I. Experimental Trial of a Biological Additive in the Production of Concrete and Repair Mortars

Abstract

Written by a chemical engineer, based on an undergraduate thesis from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín campus, this article presents experimental research on the use of a bacterial biological additive in the production of concrete and repair mortars. The author describes the process of isolating a calcifying bacterium discovered in the groundwater of the El Zancudo mine in Titiribí, and its laboratory cultivation for use in various proportions in mixtures. The text presents experimental results of compressive and flexural strength tests, porosity, and resistance to acid attack, concluding that the biological additive improves the physical-mechanical properties of concretes with higher water-cement ratios.