CHARACTERIZATION OF CONCRETE COATING USING BACTERIA AS A

FLOOR REGENERATION AGENT

Jéssica Wanderley Souza do Nascimento (1); Allefy Teles Sampaio (2)

(1) Graduate student in Road and Highway Paving, Institute of Specialization of Amazonas - ESP
(2) Degree student in Civil Engineering, University of Fortaleza – UNIFOR
Mail Address – jessica_souza08@yahoo.com

Abstract
The use of concrete coating has spread today with the purpose of granting existence to inert substances, in
order to advance an unprecedented layer of materials with a regeneration method added to concrete.
Nowadays, technological progress has made possible a significant advance in the paving branch with the
intention that these recent materials contain the characteristic of regeneration, resulting in a substantial loss
of maintenance and consequently in restoration, performing a longer sidewalk life. Based on this context, the
present work aims to contribute to a better understanding regarding the characterization of the concrete
coating employing bacteria, which are inserted in the coating mixture propitious to generate calcium
carbonate based minerals, a procedure that can cause cracks sealing and water sealing, instead of
preventing failures, with a healing procedure housed, would be more accessible than conventional ones. In
the laboratory, pilot tests were produced to compel cracks and to refine regeneration by adding bacteria with
and without spore infiltration, employing the addition of different levels of 1:2:3, with 50% modification of the
large aggregate per dilated clay compared to c/w of 0.5. The results obtained in this research indicate that
the method of impregnation by simple submersion is scarce for the necessary absorption of bacteria in
fragments of dilated clay. In addition, the concrete dosing cycle is of paramount importance and may impair
the quality of the bacteria.
keyword: Concrete Coating, Healing, Bacteria, Sealing.

1 Introduction
Nowadays, there is a growing concern with sustainability, since the search for balance
between society, economy and environment in human activities has started. In civil
construction it is no different, becoming common the launching of sustainable buildings.
The importance of the use of biomaterials in Engineering is not so developed, since it is
limited exclusively to produce large concrete structures. It is not possible to use the
imagination to realize that in biology a solution can be found for specific pathologies of
concrete structures, especially in regions where climate is a problem. So far, the problem
is focused on the question of breaking up the elements that make up the homogeneous
mass called concrete. Here, factors such as healing and drying cycles play a vital role in
their pathology and especially in cracks due to volumetric changes in the mixture and its
problems associated with carbonation (TAKAGI, 2013).
Portland cement concrete is one of the most used construction materials in the world and
its use continues to be expanded in modern construction. It is a cheap, diverse material
with adaptability to many shapes and has highly desirable properties. The durability of
reinforced concrete structures is substantially affected by cracks. Cracks in the concrete
occur due to various mechanisms, such as shrinkage, freezing reactions, thawing and
ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 1
mechanical forces of compression and tension. It is necessary for the material to be
resistant to compression, as it will be subjected to high distributed loads and should not
break under any circumstances. The appearance of cracks in these structures, however, is
inevitable, which leads us to believe that the control of these pathological manifestations is
of extreme importance (VEKARIYA, 2013).
The impact of durability problems on national economies can be substantial and is
reflected in the large amount of resources spent on maintenance and repair of concrete
coatings. It is believed that the insertion of specific bacteria into the concrete composition
is sufficient for the repair and interruption of some types of cracks, something that will be
verified visually, as well as interconnected porosities, and that there will be a reduction in
the water absorption rate over time. The material itself has a certain ability to repair itself
by filling the gaps in the cracks with moisture products from the anhydrous portland
cement portions remaining in the concrete. New technologies that seek to enhance this
property of concrete are being developed, which can be divided according to the use of
four types of material: fibers, water retainers, encapsulated healing agents and bacteria
(REPETTE, 2011).
Therefore, this research aims to focus on one of the sustainable solutions for construction:
the choice of the most correct materials from the point of view of sustainable development
with the possibility of using biomaterials in their composition, through which they are
inserted in the mixture of the coating propitious to generate minerals based on calcium
carbonate, a procedure that can cause in sealing cracks and sealing water, instead of
preventing failures, with a healing procedure housed, could be more accessible than
conventional ones.

