A state-of-the-art review of the development of self-healing concrete for resilient infrastructure

Abstract

The brittleness of cement composites makes cracks almost inevitable, producing a serious limitation on the lifespan, resilience, and safety of concrete infrastructure. To address this brittleness, self-healing concrete has been developed for regaining its mechanical and durability properties after becoming cracked, thereby promising sustainable development of concrete infrastructure. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the latest developments in self-healing concrete. It begins by summarizing the methods used to evaluate the self-healing efficiency of concrete. Next, it compares strategies for achieving healing concrete. It then discusses the typical approaches for developing self-healing concrete. Finally, critical insights are proposed to guide future studies on the development of novel self-healing concrete. This review will be useful for researchers and practitioners interested in the field of self-healing concrete and its potential to improve the durability, resilience, and safety of concrete infrastructure.