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Smartincs
SMARTINCS will implement new life-cycle thinking and durability-based approaches to the concept and design of concrete structures, with self-healing concrete, repair mortars and grouts as key enabling technologies. This will create a breakthrough in the current practice of the construction industry, which is characterized by huge economic costs related to inspection, maintenance, repair and eventually demolition activities and additional indirect costs caused by traffic congestions during maintenance and environmental effects.
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In the framework of the COST Action SARCOS, Tim Van Mullem coordinated an inter-laboratory study with the aim of paving the way for standard testing methods to assess the self-healing efficiency of concrete. Six different European universities participated in this study, four of which are SMARTINCS members. The inter-laboratory study focused on concrete and mortar with macrocapsules (filled with polyurethane).
The results have been published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials and can be found here: Addressing the need for standardization of test methods for self-healing concrete: an inter-laboratory study on concrete with macrocapsules
The market of self-healing concrete and self-healing cementitious repair mortars in Europe is expected to grow rapidly. In order to make this growth possible, SMARTINCS will establish a training and research network on prevention of deterioration of concrete structures by smart, self-healing, multifunctional strategies, supporting the European Commission’s aims to help the construction sector become more competitive, resource efficient and sustainable.
Use of self-healing cementitious materials is key for a sustainable future as it will lead to enhanced performance of concrete structures and spectacular extensions of the effectively realized service life; important environmental impact due to prolongation of the service life; and complete saving of the maintenance and repair actions by use of self-healing concrete/mortar.
Self-Healing - Multifunctional - Advanced Repair Technologies in Cementitious Systems