Self-healing of cementitious materials using sustainable cenosphere-based manufactured aggregate

Self-healing concrete using encapsulated healing agent has shown great potential in enhancing concrete durability. However, the capsules are expensive to make and can lower the mechanical properties of concrete. In this study, a new type of manufactured aggregate that employs waste-derived fly ash cenosphere as a carrier of healing agent (SH...

Bacteria-initiated self-healing concrete: Influence of chloride ions, carbonation and mechanical load

Under service conditions and because of environmental and climate changes, the concrete is at risk due to crack-induced durability problems. The consequences can be even more pronounced when concrete is exposed to specifically aggressive environmental conditions. This has been portrayed by rapid deterioration of relatively young concrete...

Self-healing cementitious composites with a hollow vascular network created using 3D-printed sacrificial templates

Additively manufactured vascular networks have great potential for use in autonomous self-healing of cementitious composites as they potentially allow multiple healing events to take place. However, the existence of a vascular tube wall may impede with the healing efficiency if it does not rupture timely to release the healing agent. The...

PHA biosynthesis, recovery, and application: A circular value chain for production of self-healing concrete from waste

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a family of biopolymers produced intracellular<br/>by a range of different bacteria.PHA have attracted widespread attention as<br/>an environmental friendly replacement of fossil-based polymers, because they<br/>have thermoplastic and/or elastomeric properties, and are also biobased and<br/>biodegradable.Moreover,...

Assessment of Functional Performance, Self-Healing Properties and Degradation Resistance of Poly-Lactic Acid and Polyhydroxyalkanoates Composites

In this study, the applicability of two bacteria-based healing agents (e.g., poly-lactic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoate) in blast furnace slag cement (BFSC) mortar has been assessed. An experimental campaign on the functional properties, self-healing capacity, freezing–thawing and carbonation resistance has been conducted in comparison with plain...

Mechanical properties and healing efficiency of 3D-printed ABS vascular based self-healing cementitious composite: Experiments and modelling

Cracking is one of the main causes for deterioration of concrete structures. Self-healing concrete with 3D-printed vascular networks has excellent potential for autonomous self-healing. This approach is scarcely investigated: no studies have been devoted to the influence of printing parameters on the properties of vascular based self-healing...

Control of early-age cracking aimed at a test case for bacterial self-healing concrete

Since 2006, the Delft University of Technology has been working on the development of bacterial self-healing concrete (BSHC). The self-healing ability of this concrete is based on a biological mechanism, in which mineral producing bacteria are added to repair cracks autonomously. This not only improves the durability of concrete structures, but...

From waste to self-healing concrete: A proof-of-concept of a new application for polyhydroxyalkanoate

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production is a promising opportunity to recover organic carbon from waste streams. However, widespread application of waste-derived PHA as biodegradable plastic is restricted by expensive purification steps, high quality requirements, and a fierce competition with the conventional plastic market. To overcome these...

Chemo-physico-mechanical properties of the interface zone between bacterial PLA self-healing capsules and cement paste

In this study, the interface between different types of bacteria-embedded self-healing polylactic acid capsules (PLA) and cement paste is investigated. Particularly, the changes in microstructure and mechanical properties of the interface with respect to bulk cement paste were studied. First, nanoindentation was performed to obtain maps of...

A cost-effective bacteria-based self-healing cementitious composite for low-temperature marine applications

Bacteria-based self-healing concrete is an innovative self-healing materials approach, whereby bacteria embedded in concrete can form a crack healing mineral precipitate. Structures made from self-healing concrete promise longer service lives, with associated economic benefits [1]. Despite concretes susceptibility to marine-based degradation...

The Use of Alkaliphilic Bacteria-based Repair Solution for Porous Network Concrete Healing Mechanism

Bacteria induced calcium carbonate precipitation based on metabolic conversion of nutrients has been acknowledged for having potentials in self-healing cement-based materials. Recent studies have shown the development of bacteria-based repair solution (liquid) for concrete surface repair. This article demonstrates the feasible application of...

Geopolymer Coating of Bacteria-containing Granules for Use in Self-healing Concrete

Concrete structures are often reinforced with steel. In order for the reinforcement to take over tensile forces, concrete has to crack. Through such cracks, water and compounds that are harmful to concrete can enter. This can cause durability issues like leakage, concrete degradation and reinforcement corrosion. In situ repair of cracks is often...

Porous Network Concrete: A bio-inspired building component to make concrete structures self-healing

The high energy consumption, its corresponding emission of CO2 and financial losses due to premature failure are the pressing sustainability issues which must be tackled by the concrete infrastructure industry. Enhancement of concrete materials and durability of structures (designing new infrastructures for longer service life) is one solution...

Experimental Study on Cementitious Composites Embedded with Organic Microcapsules

The recovery behavior for strength and impermeability of cementitious composites embedded with organic microcapsules was investigated in this study. Mortar specimens were formed by mixing the organic microcapsules and a catalyst with cement and sand. The mechanical behaviors of flexural and compression strength were tested. The results showed...

Mimicking Bone Healing Process to Self Repair Concrete Structure Novel Approach Using Porous Network Concrete

To repair concrete cracks in difficult or dangerous conditions such as underground structures or hazardous liquid containers, self healing mechanism is a promising alternative method. This research aims to imitate the bone self healing process by putting porous concrete internally in the concrete structure to create a porous network similar to ...

Interaction between microcapsules and cementitious matrix after cracking in a self-healing system

A new type of self-healing cementitious composites by using organic microcapsules is designed in Guangdong Key Laboratory of Durability for Coastal Civil Engineering, Shenzhen University. For the organic microcapsules, the shell material is urea formoldehyde (UF), and the core healing agent is Epoxy. The effect of organic microcapsules on...

Interaction between microcapsules and cementitious matrix after cracking in a self-healing system

A new type of self-healing cementitious composites by using organic microcapsules is designed in Guangdong Key Laboratory of Durability for Coastal Civil Engineering, Shenzhen University. For the organic microcapsules, the shell material is urea formoldehyde (UF), and the core healing agent is Epoxy. The effect of organic microcapsules on...

Development and application of bacteria-based self-healing materials

In 2006 a research program was launched at Delft University of Technology aiming for the development of a new class of materials, i.e. materials with an inbuilt healing mechanism. The idea is that these novel materials can self repair damage resulting in substantially decreased maintenance and repair costs and increased service life. Several...