Wind erosion resistance durability of aeolian sand treated by soybean-urease induced calcium carbonate precipitation

To enhance the durability of soybean-urease-induced calcium carbonate precipitation（SICP）in stabilizing aeolian sand, this study integrated SICP with xanthan gum（XG）. By varying cementation solution concentration, spraying frequency, and spraying volume, together with three levels of XG concentration, the wind erosion mass loss, penetration resistance, and CaCO₃ content of the treated specimens were quantitatively evaluated. The solidification behavior and reinforcement mechanism under the synergistic action of SICP and XG were analyzed, and the durability of the stabilized sand was further assessed through freeze-thaw and wetdry cycle tests. The results show that the incorporation of XG substantially enhances both the wind erosion resistance and surface strength of SICP-treated samples. The peak penetration force of the SICP+XG specimens reached 68.4 N, representing increases of approximately 69% and 338% compared with pure SICP and pure XG（2 g/L）, respectively. After undergoing nine freeze-thaw and wet-dry cycles, the wind erosion rate of the SICP+XG-treated samples remained at a low level of 0.03%-0.68%, indicating excellent erosion resistance. Scanning electron microscopy further revealed that XG forms a reticulated film on the sand grain surface, enhancing the binding efficiency of CaCO₃ precipitation, while the deposited CaCO₃ predominantly appears in the structurally stable calcite form.