Summary:

In collaboration with Dr. Steve Sachs and Max Stephens this project will evaluate the feasibility of increasing the durability, resiliency and sustainability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures by using microbes to provide self-healing properties to prevent water and chloride ingress through structural and/or environmental cracking. State-of-the-art research has begun to explore microbial carbonate precipitation (MCP) for limestone, marble and, to a lesser extent, RC restoration.

Aims:

1) find non-pathogenic microbes capable of MCP

2) develop methods to ensure microbial viability and even distribution throughout the material to be restored

3) create and evaluate new RC formulations aimed at improving and or sustaining MCP.

This work is funded jointly by the Center for Impactful Resilient Infrastructure Science and Engineering and the Mascaro Centre for Sustainable Innovation.