Ureolytic Bacteria-Induced Carbonate Formation for Enhanced Concrete Crack Healing

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-662-8_77How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Bacterial concrete; microbial induced calcite precipitation; MICP; crack healing; self -crack healing; self-healing concrete; bio-concrete

Abstract

This study investigates the use of ureolytic bacteria, specifically Sporosarcina pasteurii, to enhance concrete’s self-healing capabilities through microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP). Ureolytic bacteria catalyze the breakdown of urea, leading to carbonate formation, which subsequently precipitates as calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) within cracks, effectively sealing them. The study highlights S. pasteurii due to its high efficiency in urease production, promoting robust and consistent calcite deposition. Results indicate a substantial improvement in crack healing, with bacteria-treated specimens achieving a threefold increase in healing efficiency, closing cracks up to 1.0 mm within 7 days, compared to 0.3 mm in 28 days for untreated samples. The bacterial treatment also led to a 70% reduction in water permeability, enhancing the concrete’s water tightness compared to a 20% reduction in controls. Furthermore, the rate of CaCO₃ deposition was seven times higher, ensuring effective sealing and reduced porosity (40% vs. 10% in control specimens), which contributed to improved mechanical properties and durability. Bacteria treated specimens exhibited a strength recovery of 30.13%, much higher than the 7.41% observed in control specimen. The reduced mass loss, lower strength degradation, and faster healing response emphasize the potential of MICP for sustainable and cost-effective concrete maintenance. This research suggests that utilizing ureolytic bacteria for self-healing not only extends the service life of concrete structures but also minimizes maintenance costs and environmental impact, presenting a promising approach to sustainable infrastructure development.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Posani RamPrasad
AU  - Thirumala Sujatha
AU  - Srinivasa Reddy Vempada
AU  - Shrihari Saduwale
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/03/17
TI  - Ureolytic Bacteria-Induced Carbonate Formation for Enhanced Concrete Crack Healing
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Advanced Materials, Manufacturing and Sustainable Development (ICAMMSD 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 984
EP  - 1001
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-662-8_77
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-662-8_77
ID  - RamPrasad2025
ER  -