This book presents the first comprehensive text on construction biomaterials and bioprocesses. It details aspects of construction biotechnology, a new interdisciplinary area involving applications of environmental and industrial microbiology and biotechnology in geotechnical and civil engineering. It also critically reviews all existing and potential construction biotechnology processes.
It discusses a number of topics including the biotechnological production of new construction materials such as self-healing concrete, construction biocomposites, construction bioplastics, and biotechnological admixtures to cement. It also addresses construction-related processes like biocementation, bioclogging, soil surface fixation and biosealing, microbial cements and grouts, the biocoating of construction material surfaces, the microbiology and biosafety of the construction environment, the prevention of biocorrosion as well as biodeterioration and biofouling in civil engineering. Biomediated precipitation of calcium, magnesium, and iron compounds as carbonates, phosphates, sulphides, and silicate minerals in soil for its clogging and strengthening are considered from geotechnical, chemical, and microbiological points of view. It offers an overview of the basic microbiology that will enable civil engineers to perform the construction biogeochemical processes. Design principles and considerations for different field implementations are discussed from a practical point of view. The book can be used as a textbook for graduate and senior undergraduate students in biotechnology, civil engineering and environmental engineering as well as a reference book for researchers and practitioners working in this new interdisciplinary area.
Volodymyr Ivanov received his PhD and Doctor of Sciences degrees in microbiology and biotechnology at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. His professional experience includes 30 years of graduate and post-graduate teaching and research in microbiology and biotechnology at the universities of Ukraine, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, and USA. He has published over 190 papers, 8 patents, and over 20 book chapters and monographs on microbial physiology, environmental and construction microbiology and biotechnology. His major scientific achievements are the theory of physiological dualism of a growing cell existing in both exotropic and endotrophic states, revealing of a multicellular bacterial granule as a proto-organism, periodic table of physiological classification of prokaryotes, and establishing Construction Biotechnology as a new scientific discipline.