2 Materials and methods

An explanatory research is proposed with its approach as the form of qualitative method
that encompasses tests and laboratory procedures. This study is divided into four stages,
the first of which consists of the mechanisms involved in the self-regeneration of concrete,
the second is summarized in the main methods involved in the development of bioconcrete
technology until the present moment: precipitation of calcium carbonate through the
bacterial hydrolysis of urea and the incorporation of bacterial spores and organic
compounds in the concrete, the third stage refers to the execution of all stages of the
experimental methodology, as well as the system adopted for molding, curing, induction of
cracks and observation of the specimens, the fourth, and last stage, the analysis of results.

2.1 Materials
The study is based on laboratory tests performed at the Pavement Laboratory of the
Federal Institute of Amazonas - East Zone Campus, located at Avenida Cosme Ferreira,
Nº 8045 - São José Operário, Manaus/AM. The materials used in the mixtures for the
impregnation of the expanded clay particles were: probiotic with bacteria of the genus
Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis, 10g of calcium acetate and 10g of urea, as well
as expanded clay particles of 6 to 15 mm. Particles of super-fine vermiculite were also
impregnated, using the same amounts of probiotic and nutrients mentioned above. Figures
1, 2, 3 and 4 below show in a clearer way all these materials mentioned above.
ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 2
 Figure 1 - Probiotic with bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis (Source: Authors (2020))

Figure 2 - Urea used as nutrient for bacteria (Source: Authors (2020))

Figure 3 - Calcium acetate used as a source of nutrients for bacteria (Source: Authors (2020))

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 3

 Figure 4 - Expanded clay particles from 6 to 15mm diameter (Source: Authors (2020))

The molding of the specimens was done with Portland CP II-Z Cement, class 32, small
aggregate of the medium natural sand type of river bed, mycasis or granule pebble,
vermiculite, drinking water supplied by the region's distribution company, ratio a/c 0.50,
expanded clay particles with maximum diameter of 15 mm and super-plasticizer with 3%
cement mass.
The clay particles were separated into two groups: impregnated with suspension of
bacteria spores and organic compound and not impregnated, these being used to make
control specimens, which would be used as reference. The same procedure was then
adopted for vermiculite particles. Figures 5 to 9 present the materials used in the
composition of the concrete.

Figure 5 - Concrete trace component materials (Source: Authors (2020))

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 4

 a) b)

Figure 6 - a) CP II-Z 32 used as binder, b) River sand used as small aggregate (Source: Authors (2020))

Figure 7 - Vermiculite super thin impregnated to replace small aggregate (Source: Authors (2020))

Figure 8 - Expanded clay impregnated for substitution in the large aggregate (Source: Authors (2020))

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 5

 Figure 9 - Zero gravel used as a large aggregate (Source: Authors (2020))

2.1.1 Equipments used

The impregnation procedure was carried out using the method proposed by Mors and
Jonkers (2013). For absorption, the expanded clay particles were immersed in water
saturated with nutrients and suspension of bacterial spores. 2L of water were heated to
80ºC. They were then constantly agitated before nutrients were added (10g of calcium
acetate and 10g of urea). The spores were dispersed 2 minutes before the light aggregate
(6-15mm). A preliminary impregnation process in vermiculite particles was carried out in
the microbiology laboratory of IFAM.

Figure 10 - Microwave apparatus used for heating water (Source: Authors (2020))

The water was heated in a microwave device, and then taken to a stirring and
impregnation equipment, performed according to the procedure previously presented.
Figures 10 and 11 show the two equipments mentioned.
ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 6
 Figure 11 - Mixer used for constant stirring of the impregnation solution (Source: Authors (2020))

In this preliminary test, the impregnated vermiculite was used to verify the germination or
not of the bacteria in the presence of nutrients.

