The Effectiveness of Microorganisms EM4 as a Self-Healing Injection Material for Concrete Crack Repair
Luthfi Muhammad Mauludin(a*), Ery Radya Juarti(a), Ridho Septian(a), Linda Aisyah(a) and Baso Muhammad Ilham Alimin(a)

a)Civil Engineering Department, Politeknik Negeri Bandung, Jl. Gegerkalong Hilir, Ciwaruga, Bandung, Indonesia
*luthfi-mm[at]polban.ac.id

Abstract

Cracks in concrete structures typically arise from natural processes, excessive loads, or mistakes in design and construction. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the probiotic microorganism EM4 as a self-healing injection material for repairing concrete cracks. EM4, known for improving soil structure and organic materials, is expected to fill gaps in concrete. The study uses EM4 in proportions of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% of the total injection weight to assess its ability to repair cracks in test beams measuring 50x100x100 mm, subjected to flexural strength testsThe effectiveness of EM4 is compared with epoxy injection and bacillus megaterium bacteria, both of which have been shown to be effective in concrete repair. EM4 at a 15% concentration increases flexural strength by 6.45%, though this improvement is less than Bacillus megaterium, which achieved a 12.19% increase. However, the results show that EM4 is more effective than conventional epoxy injection materials. These findings are expected to reduce the need for additional materials and energy, decrease repair waste, extend the lifespan of concrete, and contribute to the development of efficient, environmentally friendly, sustainable construction technologies.

Keywords: Self-Healing Concrete, EM4 Probiotic Microorganisms, Concrete Crack Repair, Sustainable Construction, Flexural Strength Testing

Topic: Materials Science