A preliminary investigation of fungal-bound granular materials for pavement infrastructure

Abstract

This work was motivated by the desire to reduce the environmental footprint of asphalt pavements. A radically new binder category was explored in this context; one that is not bitumen-based and does not require aggregate heating and drying: mycelium of fungi. A specimen was prepared in the laboratory by mixing, at room temperature, aggregates with inoculated plant-based substrate. For a period of several weeks, as the mycelium metabolized the substrate, the specimen was imaged with X-ray computed tomography; also, the end-result was examined with optical microscopy. It is shown that mycelium permeated the substrate and grew around aggregates – tightly enveloping them – producing a binding effect at the bulk scale. It is concluded that the idea is potentially viable and therefore worthy of further investigation.