Cementing Mechanism of MICP-Treated Mortar and Performance Improvement by Innovative Molds

Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has the potential to have less hazardous impacts on the environment compared with traditional reinforcement technologies. In this paper, the mechanical property and cementing mechanism of MICP-treated mortar (MTM) are studied, and the double-layer rigid soaking mold is invented to prepare high-strength MTM samples. The effects of the cementation solution concentration (CSC), the concentration ratio of urea to calcium chloride (CRUC), aggregate particle size, and soaking time on the mechanical properties of MTM are researched. The results show that the strength of the MTM sample increases first and then decreases with the increase of CSC. The mean UCS of MTM samples reaches the peak of 8.19 MPa when the CSC is 1.5 M. The strength performance of MTM samples is relatively better when the CRUC is 1. For MTM samples with graded particle size, the sample with the particle size of 0.4–0.8 mm has the highest strength of 5.03 MPa. For MTM samples with full particle size, the mean UCS increases from 1.18 to 12.88 MPa with the increase of the maximum particle size from 0.2 to 2 mm. The MTM sample with full particle size has a higher strength when the maximum particle size is larger than 0.8 mm. The strength of MTM samples increases within 9 days over the soaking time and then tends to be stable at the later stage. The calcium carbonate mineral in the MTM sample is mainly calcite and a small amount of vaterite, and the strength of MTM is positively correlated with its CaCO3 content. The CaCO3 content of the sample shows a high surrounding and low middle distribution.