性技术的影响。该过程可以使用外部刺激来设计，以根据特定地点的应用要求定向菌丝网络。本项目将调查真菌网络作为地面改良技术的可行性。

Conventional ground improvement techniques are highly invasive, frequently energy intensive and may require the introduction of environmentally damaging chemicals or carbon-intensive materials into the subsurface (e.g. chemical grouts, cement). The construction sector is responsible for 7% of carbon emissions in the UK. The UK target for 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 (against the 1990 baseline) presents both challenges and tremendous opportunities for the UK construction sector in the transition towards a low-carbon economy. The use of cementitious materials is pervasive in conventional ground improvement techniques, and with cement production contributing 5-7% of total global CO2 emissions there is a clear need for the development of new ground improvement technologies. Over the last ten years the geotechnical engineering research community has witnessed the creation of a new subdiscipline: biogeotechnics a multi-disciplinary field at the interface of biology, geochemistry, soil mechanics, and geotechnical engineering. This represents a paradigm shift in geotechnical engineering- until now the accepted view has been to consider the ground as sterile and inert; now engineers are exploring the potential for use of biological and biochemical processes in ground engineering applications. This proposal represents the first steps towards the development of a novel low-carbon, minimal intervention, biologically based technology using engineered fungal networks.Biological soil crusts in nature (consisting of fungi, bacteria and other organisms) are known to withstand erosion due to water or wind action. This project will investigate filamentous fungi, i.e. fungi which grow hyphae (tube-like structures). It is thought that fungal hyphae behave similar to plant roots - penetrating between soil particles and entangling them -helping to bind soil particles together, but on a smaller scale. Furthermore, fungi can secrete biochemical products, which may also contribute to binding of soil particles. This project will systematically quantify the mechanical benefit of fungal treatment in soils by investigating three different types of fungi and their ability to enhance the behaviour of different soil types. The project will determine the conditions required for rapid fungal network growth to occur and optimise the orientation of hyphal development to give maximum mechanical benefit. The dataset arising from the proposed experimental campaign will act as a springboard for the development of a new range of nature inspired ground improvement technologies.The research proposed could transform how we consider the design of, development and deployment of ground improvement technologies. Rather than subject the ground to different energy intensive or invasive techniques, this research proposes to 'grow' the required level of treatment through the use of fungal networks. The process could be engineered using external stimuli to orient the hyphal networks as required for site-specific applications. This project will investigate the feasibility of the deployment of fungal networks as a ground improvement technology.