Bacterial Concrete Healing Patterns: Low-Impact Form Logics for Long-Term Maintenance and Repair of Concrete Paneling

<p dir="ltr">Concrete is the second most used material in the world, primarily because of its high compressive strength, resistance to weathering, and malleability in forming. However, cracking due to weather has played a significant role in the replacement and maintenance practices of concrete, with impacts on the life cycle assessment (LCA) related to embodied energy. Bacterial or so-called self-healing-concrete, which activates internal calcification through exposure to air and water, has shown promise in extending the lifespan of concrete structures. This research focuses on shaping strategies for bacterial concrete using low-impact casting methods with reusable sand and rubble-based formwork to compare the effectiveness and aesthetics of shaping strategies relative to their maintenance effort and LCA. This provides designers with a frame of reference on how to utilize bacterial concrete’s inherent properties to extend its functional lifespan and promote durability within the built environment through a creative approach to low impact form-making. A life cycle assessment literature review and extended use-phase calculations compare the global warming potentials (GWP) of generic and bacterial concrete per year of use. In material prototyping, geometries of typical concrete cracks were analyzed and used to establish scales and patterns to generate new surface-patterned forms, which were cracked to activate bacterial healing. Finally, the synthesis imagines what these patterned forms would look like as architectural façade panels. The expanded lifespan that self-healing gives to bacterial concrete makes it a viable replacement for generic concrete. The findings demonstrate that pairing bacterial concrete with intentional form design at certain scales is not only an effective approach to concrete sustainability but also leverages weathering as an aesthetic and functional asset. By proactively addressing cracking, bacterial concrete extends the material's lifespan and redefines the perception and design of material weathering and aging in the built environment.</p>