What does Bioconcrete mean?
Bio-concrete is a self-healing form of concrete designed to repair its own cracks. It was developed by Dutch researcher and microbiologist Hendrik Jonkers using an extra ingredient acting as a healing agent and requires no human intervention to be repaired once placed.
What is meant by self-healing concrete?
Self-healing concrete is mostly defined as the ability of concrete to repair its cracks autogenously or autonomously. It is also called self-repairing concrete. Cracks in concrete are a common phenomenon due to its relatively low tensile strength.
What is the special present in bio concrete?
Mechanism of Bacterial Concrete Special type of bacteria’s known as Bacillus are used along with calcium nutrient known as Calcium Lactate. While preparation of concrete, this products are added in the wet concrete when the mixing is done. This bacteria’s can be in dormant stage for around 200 years.
Does self-healing concrete exist?
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) are using an enzyme found in red blood cells to create self-healing concrete that is four times more durable than traditional concrete, extending the life of concrete-based structures and eliminating the need for expensive repairs or replacements.
Who invented bio concrete?
Henk Jonkers
Bacteria-Based Self Healing Concrete Self healing concrete was invented by Henk Jonkers, a microbiologist and professor at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Jonkers began developing self healing concrete in 2006. After three years of experimenting, he found the perfect healing agent – bacillus.
Why is self-healing concrete important?
Unlike regular concrete, self-healing concrete contains bacteria called bacillus pasteurii, along with a form of starch that serves as food for the bacteria. These bacteria stay dormant in the concrete until a crack forms and air gets in.
What are the benefits of self-healing concrete?
Self-healing concretes reduce the need to detect and repair cracks and are one strategy to address corrosion risk. This has social, economic, and environmental benefits, as overcoming/reducing the need for maintenance and/or increasing longevity reduces disruption, as well as the cost and use of materials.
What is bio concrete made of?
The bioconcrete is mixed just like regular concrete, but with an extra ingredient – the “healing agent.” It remains intact during mixing, only dissolving and becoming active if the concrete cracks and water gets in.
How is Bio concrete made?
This concrete consists of a special type of bacteria genus Bacillus along with calcium lactate, nitrogen and phosphorus as ingredients. These bacteria can sleep in the concrete for up to 200 years. If the concrete structure gets damaged, the bacteria will rise and multiply when the water drools into the structure.
What is in fly ash?
Fly ash consists primarily of oxides of silicon, aluminum iron and calcium. Magnesium, potassium, sodium, titanium, and sulfur are also present to a lesser degree. When used as a mineral admixture in concrete, fly ash is classified as either Class C or Class F ash based on its chemical composition.
What is the fly ash concrete?
Fly ash is a fine gray powder consisting mostly of spherical, glassy particles that are produced as a byproduct in coal-fired power stations. Fly ash has pozzolanic properties, meaning that it reacts with lime to form cementitious compounds. It is commonly known as a supplementary cementitious material.
What is a living concrete?
Unlike traditional concrete, which is a mix of water, sand, and cement, this new material incorporates two new ingredients: photosynthetic bacteria and gelatin. According to the study, published in the journal Matter, bricks of the so-called “living concrete” are made by mixing the ingredients in a mold.
Where is bio concrete used?
When used in the construction of bridges, tunnels, and roads, bioconcrete has the potential to save billions on annual maintenance fees. At the moment, Jonkers is working to reduce the cost of the material for use in large-scale projects.
What is Bioconcrete made of?
Bioconcrete can be defined as the concrete prepared by addition of bacteria with the capacity for precipitation of calcium carbonate (MICP), which aids in sealing the cracks that form in it, which is characterized as a self-healing property (Jonkers, 2011).
What are the characteristics of self-healing concrete?
Self-healing capability of the concrete is assessed by elevated strength regain capability of cracked specimens after healing. The crack width between 0.2 and 0.4 mm is maintained. As the most shrinkage cracks occurs few days after casting, pre cracking is fixed at 2 days for early age cracks.
Who invented self-healing concrete?
Hendrik Jonkers
A Dutch scientist has invented self-healing concrete, a product that, despite its higher initial cost, could save money and work in the long run. Hendrik Jonkers, a microbiologist at the Delft University of Technology, was one of 15 finalists in the European Inventor Award of 2015 for his invention.
Who uses self-healing concrete?
Some key players operating in the self-healing concrete market include Basilisk, PENETRON, Kryton, Xypex Chemical Corporation, Sika AG, BASF SE, Hycrete, Inc. among others.