X-ray computed microtomography to study autogenous healing of cementitious materials promoted by superabsorbent polymers

Autogenous healing of cracks may offer a solution for brittle cementitious materials. In this study, the healing building blocks are available through the well-designed ultra-ductile microfibre-reinforced mixture with a low water-to-binder ratio and water is available through the inclusion of superabsorbent polymers. As visual inspection demonstrates that the crack is completely closed at the surface, one may ask whether this healing also is present in the interior of the crack. X-ray computed microtomography was therefore used to study the extent of autogenous healing in cracked cylindrical specimens. It was found that the extent of autogenous healing in a cementitious material depends on the crack depth. Only near the crack mouth (0 till 800–1000 μm) the crack is closed by calcium carbonate formation in case of wet/dry cycles. In combination with superabsorbent polymers, the extent of healing was more substantial. For mixtures containing superabsorbent polymers there was even partial healing in the interior of the crack when stored at a relative humidity of 60% or more than 90%. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy combined with microscopic analysis showed that the healing products were mainly calcium carbonate. The smart cementitious material with superabsorbent polymers is thus an excellent material to use in future building applications as the healing capacity is improved.