Title
Innovative Application of Self-healing Technology to Masonry: A Proof of Concept
Author
Gaggero, M.B. (TU Delft Applied Mechanics)
Korswagen, Paul A. (TU Delft Applied Mechanics) 
Esposito, R. (TU Delft Applied Mechanics)
Rots, J.G. (TU Delft Applied Mechanics)
Contributor
Endo, Yohei (editor)
Hanazato, Toshikazu (editor)
Date
2023
Abstract
Cracks are one of the most common expressions of damage in masonry structures. Aside from aesthetic issues, they can compromise the overall behaviour of the structure; therefore, they are undesirable and need to be repaired. The repointing technique is traditionally implemented in this context, especially in historical masonry. Nevertheless, future damage is not prevented and may arise again, thus requiring renewed repointing interventions. The paper describes a preliminary study conducted at Delft University of Technology to investigate the applicability of the innovative self-healing technology to enable an automatic repair of masonry cracks. A bacteria-based self-healing mortar, developed to repair existing concrete structures, was implemented to explore the capacity of couplets to recover their original strength and aesthetic aspect after multiple damaging events. Specimens built with calcium-silicate and clay bricks were subjected to subsequent cracking cycles using a crack-mouth-opening-displacement controlled bond-wrench test. Experimental results showed that self-repair, in terms of strength restoration and aesthetic filling of cracks, occurs even after multiple cracking cycles when the self-healing mortar is used with both types of bricks, optimizing the autogenous healing of cement-based mortars. In this context, the healing effectiveness tended to decrease as the crack width and the number of cycles increased. The effectiveness varied also according to the types of brick and healing environment used, e.g. under humid conditions (RH ~ 95%), 50% vs 80% of the original capacity was regained in fully separated couplets made respectively with clay and calcium-silicate bricks. This outcome provides the ground to delineate the remaining testing campaign.
Subject
Cracks
Heritage
Masonry
Repair
Self-healing
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d33d8490-e6bb-4262-9a98-38f14b18b19c
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-39603-8_28
Publisher
Springer
Embargo date
2024-03-04
ISBN
978-3-031-39605-2
Source
Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions: SAHC 2023 - Volume 1, 1
Event
13th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions 2023, 2023-09-12 → 2023-09-15, Obaku Plaza, Uji Campus, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Series
RILEM Bookseries, 2211-0844, 47
Bibliographical note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.
Part of collection
Institutional Repository
Document type
book chapter
Rights
© 2023 M.B. Gaggero, Paul A. Korswagen, R. Esposito, J.G. Rots