As a Gold Open Access (OA) journal, Geotechnical Research charges authors an APC to maximise the impact of articles focusing on fundamental aspects and practical applications of geotechnical challenges. Geotechnical Research provides APC waivers on a case-by-case basis, making this a good chance for you to submit to our journal. This endeavour seeks to reduce the economic hurdles to spreading scientific outputs from developing countries.
To meaningfully promote the practice of sustainability, the journal is dedicated to incorporating United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) keywords and symbols into published materials.
There are 2 broad themes in the current issue. Firstly, 2 articles are related to themed issue “Recent Advances in Biogeoscience Applications in Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.” Secondly, the remaining 2 articles are related to advancing soil testing, soil behaviour interpretation and soil parameter evaluation for greater geotechnical applications.
1. Themed issue “Recent Advances in Biogeoscience Applications in Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.”
Following the earlier papers by Omoregie et al. (2023a) and Omoregie et al. (2023b), they recently published a state-of-the-art review on Microbial-Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) as a promising approach for immobilising heavy metals in contaminated soils (Omoregie et al. (2024)). Their review highlights key pathways, such as ureolytic and nitrate reduction methods, for stabilising metals like copper and lead. The study identifies major challenges, including microbial resilience in high-metal environments and the feasibility of alternative pathways. The authors propose future directions using machine learning to optimise MICP applications for more effective heavy metal retention and environmental sustainability.
Worley et al. (2024) investigated the application of ion-selective membrane sensing to monitor microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP). This study proposed a novel electrochemical approach for in situ monitoring by utilising potentiometric sensors that detect ammonium and calcium ions in real-time. Their experiments in both batch reactors and soil test cells highlighted a promising correlation between sensor readings and target ion concentrations. However, the researchers noted challenges due to sensor fouling from calcite deposition and biofilm formation, which could interfere with data accuracy. They suggest further sensor refinements for reliable, large-scale MICP monitoring in field applications.
2. Lab testing and modelling of soil behaviour for greater geotechnical applications
Liu and Ghafghazi (2024) investigated various methods for interpreting state parameters from cone penetration test (CPT) data. Using a comprehensive CPT calibration chamber database, the authors compare different techniques, emphasising the importance of soil properties and in situ stresses in achieving reliable interpretations. Their findings suggest methods that incorporate soil properties yield more accurate results, particularly for complex soils like tailings, underscoring the practical importance for projects assessing soil strength and liquefaction susceptibility.
Handspiker et al. (2024) focus on extending constitutive models for soil behaviour from two-dimensional to three-dimensional stress space by evaluating stress ratio equations. Their study explores the relationship between stress ratios and the Lode angle, presenting a newly formulated equation that enhances numerical stability in soil modelling. This innovative approach enables more accurate modelling of soil behaviour under varying stress conditions, with implications for geotechnical applications like slope stability and foundation analysis.
Finally, sincere thanks go to our authors, reviewers and editorial board members for their immense contributions to our journal.
