Self-Healing
Concrete
Prepared by: Rekan Daho
Outlines :
What is Self-Healing Concrete?
Why Self-Healing Concrete?
Mechanism of Self-Healing Concrete
Compressive and Flexural Strength Test Result
Finding the right bacteria
Advantages
Disadvantages
What is Self-Healing Concrete?
• Concrete is high • This type, is modern
maintenance material. approach in Civil Eng. For
• Micro-cracks in concrete are repair purposes.
inevitable and inherited • Concrete Capable of
weaknesses. healing autogenously.
• Concrete cracks for various • Healing proceeds as
reasons. water penetrates and
• Cracks decrease lifespan. concrete gets into
contact.
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Why Self-Healing Concrete?
● Reduces maintenance (cost).
● Cracks prone concrete to be vulnerable because of water seeping
inside.
● Rebar corrodes at underground basements and marine structures.
● Cracks expose Rebars, thus corrodes.
Self-healing agents reduce cracks.
● Self-repairing of cracks without any
External maintenance. 3
Mechanism of Self-Healing Concrete
● SHC can be defined by BIOMINERALIZATION.
● Self-healing concrete or bacterial concrete is a result of the
biological reaction of non-reacted limestone (CaCO3).
● CaO + H2O ⇒ Ca(OH)2
● Ca(OH)2 + CO2 ⇒ CaCO3 + H2O
● With the help of bacillus pasteurii,
cracked concrete can recover 90%
of its initial strength.
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How These bacterias are incorporated?
● There are three methods, Direct Application, Immobilization and
Encapsulation.
● The bacteria can be incorporated into the cement matrix during
the mixing process in order to proceed bacterial precipitation.
● Main drawback that we come across is the highly alkaline harsh
environment of cement matrix.
● Since the bacteria is not protected, long-term considerations may
not be feasible.
● In order to ensure long-term survivability, scientists prefer
Immobilization.
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How These bacterias are incorporated?
● Immobilization is the application of bacteria with a coating
material.
● The deterioration of the bacterial cells might happen during the
process of mixing, hardening and setting in the cementitious
matrix.
● In order to ensure the effectiveness of the self-healing process in
bacterial concrete, the process of Encapsulation is more preferable
than the other previous methods.
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How These bacterias are incorporated?
● Typically, the function of encapsulation is to protect the bacteria,
and ensure that the suitable carriers have no negative effect on the
precipitation of bacteria or on the other components of
cementitious composites.
● Various researches has shown that the size of capsules affect the
Workability.
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A. Dormant bacteria.
B. As water seeps
inside, the bacteria
rejuvenate.
C. Bacteria produces
Limestone and
prevents moisture and
air penetrating.
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Finding the right bacteria
● The fundamental object of self-healing concrete was to
find a bacteria which capable of surviving in extreme
alkaline environment.
● Cement and water, usually have a PH value of 13, which
is hostile for most organisms.
● Most of organism can’t survive a PH values of more than
10.
● Most commonly Bacillus was found to thrive in such
alkaline-environment.
● The most promising bacteria to use for self-healing
purposes are alkaliphilic spore-forming bacteria. 9
The ancient roman also developed SHc!
● The secret behind survival of roman concrete structures.
● The secret seems to be pozzolanic rather than such.
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Compressive and Flexural Strength Test Result
Compressive Strength Test
Days Normal concrete (N/mm2) Self-Healing Concrete (N/mm2)
1 7 Days 20.35 26.90
2 28 Days 30.5 37.95
Flexural Strength Test
Days Normal concrete (N/mm2) Self-Healing Concrete (N/mm2)
1 7 Days 3.85 4.55
2 28 Days 7.15 7.70
Concrete Technology / By Dibyandu Pal / July 28, 2019
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Advantages :
• Sustainability is onus!
• Environment.
• Self-repairing of cracks without any external aid.
• Significant increase in compressive strength and flexural
strength when compared to normal concrete.
• Reduces the corrosion of steel due to the formation of the
crack.
• Resistance towards freeze-thaw attacks.
• Bacterias are non-pathological.
• Can seal crack larger than 0.05-0.3 mm. 12
Disadvantages :
● The addition of large quantities of bacteria may cost double.
● Development of protective materials for bacteria.
● The growth of these bacteria is not consistent in various
weather.
● Design of mix concrete with bacteria still is not available.
● Not many contractors know how to use this product yet.
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Thank You!
