Development of Bacterium for Crack Healing and Improving Properties of Concrete under Wet–Dry and Full-Wet Curing

Arunachalam Sumathi, Gunasekaran Murali, Dharmalingam Gowdhaman, Mugahed Amran, Roman Fediuk, Nikolai Ivanovich Vatin, Ramamurthy Deeba Laxme and Thillai Seenu Gowsika
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Arunachalam Sumathi: School of Civil Engineering, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401, India
Gunasekaran Murali: School of Civil Engineering, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401, India
Dharmalingam Gowdhaman: School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401, India
Mugahed Amran: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
Roman Fediuk: School of Engineering, Far Eastern Federal University, 8, Sukhanova Str., 690950 Vladivostok, Russia
Nikolai Ivanovich Vatin: Higher School of Industrial, Civil and Road Construction, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
Ramamurthy Deeba Laxme: School of Civil Engineering, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401, India
Thillai Seenu Gowsika: School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401, India

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-20

Abstract: Concrete cracking is inevitable, coupled with increased permeability, exacerbating the adverse impacts of atmospheric conditions and chemical attacks. Calcium carbonate precipitation resulting from certain microorganisms’ metabolism is a novel approach that can self-heal the cracks and improve concrete properties. In this study, the development and effect of bacteria Bacillus cohnii on crack healing, regained compressive strength after pre-cracking, sorptivity, water absorption, and concrete microstructures were investigated. For this purpose, a Bacillus cohnii bacterial concentration of 10 5 cells/mL was used as a water replacement in the concrete mixtures. Two methods subsequently cured the prepared concrete specimens: wet–dry (W-D) cycle and full-wet (F-W). In the wet–dry cycle, the cast specimens were immersed in water for 24 h and then kept at room temperature for 24 h, which was considered as one cycle; this process was repeated for 28 days. In the full-wet curing, specimens were immersed in water for 28 days. However, the curing water was changed every 24 h to facilitate the essential oxygen supply for bacterial activity to precipitate calcium carbonate. The results revealed that 90% and 88% surface healing was noticed in full-wet and full-dry pre-cracked specimens at 28 days.

Keywords: bacteria; crack healing; compressive strength; curing; sorptivity; water absorption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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