Cementitious materials with biological additive for enhanced durability in marine environment

Concrete structures suffer from cracking that leads to deterioration and shortening of service life. This is very critical for underwater structures, i.e., immersed bridge piles, immersed tunnel or submerged floating tunnels, which are consistently susceptible to ingress of harmful ions (chloride, sulphate and carbonate ions). Autonomous healing of concrete cracks can be beneficial to assure durability performance during the service life. In this context the paper presents a preliminary experimental activity carried out to study the self‐healing capacity of cementitious composites in marine environment. Four series of paste samples are prepared to evaluate the autonomous healing capabilities, achieved through biotic and abiotic additions. The experimental campaign is articulated in four phases, such as: specimen preparation; tests in compression; immersion in water; crack healing evaluation. The specimen performances are examined and compared in terms of mechanical strength and crack width healing over time. Results highlight the efficiency of the technology for crack healing.