Self-Healing Concrete Incorporating Bacterial Spores for Sustainable Infrastructure Development

Abstract

Concrete deterioration in infrastructure is one of the major challenges to sustainability that will result in higher maintenance expenses and lower structural integrity. To solve this, the present study explores the possibility of self-healing concrete, which includes bacterial spores to improve the life cycle of concrete edifices. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of bacterial spores in repairing microcracks and enhancing the long-term performance of concrete. In this experimental study, encapsulated bacterial spores were prepared into concrete samples, which were triggered to be activated when microcracks were formed. According to the healing efficiency, the rates of healing were measured through the crack repair, compressive strength recovery, and the rate of water absorption. The findings revealed that concrete with bacterial spores had a significant healing action, where the average recovery in compressive strength was 32 %. The absorption of water was cut by 20 % by showing that its durability was improved. The statistical significance of the data was identified, and a p-value of less than 0.05 for both strength recovery and water absorption showed the efficacy of bacterial spores in concrete healing. The results indicate that self-healing concrete with bacterial spores can greatly increase the sustainability and life span of infrastructures and minimize the number of repairs and maintenance expenses. This research has a wider consequence on the construction sector as a solution to the eco-friendly effect of enhancing concrete durability to reduce the environmental effects. The potential way forward in future research can be to maximize the method of bacterial encapsulation, test the material in various environmental conditions, and use large-scale infrastructure projects.