A Study on the Flow Behavior and Thixotropy of Biopolymer-Bound Soil Composite

Abstract

Biopolymer-bound soil composites (BSCs) are a new material class that is being researched for construction applications, including three-dimensional (3D) printing. To use this new material, researchers must understand its flow properties, which include its thixotropic behavior. This study uses a rheometer and vane geometry to perform flow and thixotropic tests on BSC. This paper presents a first attempt to characterize BSC flow properties using two thixotropic flow models. The first model uses a non-Newtonian fluid assumption and builds on the Herschel–Bulkley flow model. The second model relies on soil mechanics and builds on the Coulomb model. Both models satisfactorily capture the flow and thixotropic behavior of the BSC. However, the thixotropic Coulombic flow model also accounts for changes in normal pressure that act on the material at varying depths.