| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/K52614/01 |
| Title: |
HEALING OF CRACKS IN CONCRETE |
| Principal Investigator: |
Buenfeld, Professor NR |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Civil & Environmental Engineering |
| Organisation: |
Imperial College London |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 December 1995 |
Ends: |
30 June 1998 |
Value (£): |
69,935
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Civil Engineering Materials |
Materials Characterisation |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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In most situations structural concrete is cracked; this may be due to thermal, moisture or structural effects. Such cracks may be of concern with regard to durability, watertightness or hazardous waste containment. Poorly documented in situ observations and very limited laboratory-based research have demonstrated that under certain circumstances cracks heal, but the mechanism of healing is not understood. This proposal is concerned with gaining a better understanding of the process by which cracks in concrete heal, in order to enhance and exploit the process.Concrete specimens will be deliberately cracked, the cracks characterised, then water passed through the cracks and monitored to indicate the process of crack healing. This test will be applied in circumstances designed to eliminate individual processes in order to identify the predominant processes involved. Specimens will then be analysed using Low vacuum SEM, EDS and XRDA. This should result in a model of the crack healing process which will then be validated/calibrated in a second phase of tests. Additionally, certain specimens will be immersed in chloride solutions and chloride penetration traced to indicate the effect of crack healing on chloride ion diffusion.Recommendations concerning situations in which headling can and cannot be relied upon will be developed and areas where current practice does not recognise the importance or absence of crack healing will be identified. Methods of enhancing healing will be identified and their potential evaluated.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.imperial.ac.uk |