Impacts for the Company
A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) focused on commercialising Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) for crack repair and ground improvement could bring significant strategic and operational benefits to BAM. By embedding academic expertise directly into the business, the KTP would accelerate BAM’s ability to turn innovative MICP research into practical, scalable solutions.
For BAM, the greatest impact lies in targeted crack repair. MICP offers a biologically‑driven way of restoring durability without relying on synthetic resins or other chemically aggressive products. Its ability to stabilise fine cracks with minimal material input provides a greener repair option and, critically, helps avoid heavy patch repairs, intrusive interventions, or, in extreme cases, partial demolition and reconstruction. This shift from reactive, high‑carbon repairs to earlier, low‑impact interventions can reduce disruption, extend service life, and lower whole‑life costs for clients.
While ground improvement remains a promising application, the immediate value is in strengthening BAM’s repair portfolio. Developing this capability in‑house would allow BAM to differentiate its services, offer clients more sustainable alternatives, and ultimately position the company as an early leader in bio‑based construction technologies, opening new opportunities across asset management, remediation, and sustainable ground engineering.
Impacts for the Academic Team
This project allows the academic team to validate their laboratory research under field conditions. It bridges the gap between theoretical models and small scale experiments to real-world application. The direct feedback from large-scale trials can be used to optimise strategies for injection, equipment, and by-product management. Successfully demonstrated field applications can be used as evidence for securing future funding and industrial partnerships. The project creates datasets, operational protocols, and practical case studies that can be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences. The close collaboration with industry partners ensures the research remains applicable and up to date to industry interests allowing recognition as a leading team in bio-mediated ground engineering.
Impacts for the KTP Associate
The KTP Associate gains direct, practical experience in scaling a biogeotechnological process from the lab to the field. The role provides hands-on training in industrial project management, including sourcing materials and operating specialised injection equipment, site characterisation, and by-product management.
This role builds a professional network that connects the KTP Associate directly with both leading academics and industry practitioners by leading sustainable geotechnical projects from initial design through to field implementation. It establishes a foundation for a career focused on practical, innovative solutions in civil engineering.