self-healing infrastructure

Self-healing concrete is characterized as the capability of concrete to fix its cracks on its own autogenously or autonomously. It not only seals the cracks but also partially or entirely recovers the mechanical properties of the structural elements. This kind of concrete is also known as self-repairing concrete. Because concrete has a poor tensile strength compared to other building materials, it often develops cracks in the surface. These cracks reduce the durability of the concrete because they facilitate the flow of liquids and gases that may contain harmful compounds. If microcracks expand and reach the reinforcement, not only will the concrete itself be susceptible to attack, but so will the reinforcement steel bars. Therefore, it is essential to limit the crack's width and repair it as quickly as feasible. Self-healing concrete would not only make the material more sustainable, but it would also contribute to an increase in the service life of concrete structures and make the material more durable and environmentally friendly.
Self-healing is an old and well-known phenomenon for concrete, given that it contains innate autogenous healing characteristics. Cracks may heal over time due to continued hydration of clinker minerals or carbonation of calcium hydroxide. Autogenous healing is difficult to control since it can only heal small cracks and is only effective when water is present. This limitation makes it tough to use. On the other hand, concrete may be altered to provide self-healing capabilities for cracks. There are many solutions for improving autogenous healing by adding the admixtures, such as mineral additions, crystalline admixtures, and superabsorbent polymers. Further, concrete can be modified to built-in autonomous self-healing techniques. The capsule-based self-healing, the vascular self-healing, and the microbiological self-healing are the most common types of autonomous self-healing techniques.

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