Self-healing concrete emerges as eco-friendly fix for crumbling infrastructure

IDTechEx investigates how self-healing concrete, which combines old technologies and current biology, could improve infrastructure longevity and lower long-term expenses.

Industrialised nations lose around 3 percent of their GDP each year as a result of material corrosion and degradation difficulties. Damage to concrete structures and infrastructure, ranging from minor fractures to complete failure, can cause major disruptions and require large restoration costs. What if broken concrete had the potential to self-heal microcracks before they grew into larger-scale problems?

The IDTechEx research “Self-Healing Materials 2025-2035: Technologies, Applications, and Players” provides a complete overview of the industry, including insights into technical hurdles and developments, important areas for market growth, and commercial readiness levels. A third-party, independent market assessment is offered throughout, providing an unbiased perspective for the covered commodities and industry sectors.

Concrete often fails owing to the formation of microcracks, which eventually grow into bigger fissures. Freeze-thaw action can be a severe problem since water fills fractures before freezing and expanding, creating additional damage in a repeating cycle. Self-healing concrete is intended to fix these microcracks efficiently. Many methods exist; however, IDTechEx research indicates that biological approaches will pave the road for the successful commercialisation of self-healing concrete.

An ancient approach

Rome was not created in a day, but many of its most stunning buildings and structures have endured the test of time, remaining standing more than two millennia after their construction. Roman concrete is made of quicklime (calcium oxide), volcanic ash, and water and was created at high temperatures using a process known as “hot mixing”. According to studies, lime clasts (calcium-rich mineral deposits) can be seen in Roman construction as small, identifiable white structures measuring a few millimetres in size.

When a fracture occurs, water infiltrates and produces a calcium-rich solution. Despite extensive research, two potential healing processes exist.  In the simplest case, the treatment repairs the fracture itself. The second and more complicated mechanism is known as the Pozzolanic reaction, which involves the creation of numerous intermediates at the interface of the volcanic aggregate and the surrounding matrix.

Modern methods

A promising method from players like Basilisk involves inserting mineral-producing microorganisms into concrete to promote self-healing. These acid-producing bacteria can be inactive for more than 200 years, acting as catalysts in the crack-repair process. When fractures form, the bacteria become active, eating calcium lactate and producing limestone to repair the damage. Bacillus pasteurii, B. sphaericus, B. subtilis, B. cohnii, B. halodurans, and B. pseudofirmus are some of the bacterial strains employed in construction.

The healing process involves a biological reaction between unreacted limestone and calcium-based nutrition. When bacterial spores come into contact with water, they begin to feed on calcium lactate, which consumes oxygen and reduces the danger of steel corrosion. The soluble calcium lactate is transformed into insoluble limestone, which hardens and seals the fracture.

The IDTechEx paper also discusses different approaches to self-healing construction materials.  Geopolymer concrete is made from waste elements like fly ash, and self-healing mechanisms have been proposed. There is also a convincing approach that uses bacteria-coated fibres. The main advantage is that the centre of the fibre serves as a stitch, keeping the crack closed and limiting the amount of self-healing required.

Concrete provides a high-volume way to market self-healing materials, fostering confidence and trust in the unique method of extending structural lifespan. Initial hazards can be reduced by merely considering slabs, with vertical pours for walls postponed until phase two of adoption. According to IDTechEx’s market assessment, adding self-healing characteristics increases material prices by 30 percent; however, this can be accounted for in various ways. Saving on the aforementioned GDP loss, reduced need for replacements, reduced maintenance, and restricted downtime may all be summed up in the overall life-cycle costs that are lowered when adopting self-healing concrete.

The “Self-Healing Materials 2025-2035: Technologies, Applications, and Players” research offers a thorough examination of this expanding market.  Using its experience in advanced materials, IDTechEx provides an objective study that includes technological comparisons, industry trends, and major player assessments, providing significant insights into this promising but still-developing field.

Authored by: Dr Conor O’Brien, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx