EPSRC + SGWUK Studentship: Bacteria-based self-healing concrete

The cracking of concrete is generally considered to be inevitable and can lead to long-term durability problems due to the ingress of water-borne contaminants: requiring repair, renovation or replacement.

At the University of Bath we have been developing a range of ‘smart’ cement-based materials, with autogenous and autonomic self-healing and self-repairing capabilities. This development is likely to transform our building materials, enhance durability and serviceability, and reduce maintenance costs.

One particularly interesting form of self-healing concrete is that based on bacteria that can microbiologically-precipitate calcite. Results of previous research at the University of Bath have shown that bacteria-based self-healing of concrete is sufficiently effective to return the permeability properties of cracked concrete back to that of uncracked concrete. Furthermore, we have developed encapsulated systems that protect the self-healing agents during mixing and placement of concrete, and that keep the bacteria spores separate from the nutrient source so they will not develop healing compounds prior to any cracking.

However, bacteria-based self-healing concrete remains complex and a number of challenges remain before this can become a fully commercialised product. The research will be carried out in collaboration with St Gobain building products.

There is no need for the candidate to have any knowledge or experience in microbiology as this will be provided by our partners and colleagues in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry.