On the morning of June 1, Professor Rafaela Cardoso from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, visited our school and presented an academic lecture entitled Biocementation as Soil Improvement Technique. Professor Chen Jianxing, Head of the Department of Mining Science and Engineering, together with several postgraduate representatives attended the event. Chen Jianxing hosted the lecture.

Professor Rafaela Cardoso delivered a cutting-edge academic presentation on the research achievements of her team in biocementation technology. Starting from microscale mechanisms, she elaborated on the mechanism of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP), with a focus on strategies to control the formation of stable insoluble calcite. At the engineering application level, Professor Rafaela Cardoso shared Portugal’s first field biocementation project: gully erosion control on the slope of the A13 Motorway. She demonstrated technical approaches to identify gully initiation locations via long-term field monitoring and quantified the dynamic variation of calcite content inside the slope under atmospheric conditions. Meanwhile, her team examined the long-term durability of biocemented reinforcement layers using scaled model tests. For fundamental research, Professor Rafaela Cardoso’s group developed a constitutive model describing the full biocementation process and successfully fabricated nanoscale sensing and microfluidic experimental devices. The setup enables real-time observation of crystal growth and biochemical reaction kinetics, providing a powerful experimental platform for an in-depth understanding of biomineralization mechanisms.

After the presentation, faculty and students engaged in lively discussions with Professor Rafaela Cardoso. Participants raised questions on critical topics including construction uniformity of biocementation, applicable soil types, challenges for large-scale field implementation, and approaches to further improve the long-term stability of calcite crystallization. Professor Rafaela Cardoso answered each question and offered recommendations based on her practical experience in Portugal. Professor Chen Jianxing also exchanged views with her regarding the potential application of this technology in underground engineering anti-seepage and rock fracture remediation.

Professor Chen Jianxing thanked Professor Rafaela Cardoso for her excellent lecture. He expressed the hope that this exchange would serve as an opportunity to further strengthen research collaboration and joint talent training between our university and the University of Lisbon in bio-geotechnics, slope stabilization, underground space development and related fields. Professor Rafaela Cardoso warmly welcomed faculty and students from our school to visit Portugal for academic exchanges and joint research. This lecture has laid a solid foundation for in-depth bilateral cooperation in underground engineering in the future.