Finite Element Analysis of Self-Healing Concrete Beams Using Bacteria

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Concrete deterioration and cracking present significant repair challenges and costs.
• Bio-precipitation of calcium carbonate using bacteria offers a novel approach to enhance concrete structures.
• Limited research exists on the application of bacterial self-healing in structural concrete elements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analytically investigate the self-healing capacity of concrete beams using bacteria.
• To evaluate the impact of bacterial concentration and type on beam performance.
• To assess the influence of different loading conditions on the enhanced capacity of concrete beams.

Main Methods:

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using ANSYS 15.0 for simulation.
• Parametric study involving varying bacteria concentrations (1%, 2%, 3%) and types (Bacillus subtilis, E. coli, Pseudomonas sps.).
• Simulation of different loading scenarios: one-point, two-point, and four-point distributed loads.

Main Results:

• Bacillus subtilis was identified as the optimal bacteria type for self-healing.
• A 3% concentration of Bacillus subtilis increased beam capacity by 20.2%.
• Four-point distributed loading enhanced beam capacity by 74.5% compared to one-point loading.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial self-healing, particularly with Bacillus subtilis, significantly improves concrete beam capacity.
• Optimizing bacterial concentration and load distribution are key factors in maximizing structural enhancement.
• This study validates the potential of bio-inspired concrete for more durable and resilient infrastructure.