What is meant by self healing concrete?
Answers
A self-healing material is described as a material that is capable of repairing itself back to the original state. The concept of self-healing concrete (SHC) that happens over time (autogenic) has been noticed for over 20 years. It can be observed in many old structures which have remained standing for long periods of time in spite of the fact that they have limited maintenance. This observation concludes that the cracks heal when moisture interacts with non-hydrated cement clinker in the crack. Nevertheless, in present-day constructions the cement is lowered as a result of modern construction methods. Hence, the amount of available non-hydrated cement is less and therefore, the natural healing effect is reduced.
The principal phases of the natural healing ability are the inflammation and hydration of cement pastes; followed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and lastly the obstruction of flow paths as a result of the deposition of water impurities or the movement of some concrete bits that get detached throughout the cracking process [4, P. 19]. Many factors are considered in the natural way of healing, such as; temperature, degree of damage, freeze-thaw cycles, the age of the concrete and the mortar state.