Investigation of the damage self-healing and chloride-water coupled transport inhibition mechanism of microencapsulated concrete

Concrete structures are prone to damage from various factors, particularly chloride ion penetration, which can lead to premature deterioration. Although self-repairing materials can mitigate damage and erosion, methods for evaluating their efficacy are lacking. This study explores concrete damage development, chloride and water transport in damaged concrete, and post-repair transport behavior. A comprehensive mechanical-transporthealing model for concrete was established to investigate the influence of damage and self-healing rates on chloride distribution. Results show that tensile loads under 5 mu m have minimal impact on concrete transport, whereas larger displacements significantly accelerate water and chloride migration. This acceleration resulted in a 66 % increase in the chloride concentration at a depth of 15 mm with a displacement of 10 mm. Higher selfhealing rates effectively reduced the chloride concentration within the 10-30 mm range. Increasing the healing rate from 70 % to 90 % led to 75 % and 35 % decreases in the chloride concentration at a depth of 30 mm after 100 years, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between the mechanical damage and chloride transport in concrete, which can inform the development of strategies for enhancing the durability of concrete structures exposed to chloride-rich environments.