Strathclyde exploring fungi to prevent landslips
Researchers at Strathclyde University are exploring the use of fungi in strengthening soil and reducing infiltration of rainwater, a common cause of landslips.
The project will use fungi and soil collected from the UK and Italy to understand how the growth of different fungal species can be controlled to improve the engineering performance of natural soils.
Lead researcher Dr Grainne El Mountassir, a senior lecturer in Strathclyde’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has received a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship worth £1.3m over four years for the project. Cardiff University, the University of Naples Federico II and engineering company BAM Ritchies are also partners in the study.
“Our research aims to understand the factors controlling fungal growth in natural soils, such that we can engineer it to grow over a large area,” El Mountassir said. “We will be examining different types of soil, including pyroclastic soil which originated from eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, and looking at how fungal growth changes soil cohesion.”
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
I´m sure politicians will be thumping tables and demanding answers - while Professor Bell, as reported above, says ´wait for detailed professional...