Bioactive Expeditionary Accelerated Structuring Technology (BEAST)

The U.S. military increasingly operates in austere environments with little-to-no baseline infrastructure in place. Conducting operations in such environments with heavy equipment, large volume vehicular traffic, weapons systems, and an array of aircraft poses significant operational and logistical challenges, many of which are also encountered by civilian industry activities.Ā Biocementation has been demonstrated as a viable technology for the manufacture of concrete materials with significantly reduced energy footprint and operational advantages over many traditional construction approaches. In addition to BiomasonÆs current commercial production of biocement-based precast architectural tile products (Biolith«), Biomason with support from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Air Force Research Labs (AFRL), has developed prototype field biocementation systems and approaches that have the potential to serve a wide range of construction applications for both military and civilian use-cases. BiomasonÆs field biocementation systems may also be paired with customized large-format precast formwork systems for the generation of an array of biocement-based infrastructure elements. BiomasonÆs early efforts in large-format precast generation demonstrate feasibility of the rapid production of a wide range of form factors which may also utilize native and/or waste stream materials.Ā Industry sectors as diverse as construction, mining, agriculture, natural resource/forestry/water protection services all have expressed interest in innovative bio-based solutions, indicating wide application potential for BiomasonÆs field biocementation systems. Moreover, DoD-supported demonstrations have provided repeat evidence of system effectiveness, robustness, and transferability in a variety of locations, environmental conditions, and operational scenarios, further illustrating the wide-reaching potential for BiomasonÆs biocementation field production platforms. The aim of this proposal is to adapt, refine, and optimize current Medusa systems and processes for the low-logistics, sustainable generation of large-format precast bioconcrete structures required for future Multi-Domain Operations (MDO).Ā The proposed Bioactive Expeditionary Accelerated Structuring Technology (BEAST) effort will yield: 1) refined biocementation field systems, processes, and approaches informed by end-users, product class specifications, and scaling considerations for agile, fieldable large format bioconcrete precast production platforms, 2) production incorporation of maximum indigenous and/or waste materials in bioconcrete precast streams, and 3) demonstration of post-prototype systems for production of bioconcrete sentinel barriers in an end of program challenge aimed to stress test systems, processes, and logistics in a relevant operational scenario.