Introduction

Microbial technology is a new branch.

The aim is to improve the properties of civil engineering material using
biomineralization process.
Biomineral refers not only to a mineral produced by micro-organism, but
also to the fact that almost all of these mineralized products are composite
material comprised both mineral & organic components & formed under
Bcontrol conditions.

Bio calcite-Echinoderm

Synthetically
produced
calcite

Agenda

Introduction
Challenges
Objective
Physiology of Bacillus pasteurii
MICP Process
Culture of B. pasteurii
Mutation of Bacteria
Experimental Design
Compressive Strength Test
Freeze Thaw Test
Absorption Test
Micro Scale Analysis
Conclusion

WHY CONCRETE CRACKS

Excess water in mix
Rapid drying of the concrete
Improper strength concrete poured on the job
Lack of control joints & many more

FINDING FOR RIGHT BACTERIA

The starting point of research was to find bacteria capable of

surviving in extreme alkali environment because cement and
water have ph value up to 13 when mixed together which is
hostile environment for bacteria. so the bacteria can found
from natural environment such as alkali lake of Russia,
carbonate rich soil in desert area of Spain and soda lake of
Egypt.
Different types of bacteria were incorporated into a small
block of concrete.
Each concrete block would be left for two months to set hard.
Then the block would
be pulverized and the remains tested to see whether the
bacteria had survived. It was found that the only group of
bacteria that were able to survive were the ones that
produced spores comparable to plant seeds. They are namely
bacillus pasturii

Physiology of B. Pasteurii (BP)

Rod shaped
Non pathogenic
Aerobic Bacteria.
Size 1-4 m.
Optimum growth temperature 30 C and pH
9.0.
Precipitate biomineral calcite.

CLAY PARTICLES LOADED WITH BACTERIAL SPORES AND

CALCIUM LACTATE
The bacteria spores
and calcium lactate
are both embedded
in capsules, to
prevent interaction
before cracks appear.

Electron microscope photograph

of bacterial spores

Challenges
Survivability of microorganism (Cement environment
pH12).
Fly ash can be used to lower the pH.
Mutation of micro-organism
survivability in higher pH.

can

improve

its

Objective
Mutation of B. Pasteurii to improve its endurance in
higher pH

Evaluation of the mechanical and durability

properties due to microorganism (Bacillus Pasteurii)
application in cement mortar.
Micro level tests.

Mutation of Bacteria with

Ultra Violet Rays

Mutation of Bacteria (Cont.)

Requirement of Mutation of bacteria
Bacteria optimum growth condition pH 9

Concrete Environment pH 12

Mutation of Bacteria (Cont.)

Achal Mukherjee et al. (2009) investigation found the
UV irradiation effect on BP (Grow at high pH and
urease activity).
Mutated bacteria was culture several times in culture
media (pH 10.5) before stocking.

*UV irradiation damage a part of DNA (by binding adjacent thymine bases to form dimers that cant function in protein synthes is ),
but to survive cell able to repair that part. An enzyme first excise damaged part of DNA . The excise part then replace by DNA
polymerase and DNA ligase forms the final phosphodiester bond.

Bacteria Growth Comparison

Improvement of survivability of MBP at high pH 10.5

PROCESS OF SELF HEALING

(a) 3 days

(b) 7 days

(e) 40 days

(c) 14 days

(f) 200 days

(d) 28 days