EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON BENEFITS OF INCORPORATING BACTERIA FOR ENHANCING WORKABILITY AND STRENGTH CHARACTERISTICS OF GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE.

Abstract

Cement is widely used as a key raw material in construction projects across the globe. To meet the growing demand from the construction sector, significant quantities of cement are produced annually, leading to substantial CO2 emissions. With rising concerns about global warming, Geopolymer Concrete (GPC), an inorganic polymer binder, has been developed as an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete. Recently, research has focused on improving the viscosity and workability of GPC, leading to the development of Self-Consolidating Geopolymer Concrete (SCGC). This experimental study explores the impact of Bacillus Pseudofirmus and Bacillus Licheniformis bacteria on the workability, strength, and durability of SCGC. Three different SCGC mixes were created using these bacteria at a concentration of 3% of the total binder content, and various workability and strength tests were conducted. The results indicated that the SCGC mix containing Bacillus Pseudofirmus exhibited superior workability with a slump value of 706 mm and achieved a maximum compressive strength of 53.38 MPa after 28 days of ambient curing. Furthermore, the hardened SCGC mix with Bacillus Pseudofirmus demonstrated greater resistance to acid and alkali attacks and had the lowest water absorption rate.