A team of microbiologists from the Delft University of Technology claims to have invented "bioconcrete" — concrete that heals cracks and breaks using bacteria. The goal was to find a type of bacteria that could live inside concrete and also produce small amount of limestone that could re-seal cracks. This is a difficult prospect because concrete is quite dry and strongly alkaline. The bacteria needed to be able to stay alive for years in those conditions before being activated by water. The bacteria also need a food source — simply adding sugar to concrete will make it weak. The scientists used calcium lactate instead, adding biodegradable capsules of it to the concrete mix. "When cracks eventually begin to form in the concrete, water enters and open the capsules. The bacteria then germinate, multiply and feed on the lactate, and in doing so they combine the calcium with carbonate ions to form calcite, or limestone, which closes up the cracks."
One thing that is left out of the articles mentioned above is the amount of time needed for a given crack to "heal" closed.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 16 2015, @07:26PM
Anyone into science fiction might have read some Allistar Reynolds http://www.alastairreynolds.com/ [alastairreynolds.com]
In his novels, the plague, a rouge disease twists and contorts his concrete jungles.
Here we go.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 16 2015, @10:37PM
It would be interesting to see how biological roads could be turned into biological weapons.
The sandpeople in Dirkadirkastan already turned roads into weapons... to the point where American soldiers are scared shitless of stepping on or driving over an IED.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Sunday May 17 2015, @06:01AM
I really like that universe : ) You are talking about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasm_City [wikipedia.org]
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