Print Email Facebook Twitter Bacteria-based self-healing concrete Title Bacteria-based self-healing concrete Author Jonkers, H.M. Date 2011-03-31 Abstract A typical durability-related phenomenon in many concrete constructions is crack formation. While larger cracks hamper structural integrity, also smaller sub-millimeter sized cracks may result in durability problems as particularly connected cracks increase matrix permeability. Ingress water and chemicals can cause premature matrix degradation and corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement. As regular manual maintenance and repair of concrete constructions is costly and in some cases not at all possible, inclusion of an autonomous self-healing repair mechanism would be highly beneficial as it could both reduce maintenance and increase material durability. Therefore, within the Delft Centre for Materials at the Delft University of Technology, the functionality of various self-healing additives is investigated in order to develop a new generation of self-healing concretes. In the present study the crack healing capacity of a specific bio-chemical additive, consisting of a mixture of viable but dormant bacteria and organic compounds packed in porous expanded clay particles, was investigated. Microscopic techniques in combination with permeability tests revealed that complete healing of cracks occurred in bacterial concrete and only partly in control concrete. The mechanism of crack healing in bacterial concrete presumably occurs through metabolic conversion of calcium lactate to calcium carbonate what results in crack-sealing. This biochemically mediated process resulted in efficient sealing of sub-millimeter sized (0.15 mm width) cracks. It is expected that further development of this new type of self-healing concrete will result in a more durable and moreover sustainable concrete which will be particularly suited for applications in wet environments where reinforcement corrosion tends to impede durability of traditional concrete constructions. Subject Concrete crack-healingpermeabilitybacteriacalcium carbonate formation To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8326f8b3-a290-4bc5-941d-c2577740fb96 ISBN 1574-4078 Source Heron, 56 (1/2) Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights (c) 2011 Jonkers, H.M. Files PDF heron_jonkers_56-1.pdf 684.63 KB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:8326f8b3-a290-4bc5-941d-c2577740fb96/datastream/OBJ/view