article · Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience
Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation uses bacteria to produce calcium carbonate directly within concrete, improving its overall structural performance. Both ureolytic and non-ureolytic bacteria can facilitate this in-situ precipitation. The effectiveness of the process depends on the chosen microbial strain, the nutrients supplied, curing conditions, and dosage optimisation. Synthesised evidence shows substantial mechanical gains: compressive strength increases by 20 to 50 percent, flexural strength rises by 19 to 66 percent, and tensile strength improves by 30 to 63 percent. The treatment also delivers durability benefits by lowering water absorption by 15 to 31 percent, cutting permeability by 44 to 55 percent, and enhancing resistance to freeze-thaw cycles and sulphate attack. It additionally supports crack mitigation, self-healing, and carbon sequestration. However, adoption remains restricted by irregular calcite formation, uncertain durability under aggressive conditions, scaling issues, and high costs.
Concrete structures degrade over time, leading to significant maintenance demands and resource use. Using natural bacterial processes to precipitate minerals inside concrete strengthens the material and reduces moisture entry. This biological approach can help concrete self-heal small cracks and capture carbon, offering a greener pathway towards more durable, long-lasting construction materials.
This technology is relevant to construction material manufacturers and civil infrastructure developers looking to produce self-healing and high-durability sustainable concrete. While the performance benefits are well documented across laboratory-scale metrics, the technology faces barriers in scalability, cost, and irregular mineral distribution. It therefore sits at an applied research stage, requiring process scaling and cost reduction before near-market adoption is feasible.
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Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a promising bio‑based technique for enhancing the macrostructural performance of concrete. This review first outlines the underlying mechanisms of MICP, emphasizing the roles of ureolytic and non‑ureolytic bacteria in facilitating in‑situ calcium carbonate precipitation within cementitious matrices. Treatment efficiency is shown to depend on microbial strain selection, nutrient composition, curing conditions, and dosage optimization. Reported performance improvements are substantial: compressive strength typically increases by 20–50%, flexural strength by 19–66%, and tensile strength by 30–63%. Durability is also enhanced, with water absorption reduced by 15–31%, permeability decreased by 44–55%, and resistance to sulphate attack and freeze–thaw cycles notably improved. Beyond structural gains, MICP offers potential for self‑healing, crack mitigation, and environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration. However, existential challenges include non-uniform calcite distribution, limited long‑term durability under aggressive exposure, scalability and cost setbacks. This paper synthesizes current advancements, observed performance trends, practical limitations, and future research directions for integrating MICP into next‑generation sustainable concrete technologies.
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DOI: 10.1186/s43065-025-00158-8
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