Given the issues of soil cracking, poor water retention during drought, and erosion damage caused by rainfall, we conducted an in-depth study on the water retention properties, cracking resistance, and scouring resistance of biogel-amended clay using evaporation cracking and scouring tests. The hydrophysical properties and cohesive aggregation mechanism of biogel-amended clay were explored, and the results showed that the incorporation of biogel improved the water retention, cracking resistance, and scour resistance of the clay samples. With an increase in the biogel content, the biogel mucous membrane inside the samples improved the cohesion between soil particles, reduced the generation and development of cracks, and improved the cracking resistance. There was no significant cracking of the samples after the biogel content reached 0.3%, which changed the migration of water in the sample, prevented water evaporation, and improved the water retention of the clay samples. Biofilm can change the migration of water in the sample, prevent some evaporation, and reduce the evaporation rate. To a certain extent, it can enhance the water retention capacity of the sample. Enhanced biofilm content significantly reduced scouring in the process of rainfall and runoff erosion of the sample, and biofilm content of 0.2% significantly reduced the surface of the specimen damaged by erosion. The hydrophysical properties of the composite-adhesive-amended clay samples were significantly improved compared with those of the single-bioadhesive-amended clay samples.
Keywords: bioglue; evaporative cracking; improved clay; micromechanisms; scour resistance.