Keywords
slope stability
embankment stabilization
MICP
calcium carbonate precipitation
Abstract
Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP)-based biocementation is a rapidly advancing ground improvement technique in geotechnical engineering. However, the application of MICP to slope and embankment stabilization remains dispersed across various studies that address improvements in soil mechanical properties, carbonate precipitation, erosion resistance, liquefaction mitigation, and the feasibility of engineering applications. This study presents a systematic literature review combined with a bibliometric analysis of MICP-based biocementation for slope and embankment stabilization. The literature was retrieved from ScienceDirect using the search string ("slope stability" OR "slope stabilization" OR embankment OR landslide) AND (MICP OR biocementation OR "microbially induced calcite precipitation") for the publication period from 2016 to 2026. A total of 265 articles were analyzed using VOSviewer version 1.6.20 through term co-occurrence mapping. Of the 7,838 identified terms, 159 met the minimum occurrence threshold, and 87 relevant items were selected for the final mapping, resulting in four main clusters, 2,766 links, and a total link strength of 8,416. The analysis identified four dominant themes: soil stabilization and shear strength; calcium carbonate precipitation and erosion resistance; biocementation and liquefaction resistance; and engineering applications and limitations. These findings indicate that current research remains largely focused on laboratory-scale studies, microstructural characterization, and CaCO3 precipitation mechanisms, while field validation, the effects of rainfall infiltration, long-term durability, the spatial variability of cementation, and numerical modeling of biocemented slopes remain limited. This review provides an integrated knowledge framework linking biogeochemical mechanisms, geotechnical performance, and engineering application challenges to support sustainable slope and embankment stabilization.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Aisiyah Pramaisela Hapsari, Rina Rebut Rayhansah, Agata Iwan Candra, Mahardi Kamalika Khusna Ali