UC Davis professor Alejandro Martínez is moving his bio-inspired snakeskin piles into industry practice. The novel pile-surface employs “frictional directionality” characteristic of snakeskin. Field trials provided better than expected results, and Martínez is now working to get his new design into the hands of practicing geotechnical engineers. Much of his NSF-supported research took place at the NHERI at UC Davis Center for Geotechnical Modeling; the project is part of the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center, the Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics, CBBG, at Arizona State University.

Background info on Martínez’s snakeskin-inspired piles: https://www.designsafe-ci.org/community/news/2022/august/piles-inspired-snakeskin/

Learn more about the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) called the Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics, CBBG, based at Arizona State University https://cbbg.engineering.asu.edu/

Engineering researchers use centrifugal force to study natural hazards at the NHERI at UC Davis Center for Geotechnical Modeling facility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlLTdPaOUFk

Read up on Professor Martínez’s research at UC Davis: https://faculty.engineering.ucdavis.edu/martinez/

Follow Alejandro Martínez on X: @MartVAlejandro

Follow the NHERI Center for Geotechnical Modeling on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Center-for-Geotechnical-Modeling/10006311110707

UC Davis professor Alejandro Martínez explains how biogeotechnical engineers leverage solutions from lifeforms like worms, trees, and bacteria. It starts with fundamental, cross-disciplinary work with biologists. Then, at the UC Davis Center for Geotechnical Modeling (CGM), centrifuge tests fill an important gap between laboratory ideas and full-scale field tests. For instance, by replicating ground stress and increased gravity in a centrifuge, geotechs can model and test designs at greater soil depths and across soil types. The NHERI CGM facility functions as a testbed for the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) called the Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics, CBBG, based at Arizona State University.

Read up on Professor Martínez’s research at UC Davis: https://faculty.engineering.ucdavis.edu/martinez/

Follow Alejandro Martínez on X: @MartVAlejandro

Background info on Martínez’s snakeskin-inspired piles: https://www.designsafe-ci.org/community/news/2022/august/piles-inspired-snakeskin/

Using centrifugal force to study natural hazards at the NHERI at UC Davis Center for Geotechnical Modeling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlLTdPaOUFk

Follow the Center for Geotechnical Modeling on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Center-for-Geotechnical-Modeling/100063111107077/

Questions about NHERI or NHERI extreme events research? Contact us: nheri.communications@gmail.com

Geotechnical engineer Alejandro Martínez joins us to discuss a new and multidisciplinary engineering subfield called biogeotechnics. “Bioinspired” research examines and mimics ways that plants, animals and bacteria successfully interact with soil. For example: how tree roots successfully resist wind loads. “Biomediated” research uses biological elements to improve soil. For example, byproducts of certain bacteria can cement and desaturate soil — potentially preventing liquefaction in susceptible areas.

Read up on Professor Martínez’s research at UC Davis:
https://faculty.engineering.ucdavis.edu/martinez/

Follow Alejandro Martínez on X: @MartVAlejandro

Background info on Martínez’s snakeskin-inspired piles:
https://www.designsafe-ci.org/community/news/2022/august/piles-inspired-snakeskin/

Using centrifugal force to study natural hazards at the NHERI at UC Davis Center for Geotechnical Modeling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlLTdPaOUFk

Follow the Center for Geotechnical Modeling on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/people/Center-for-Geotechnical-Modeling/100063111107077/

Questions about NHERI or NHERI extreme events research?
Contact us: nheri.communications@gmail.com

Keywords: biocementation, biodesaturation, liquefaction, biogeotechnics, geotechnical engineering, ground improvement, soil improvement