Bio-inspired "bubble gum"

[C23A24]

Geotechnical infrastructures for transport and flood defence are strategic priorities. In recent years, serious concerns arose on the climate sensitivity of these infrastructures. Temperature rise and prolonged periods of drought are becoming more and more frequent. Upon drying, the volume and weight of the soil reduce, eventually leading to reduced stabilising forces, irreversible deformations and desiccation cracks.
The project wants to propose/explore bio-inspired solutions to reduce/slowdown soil desiccation cracking. The results of this project will serve as proof of concept for the development of engineering solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change on geotechnical infrastructure.