Corrosion inhibition in reinforced concrete using silica fume immobilized bacterial cells

Recently, microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP) has been considered a novel method in corrosion prevention of reinforced concrete (RC) at the lab scale. In this investigation, silica fume (SF) based inoculum for the construction industry was developed and possessed a shelf life of 180 days with an effective cell count required to induce MICCP in RC structures. The SF-based inoculum was immobilized in fresh concrete to study the corrosion mitigation potential. The RC specimens were cured for 28 days and subjected to impressed current-induced chloride corrosion. Electrochemical and electromechanical impedance (EMI) techniques were employed separately on RC specimens for corrosion assessment. The results prove that the SF-based carrier can be effectively used for corrosion prevention and that the emerging EMI technique can efficiently monitor the corrosion process.