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Geotechnical and Environmental Research Group

 

Dr Alexandra Clarà Saracho is a Research Fellow and Affiliated Lecturer in Engineering active in the field of bio-mediated soil processes and sustainable geotechnical engineering practices. She is particularly interested in understanding the microbial processes involved in the formation of calcium carbonates by soil-dwelling bacteria, and the relationship between the microstructure of the minerals they form and the macroscopic hydro-thermo-mechanical response of carbonate cemented soils. At the intersection between the biological sciences, materials chemistry and engineering, Dr Clarà Saracho addresses key questions of sustainable and resilient infrastructure, where fundamental research, physical modelling and technology transfer can be integrated in collaboration with industry.

Publications

Key publications: 

Google Scholar

[4] Clarà Saracho, A, Lucherini, L., Hirsch, M., Peter, H.M., Terzis, D., Amstad, E., Laloui, L. (2021) Controlling the calcium carbonate microstructure of engineered living building materials. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 9 (43), 24438-24451. doi: 10.1039/D1TA03990C

[3] Hata, T., Clarà Saracho, A., Haigh, S.K., Yoneda, J & Yamamoto, K. (2020) Microbial-induced calcite precipitation applicability with the Methane Hydrate-bearing layer microbe. Natural Gas Science & Engineering 81 103490. doi: 10.1016/j.jngse.2020.103490

[2] Clarà Saracho, A., Haigh, S.K., Hata, T., Soga, K., Farsang, S., Redfern, S.A.T. & Marek, E. (2020) Characterisation of CaCO3 phases during strain-specific ureolytic precipitation. Scientific Reports 10 10168. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66831-y (open access) 

[1] Clarà Saracho, A., Haigh, S.K., Jorat, M.E. (2020) Flume study on the effects of microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) on the erosional behaviour of sand. Geotechnique. doi: 10.1680/jgeot.19.p.350

Teaching and Supervisions

Teaching: 
  • 3D1 Geotechnical Engineering I
  • 3D2 Geotechnical Engineering II
Affiliated Lecturer in Engineering
Research Fellow in Engineering

Contact Details

Schofield Centre
High Cross
Madingley Rd
Cambridge
CB3 0EF