2.2 Methods
The specimens, with dimensions 10x20 cm, were molded in cylindrical format, according
to ABNT-NBR 5738 (2003), and demolded 24 hours later, being then taken to the humid
chamber for healing.
The initial trace was determined based on that used by Jonkers (2011): 1:2,42:0,76 in
mass, or 1:2,81:2,81 in volume of cement, sand and light aggregate. A dash of 1:2:3 was
chosen, with 50% substitution of the large aggregate for expanded clay and a/c ratio of
0.5. However, it was decided, in a later trace, that vermiculite would also be used as light
aggregate. When making the specimens, the introduction of vermiculite in the concrete
mixer demonstrated the need to saturate it, given its high water consumption.
At this point, it was decided to reduce the amount of aggregates in the trace. In addition, it
was found that vermiculite would absorb a lot of water, which motivated the reduction of its
proportion in the light aggregate. For this reason, the final trace of 1:1.75:2.25 would use
cement, sand, vermiculite, gravel 0 and expanded clay in the mass proportions of
1:1.40:0.325:1.125:1.125. Since the amount of expanded clay available was limited, the
quantities of other materials were calculated from that value. 2.04kg cement, 2.856kg
sand, 0.714kg vermiculite, 2.30kg gravel, 2.30kg expanded clay and 1.02kg water were
used.
The concrete was then dosed and the specimens molded and cured (ABNT-NBR 5738,
2003). The materials used for this purpose were: concrete mixer, plastic buckets, trowel,
cylindrical metal rod and cylindrical mold with internal diameter of 100 mm. The expanded
clay particles without bacterial impregnation were saturated with water, for 30 minutes,
before being inserted in the concrete mixer, because its great water absorption can affect

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 7

the hydration of the cement paste, besides that the absence of saturation can cause the
flotation of these particles in the fresh concrete.
8 specimens were molded, being 4 of bioconcrete, with bacteria impregnation in the
expanded clay particles and 4 of control, which would be used as reference. 2 samples
would be submitted to the induction of cracks at 14 days, while the rest of the samples
would be used to verify the bacteria action and perform compression resistance tests.
After the induction of cracks at 14 days, the verification of the closing of the cracks would
be performed visually and periodically.

2.2.1 Immersion of samples in bacteria solutions

At 21 days, it was not possible to see the action of bacteria in the fissures. For this reason,
it was decided that an impregnated specimen would be immersed in a bacterial solution in
order to optimize the healing process. It is important to emphasize, however, that this
phenomenon would no longer be self-healing, but a kind of recovery of the sample. The
composition of the chosen solution was water, 5g/L of bacteria, 2.5g/L of urea and 1.25g/L
of calcium acetate. The sample immersed in the solution can be seen in Figure 12.

Figure 12 - Immersed body of proof in bacteria solution (Source: Authors (2020))

3 Results and discussion

At first, it was determined the demoulding of the specimens 24 hours after concreting.
However, one of the bio-concrete specimens disintegrated during the demoulding process.

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 8

This may have occurred due to the insertion of large amounts of superplasticizer into the
mixture. Figure 13 shows the disintegrated specimen.

Figure 13 - Impregnated specimen disintegrated during demolding (Source: Authors (2020))

It can be seen from the state of the specimen that the expanded clay particles were
concentrated in the upper part of the sample and the cohesion in the central region was
seriously compromised (Figure 14).

Figure 14 - Proof bodies impregnated with bacteria (Source: Authors (2020))

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 9

The concentration of expanded clay particles at one end suggests that there was no
saturation of these and therefore they floated to the upper region of the specimen. For this
reason, it was decided to demold only the control specimens within 24 hours and to
demold the remaining impregnated samples within 7 days. Figure 14 shows the state of
the specimens at seven days.
It is notorious that the samples of bioconcrete present a better finish than the control
samples. This can be explained by the confinement of those for 48 additional hours, which
may have compressed the concrete particles and reduced the amount of surface porosity.

