Table 2.

Outline of different sets of mortar specimens and mechanism of curing treatment

Specimens	Material used	Mechanism of curing
Control	Cement:sand: 1:3; water/cement ratio 0.47	Water curing for 3,7 and 28 days
LT	Cement:sand: 1:3; live S. pevalekii culture/cement ratio 0.47	Curing for 3,7 and 28a days in BG11 medium supplied with 100 mM CaCl2, 50 mM NaHCO3.
UVT	Cement:sand: 1:3; UV-treated S. pevalekii culture/cement ratio 0.47	Curing for 3,7 and 28a days in BG11 medium supplied with 100 mM CaCl2, 50 mM NaHCO3

^aMortar cubes were incubated in culture for 24 h. at the beginning of every week and then transferred to medium