Innovative approach for the protection of recycled concrete by biogenic silica biodeposition

Abstract

Over the past few years, the construction industry has sought to be more sustainable through use of more economically responsible materials and the use of environmentally friendly techniques such as bio-remediation. One promising area in this regard is that of surface treatments, particularly bio-repair techniques, to reduce the deterioration suffered by cement-based materials as a result of environmental conditions. This study presents original work on the use of silicaceous biodeposition by diatoms as a waterproofing surface treatment for recycled concrete. A recycled concrete mix containing a 50% substitution of recycled aggregates (RA) was used as a test substrate and the effectiveness of the bio-treatment was assessed using four different tests: capillary absorption, high-pressure water penetration, low-pressure water absorption and also characterised the biodeposited layer using SEM. Results demonstrate reductions of up to 33% in the capillary absorption test, while high-pressure water penetration decreased by 54.7%, compared to controls. In addition, Karsten tube tests showed low-pressure water absorption was delayed by up to 436 times relative to control samples. In combination these tests confirm the efficacy of diatom biodeposition as a protective surface treatment for cement-based construction materials.