Self-sealing cementitious materials by utilizing superabsorbent polymers

Abstract

Currently scientific research is searching for technological solutions that provide highly reliable building materials. Incorporating self-sealing agents into the design phase makes concrete more eco-friendly by reducing the maintenance processes and extending concrete's lifespan which decreasingthe need to produce cement and emits a lot of CO2. Consequently, this investigation describes an attempt to assess the performance of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) as a self-sealing agent. During the experimental work two different particle sizes were taken into consideration SAP1 (425–600μm) and SAP2 (> 600 μm), the ratios of SAP were 0.3%and 0.4% wt. to cementn respectively. Regular tests were performed for the pre-crack phase to generate the initial crack which started after 28 days. Two series of sealing periods wet-dry cycles,Cy4th (8 days) and Cy10th (20 days), were taken to promote the sealing process. The DZM (Digital Zoom Microscope) system was used to detect the self-sealing phenomenon and the width of the sealing on the concrete cracks' surface through the use of special software imaging processes. The outcomes demonstrated the positive effect of using SAP as a sealing agent as SAP2 was able to heal the crack up to 0.15mm depending on the particle’s size. Also, the percentage of partially at Cy4th was 64% compared to the other mixes.