Advances in Self-Healing Concrete

With three tonnes utilized per person, concrete is one of the most common building elements in our society. However, cracks in concrete pose dangers to the concrete’s strength and structures built with concrete. For decades, the most common method of maintaining safe structures after cracks have developed in concrete has been through replacement with new concrete. This production of concrete leads to approximately eight percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.<br/><br/>Identification of methods to significantly reduce the negative impacts associated with cracked concrete as well as newer ideas to minimize the waste associated with cracked concrete will be explored. This presentation will include an examination of the effectiveness and sustainability of various approaches to self-healing concrete and whether safety concerns associated with repairing concrete through these methods can be adequately addressed.