Biohealing and sensing Concrete for modern construction

By Kavita Dehalwar

Biohealing and sensing concrete represent advanced materials that combine biological and technological innovations to enhance the performance and durability of concrete structures. Here’s an overview of these technologies and their applications in modern construction:

Biohealing Concrete

Biohealing concrete, also known as self-healing concrete, incorporates biological agents that enable the material to repair itself when cracks occur. This innovation aims to extend the lifespan of concrete structures and reduce maintenance costs.

Components and Mechanism:

1. Bacteria: Certain bacteria, such as Bacillus species, are used for their ability to produce calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) when exposed to water and nutrients. These bacteria are encapsulated in the concrete mix and remain dormant until cracks form.
2. Nutrients: Nutrients like calcium lactate are included to feed the bacteria when they become active.
3. Microcapsules: The bacteria and nutrients are often encapsulated in microcapsules made of materials like silica gel or other polymers that break open when cracks form, releasing the bacteria and nutrients.
4. Healing Process: When cracks allow water to penetrate the concrete, the bacteria are activated, consume the nutrients, and produce calcium carbonate, which fills and seals the cracks.

Benefits:

• Extends the lifespan of concrete structures.
• Reduces maintenance costs and frequency of repairs.
• Enhances structural integrity and durability.

Applications:

• Infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels, and highways.
• Buildings and architectural structures.
• Marine and hydraulic structures where crack resistance is crucial.

Sensing Concrete

Sensing concrete incorporates sensors and smart materials into the concrete matrix to monitor the health and performance of the structure in real time. This technology enables proactive maintenance and enhances the safety and reliability of concrete structures.

Components and Mechanism:

1. Sensors: Embedded sensors can detect various parameters such as strain, temperature, humidity, pH, and crack formation. Common types include fiber optic sensors, piezoelectric sensors, and wireless sensors.
2. Data Transmission: Sensors are connected to a data acquisition system that collects and transmits data to a central monitoring system.
3. Data Analysis: Advanced algorithms and software analyze the data to assess the condition of the concrete structure, predict potential failures, and recommend maintenance actions.

Benefits:

• Real-time monitoring of structural health.
• Early detection of potential issues and timely maintenance.
• Improved safety and reliability of structures.
• Data-driven decision-making for maintenance and repairs.

Applications:

• Critical infrastructure such as bridges, dams, and power plants.
• High-rise buildings and large-scale construction projects.
• Military and defense structures.
• Historical buildings and monuments requiring preservation.

Integration and Future Prospects

The integration of biohealing and sensing concrete in modern construction holds great promise for the future. Combining these technologies can create intelligent, self-sustaining structures that not only repair themselves but also communicate their status to engineers and maintenance teams. This can lead to more resilient infrastructure, reduced environmental impact due to lower repair needs, and significant cost savings over the lifespan of the structures.

Challenges:

• Initial costs and complexity of incorporating these technologies.
• Ensuring long-term reliability and functionality of embedded sensors and biological agents.
• Standardization and regulatory approval for widespread use.

Future Directions:

• Development of more efficient and cost-effective biohealing agents and sensors.
• Advances in data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance predictive maintenance capabilities.
• Increased collaboration between material scientists, engineers, and biologists to innovate and improve these technologies.

In summary, biohealing and sensing concrete represent transformative advancements in construction materials, offering significant benefits in terms of durability, safety, and maintenance efficiency. Their continued development and integration into construction practices will play a crucial role in shaping the future of infrastructure and building technology.

References

Anbazhagan, R., Arunachalam, S., Dharmalingam, G., & Sundramurthy, V. P. (2023). Development on bio-based concrete crack healing in soil exposures: isolation, identification, and characterization of potential bacteria and evaluation of crack healing performance. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 1-14.

Esaker, M., Hamza, O., & Elliott, D. (2023). Monitoring the bio-self-healing performance of cement mortar incubated within soil and water using electrical resistivity. Construction and Building Materials, 393, 132109.

Mahmoud, H. H., Kalaba, M. H., El-Sherbiny, G. M., Mostafa, A. E., Ouf, M. E., & Tawhed, W. M. (2022). Sustainable repairing and improvement of concrete properties using artificial bacterial consortium. Journal of Sustainable Cement-Based Materials, 11(6), 465-478.

Nguyen, M. T., Fernandez, C. A., Haider, M. M., Chu, K. H., Jian, G., Nassiri, S., … & Glezakou, V. A. (2023). Toward self-healing concrete infrastructure: review of experiments and simulations across scales. Chemical Reviews, 123(18), 10838-10876.

Shaheen, N., Khushnood, R. A., Memon, S. A., & Adnan, F. (2023). Feasibility assessment of newly isolated calcifying bacterial strains in self-healing concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 362, 129662.

Sharma, S. N., Prajapati, R., Jaiswal, A., & Dehalwar, K. (2024, June). A Comparative Study of the Applications and Prospects of Self-healing Concrete/Biocrete and Self-Sensing Concrete. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 1326, No. 1, p. 012090). IOP Publishing.

Sharma, S. N., Lodhi, A. S., Dehalwar, K., & Jaiswal, A. (2024, June). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Recycled & Secondary Materials in the Construction of Roads. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 1326, No. 1, p. 012102). IOP Publishing.

Sharma, S. N., Dehalwar, D. K., Lodhi, A. S., & Kumar, G. (2024). PREFABRICATED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS APPROACH. Futuristic Trends in Construction Materials & Civil Engineering Volume 3 Book 1, IIP Series, 3, 91-114.