An Experimental Investigation on Mechanical Properties of Bacterial Concrete Using Bacillus Subtilis

Abstract: This Concrete is susceptible to micro crack formation and has pores which are highly undesirable because they provide an open pathway for the ingress of water and other deleterious substances. The use of concrete surface treatments with water proofing materials to prevent the access of aggressive substances is a common way of contributing to concrete durability. However, the most common surface treatments use organic polymers (epoxy, acrylics and polyurethanes) all of which have some degree of toxicity. Bio inspired materials can lead to a more sustainable construction industry, especially when providing new low toxic solutions. Hence, there is an urgent need to pay more attention for improving the properties of concrete with respect to strength and durability, especially in aggressive environments. One effective remedy for closure of cracks is the Bacterial Concrete (BC) which will continuously deposit calcite in concrete. This, phenomenon is called as Microbiologically Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP). The urease enzyme enables the deposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) with the help of bacteria. The bacterial remediation technique surpasses other techniques as it is bio-based, eco-friendly and durable. Bacteria need to offer resistance to withstand high pH of concrete and mechanical stresses during mixing. In these present investigations bacterial sample name Bacillus Subtilis (BS) is considered in concentrations of 104 , 105 and 106 cells/ml of mixing of water. investigations are carried out on strength-related properties such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength to assess the quality of concrete. The optimum dosage of cell concentration of bacteria is found to be 105 cells/ml for BS based on compressive strength results. M25 grade concrete is designed and used for embedding Bacillus subtilis bacteria.