Sensor-driven durable low carbon concrete infrastructure

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Industrial pollution poses a major threat to land, ecosystems and human health. Sustainable technologies are the choiceto address the growing need for remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites. Research has explored a novelprocess called microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) that displays a promising result in various applicationsfrom geotechnology to civil engineering. A highly characterised model organism with well-established geneticmodification procedures called Bacillus subtilis has also shown potential for use in soil stabilisation, self-healingbioconcrete and heavy metal bioremediation. This research aims to develop a "smart" Bacillus subtilis strain suitable forlarge-scale on-site testing, and to explore a novel avenue of integrating soil stabilisation, self-healing and heavy metalbioremediation into a single approach. The research will involve exploring the natural properties of Bacillus subtilis toestablish a baseline for comparison, and through repeatedly modifications to the strains, engineering design cycles andtests until a suitable strain is created. The outcome of this research is expected to create a "smart" Bacillus subtilis strainthat can stabilise soil, display self-healing properties, and remediate heavy metals from soil, which promotes sustainabledevelopment and interdisciplinary collaboration while providing a better understanding of ureolytic MICP mechanismsand their potential land remediation applications.