Concrete is one of the most commonly used building materials in the world. It is used to make everything from small concrete blocks to expansive structural amendments that support a space’s integrity. However, there are a few common complaints that concrete can be a short-lived material with an extensive carbon footprint.
To make concrete a less carbon-intensive material, many developers and manufacturers have turned to composites like self-healing biocement and bioconcrete. These are unique materials that represent the future of the construction industry and concrete development. Here’s what you should know about biocement and how it can play a role in your subsequent development or new construction build.
What is biocement, and why is it important for construction industry professionals?
Biocement is a biomaterial designed to replace conventional cement in concrete and mortar. Biocement is often made from cement, slag, and fly ash. Fly ash is a byproduct of coal-fired power plants. Other takes on bioconcrete depend on microbial crack treatments and different reactions to “grow concrete” when damaged.
Biocement is intended to reduce the environmental impact of construction by using renewable resources and reducing the amount of cement produced. In addition, using reagents, microbes, and other boundary-pushing innovations, building materials may have even more vital healing factors in the future.
Biocement has higher strength and durability than conventional cement in several applications, making it a preferred choice for some builders. It’s natural to prefer materials like bioconcrete, especially if you’re trying to take an ecological building approach that uses masonry techniques and natural materials to create healthy, durable, and environmentally friendly buildings.
Many producers, project owners, and developers enjoy one of the main benefits of self-healing biocement, which is its durability. It can withstand a lot of wear and tear, which makes it a good choice for construction applications. Additionally, since it can repair cracks, surface damage, and other blemishes, this helps to extend its lifespan.
What is biocement’s purpose? How does it accomplish this?
Maintaining the structural integrity of concrete is essential for both commercial and residential structures. One way to maintain concrete is to repair any cracks that form in the material. Conventional methods of repairing cracks in concrete include filling the cracks with a mortar or epoxy mixture. Then, there are materials like biocement.
Self-healing concrete and biocement are relatively new developments in the concrete world. They are types of concrete designed to heal minor cracks and other surface damage. By using self-healing materials, there’s no need to remove existing concrete or replace it altogether.
To achieve this, some manufacturers use crystalline mixes to develop their take on biocement. Manufacturers include small quantities of crystalline agents within the concrete mix. These agents react with water and other material constituents when damage occurs to develop crystals that grow and fill cracks or damaged components.
One of the potential benefits of self-healing concrete is that it can extend the life of a structure by delaying the onset of significant damage that could facilitate a large-scale building amendment or another construction problem. Additionally, self-healing bio concrete has the potential to be more resistant to corrosion and other chemical attacks, making it a more durable material.
There are a few different types of self-healing bioconcrete currently on the market. One type, based on polymeric microspheres, has shown promising results in laboratory testing. When damage occurs, the microspheres rupture and release their healing agent. This agent then reacts with moisture in the air to form a solid, impermeable layer.
Microbial crack treatments face a few notable challenges.
Microbial crack treatment for concrete is a process that uses microorganisms to fill and seal concrete cracks. This process can be an effective way to improve the quality of concrete structures, although it’s far from perfect.
Microbial crack treatment for concrete involves the injection of a bacterial solution into the cracks in the concrete. The bacteria then grow and fill the cracks, repairing the damage. In addition, the bacteria can seal the cracks, preventing further water and salt infiltration.
In some cases, the cracks can be filled and sealed in just a few days. In addition, the use of microbial crack treatment for concrete can also extend the life of a concrete structure and help prevent future damage.
Some challenges still need to be overcome with microbial crack treatments. One of the biggest challenges is finding a self-healing agent that is more universally applicable for different materials and construction items.
In addition, the cost of self-healing bio concrete is currently higher than traditional concrete and requires more labor-intensive manufacturing to produce. However, manufacturers may soon overcome these challenges with continued research and development.
ForneyVault’s concrete testing software can help you prepare for the future of concrete development.
When you’re preparing to invest in biocement, or you’re looking to turn your firm’s attention toward cement biology and bioconcrete, ForneyVault is here to help. We provide robust concrete testing tools so you can ensure that your self-healing biocement is formulated correctly and performs as intended.
Using our cloud-integrated platform, you can quickly test materials, upload results, and share data between project stakeholders. In a few easy steps, you can automate some of your existing processes and streamline your future initiatives to make it easier to test for and incorporate greener building materials. Contact ForneyVault today to learn more about the future of biocement and why sustainably focused materials are more important now than ever before.