Scientists in the United Kingdom are experimenting with a new kind of concrete which uses bacteria to plug gaps and cracks opened up by bad weather. If successful, this self-healing concrete will enable potholes to plug themselves.
The Telegraph reports that researchers at the University of Bath, Cardiff University and the University of Cambridge created the concrete, which is full of bacteria hidden in capsules. As soon as water seeps into a crack, the bacteria burst out and produce limestone, sealing the gap. Scientists believe the technique could increase the life of concrete, remove the need for repairs, and reduce costs by up to 50%.
As far back as 2011 the South African government announced it needed to spend R22-billion over three years on a countrywide pothole repair programme. In partnership with all nine provinces, the programme – dubbed S’hamba Sonke, Moving Together was supposed to improve access to schools, clinics and other social and economic opportunities by drastically upgrading the secondary roads network and repairing potholes throughout the country.
The project was modelled on the Department of Transport’s Zibambele (“doing it ourselves”) initiative, which involved routine road maintenance using labour-intensive methods in which a family or household is contracted through a provincial department to maintain a specific length of road on a part-time basis. It reached little to no success.
Can this smart concrete be the answer?
