Field performance of bacteria-based repair system: Pilot study in a parking garage

Abstract

This paper presents the field performance in a parking garage of the recently developed bacteria-based repair system for concrete. This liquid-based repair system aims at the sealing of cracks and decrease of the porosity due to the production of a calcium-based biomineral. The system combines advantages of both a traditional repair system for concrete (fast reacting and short term efficiency), and bio-based methods (more sustainable, slow process, and long-term efficiency). The bacteria-based repair system has been sprayed onto the surface of cracks and on concrete pavement. The crack-sealing efficiency and improvement of frost salt scaling were assessed by water permeability and freeze/thaw resistance tests respectively. The results were very promising as only cracks that had not been treated with the bacteria-based repair system were still heavily leaking. In addition, the freeze/thaw resistance of concrete that was treated with the bio-based repair system was higher than the untreated concrete.

Keywords

• Concrete
• Repair
• Bacteria-based system
• Crack