Permeability study of regular and self-healing concrete subject to cracking

The durability of concrete structures is daily challenged as the boundaries in the construction field are constantly being pushed to build taller, bigger and longer than ever structures. In concrete constructions, cracks formation is a common occurrence, which allows for water ingress and transport of multiple aggressive chemical compounds. This greatly affects the strength of reinforced concrete structures as water, carbon dioxide and other chemicals penetrate to reach and corrode the steel reinforcement. One appealing remediation to this problem is to use self-healing additives that help heal cracks and decrease material permeability to protect the steel reinforcement as much as possible.