Annotated summary
Steward, A. (2016). The ‘living concrete’ that can heal itself. Retrieved 11 March 2020, from https://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/14/tech/bioconcrete-delft-jonkers/index.html This article introduces the use of a ‘healing agent’ as a means to increase the durability of concrete by allowing the material to heal itself in the event of structural cracks. It highlights the reason why bacillus, a type of bacteria, was chosen as a ‘healing agent’. In the article, concrete is ‘extremely alkaline’ and the ‘healing agent’ that was to be chosen, had to be ‘dormant’ for an extended amount of years for a structural crack to form. Moreover, this ‘healing agent’ had to be able to produce a substance that could ultimately ‘heal’ the cracks. Thus, bacillus was selected as these bacteria are able to survive in high PH conditions, are able to last long without oxygen and when reacted with water, they produce limestone which acts as the healing material to cover the structural cracks within concrete. ...