3.1 Fissures induction test

One of the control specimens was subjected to a compression test, to the point
immediately before rupture. The aim was to see if it would be possible to use the hydraulic
press of the IFAM building materials laboratory to safely induce cracks in the samples.
Figure 15 presents the crack induction test.

Figure 15 - Induction of cracks in a control sample (Source: Authors (2020))

When it was noticed that the samples had reached their breaking point, the loading was
removed and a visual verification of the specimen surface was performed. One of the
bioconcrete samples was then submitted to the same test. Figure 16 shows that it was
possible to induce cracks without rupturing the specimen.

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 10

 Figure 16 - Control sample submitted to fissure induction testing (Source: Authors (2020))

3.2 Visual monitoring of the cracks in the Bioconcrete sample

At 21 days, it was not possible to see the action of bacteria in the fissures. For this reason,
it was decided that an impregnated specimen would be immersed in a bacterial solution in
order to optimize the healing process (Figure 17).

Figure 17 - Inspection of specimens with microscope (Source: Authors (2020))

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 11

It is important, however, to emphasize that this phenomenon would no longer be self-
regeneration, but a kind of recovery of the sample. At 30 days, a visual inspection of the
fissures was performed using a microscope, as can be seen in Figure 17, the fissures of
the impregnated and control specimens can be seen in Figures 18 to 20.

Figure 18 - Impregnated body of evidence crack (Source: Authors (2020))

Figure 19 - Non-impregnated body of evidence crack (Source: Authors (2020))

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 12
 Figure 20 - Control sample surface (Source: Authors (2020))

It is notorious that there was no visible action of the bacteria in the bioconcrete sample.
Unlike the work done by Jonkers, the presence of calcium carbonate crystals in the
fissures was not verified. Possibly, this occurred because the bacteria concentrated on the
surface of the material and did not survive the process of rolling the concrete. Not even the
immersion of the sample in bacteria solution was able to induce the closure of the cracks.
Possibly, this was due to the short time elapsed between the adoption of the method and
the evaluation of the cracks.

4 Conclusion
It was possible to verify the closure of cracks, as well as the work done by Jonkers. In the
first place, a cement trace, small aggregate and large aggregate of 1:1.75:2.25 was
adopted. It is possible to see that the amount of expanded clay adopted in this work was
much higher than the reference proportion, in addition to the use of gravel in the
composition of the large aggregate, a material not previously present. Still, it is important
to mention that the clay granulometry adopted by Jonkers was of particles with diameters
inferior to 4mm, while this work adopted maximum diameters of 9mm. It is known that for
light aggregates, they must be submerged in water for a period of 24 hours before use.
This prevents the clay particles from floating on the concrete surface. This work adopted a
methodology in which the clay was submerged for only 30 minutes in the solution, while for
the control samples, the immersion in water was done for the same period. In addition, in
ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 13
the work proposed by Jonkers, vacuum impregnation was used, a procedure that
optimized the insertion of the bacteria solution inside the light aggregate. The present work
did not have access to this technology and adopted a simple immersion process, which
proved to be sufficient for the impregnation of the material. This may have kept the
bacteria on the surface of the aggregate. Still in the previous work, after the impregnation
process, the light aggregate was dried for 5 days at 37ºC, a procedure not adopted in this
work, in which the particles were inserted in the concrete mixer shortly after being
impregnated. The induction of the cracks was also ideal. Jonkers induced them by means
of traction, and the sample mold already had a zinc bar in the central region, while the
current work induced cracks by means of compression. Moreover, the induction of cracks
in that work was only performed 56 days after the curing of the concrete, while in this work
the test was performed after only 14 days. Also, Jonkers only obtained perceptible results
40 days after the cracking, while this work had an extremely short analysis period of only
30 days.
Together with the above-mentioned factors, it can be said that there was enough time for
the bacterial action to be verified. Another element that may have positively affected the
work was the use of considerable amounts of superplasticizer and vermiculite. The
introduction of these variables, inexistent in the reference work, may have been the
differential in the performance of the material in some way. Finally, the concrete run time
was very high, since the desired consistency was difficult to obtain. For this reason, if they
remained on the surface of the material, the microorganisms resisted the dosing process
due to the high energy employed. Thus, it is possible to conclude that the impregnation
process by simple immersion is sufficient for the proper impregnation of bacteria into
expanded clay particles. In addition, the dosage time of the concrete is of extreme
importance and can compromise the state of the bacteria. The germination of bacteria in
vermiculite particles shows that, in the presence of nutrients, microorganisms can
reproduce and release calcium carbonate. Therefore, properly protected inside the light
aggregate particles, through vacuum impregnation, it was possible for the bacteria to
survive the dosage process.

5 References
BRAZILIAN ASSOCIATION OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS. NBR 6118: Concrete
structure design - Procedure. Rio de Janeiro: ABNT, 2014.

____. NBR 5739: Concrete - Compression test of cylindrical corroded bodies. Rio de
Janeiro: ABNT, 2007.

____. NBR 9778: Hardened mortar and concrete - Determination of water absorption by
immersion - Voids index and specific mass. Rio de Janeiro: ABNT, 2007.

____. NBR 5738: Concrete - Procedure for molding and curing of specimens. Rio de
Janeiro: ABNT, 2003.

AZEVEDO, M. T. Pathology of Concrete Structures. In: ISAIA, Geraldo C. (Org.).

Concrete: Science and Technology. 1st ed. São Paulo: IBRACON, 2011, p. 1119- 1128.
ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 14
BICZOK, I.; ASENSI, E. J. D. Descripcion y detalles de las medidas de proteccion. The
corrosion of hormigon and its protection. 6a. ed. Bilbao, Spain. URMO, 1972, p. 573-
575.

CINCOTTO, M. A. Hydration and Pozzolanic Reactions. In: ISAIA, General C. (Org.).

Concrete: Science and Technology. 1st ed. São Paulo: IBRACON, 2011, p. 381-413.

FIGUEIREDO, E. J. P. Therapy of Concrete Constructions: Methodology of

evaluation of epoxy systems for the injection of passive cracks in concrete
structures. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. p. 25-37, Porto Alegre, 1989.

HENRIQUES, R. A. D. Estudio Relativo al Hormigón Bacteriano: Fabricación y

Potenciales Campos de Aplicación. 2011.

MEHTA, P. K.; MONTEIRO, P. J. M. Concrete: Microstructure, Properties and

Materials. 3rd ed. São Paulo: IBRACON, 2008.

MORS, R. M; JONKERS, H. M. Practical Approach for Production of Bacteria-Based

AgentContained Light Weight Aggregates to Make Concrete Self-Healing. p. 240-243,
2013.

PAULON, V.; KIRCHHEIN, A. P. Nanostructure and Microstructure of Hardened

Concrete. In: ISAIA, Geraldo C. (Org.). Concrete: Science and Technology. 1st ed. São
Paulo: IBRACON, 2011, p. 585-613.

RAMACHANDRAN, S. K.; RAMAKRISHNAN, V.; BANG, S. S. Remediation of concrete

using microorganisms. ACI Materials Journal, v. 98, n. 1, p. 3-9, 2001.

REPETTE, W. L. Last Generation and Special Purpose Concrete. 1st ed. São Paulo:
IBRACON, 2011.

TAKAGI, E. M. Self-curing concrete with Brazilian blast furnace slag cements

activated by crystalline catalyst. 2013. 130f. Dissertation for Master's Degree in Airport
Infrastructure Engineering - Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica, São José dos Campos.

VEKARIYA, M. S.; PITRODA, J. Bacterial Concrete: New Era for Construction

Industry. International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology, v. 4, n. 9, p. 4128-
4137, 2013. Available at: <http://www.ijettjournal.org/volume4/issue-9/IJETT-
V4I9P181.pdf>.

ANAIS DO 62º CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DO CONCRETO - CBC2020 – 62CBC2020 15