Project description
New training in innovative concrete repair
Concrete is one of the most reliable construction materials that can deteriorate over time. The loss of performance highlights the need for increased investments in maintenance and/or intensive repair/strengthening works. Innovative self-healing materials and strategies can be a solution that will also minimise waste production. The EU-funded SMARTINCS project will train a new generation of creative and entrepreneurial early-stage researchers (ESRs) in the prevention of deterioration of new concrete infrastructure via innovative self-healing strategies. It will also train them in advanced repair technologies for maintaining existing concrete infrastructure. The project brings together the complementary expertise of research institutes pioneering in smart cementitious materials, strengthened by leading companies along the SMARTINCS value chain, as well as certification and pre-standardisation agencies.
Objective
SMARTINCS will train a new generation of entrepreneurial early-stage researchers (ESR) in prevention of deterioration of (i) new concrete infrastructure by innovative, multifunctional self-healing strategies; (ii) existing concrete infrastructure by advanced repair technologies. The project brings together the expertise of research institutes pioneering in smart cementitious materials, strengthened by leading companies along the SMARTINCS value chain, as well as certification and pre-standardization agencies. They will train 15 ESRs to respond to the clear demand to implement new life-cycle thinking and durability-based approaches to the design of concrete structures, minimizing the use of resources and production of waste in line with Europe’s Circular Economy strategy. The new generation of researchers will be immediately employable to support the introduction of the novel technologies allowing the expected spectacular growth of the self-healing materials market to take place. By combined experimental research and coupled multiscale models, SMARTINCS moves beyond the state-of-the-art with respect to (1) the efficiency of self-healing concrete, at acceptable cost for real-scale applications; (2) the multi-functionality (corrosion inhibition, self-sensing) of the self-healing solutions, tailored to specific environments; (3) the technologies for local application of healing agents in high risk zones or in high value grouts and repair products. All ESR will receive an extensive entrepreneurial training including the development of dedicated business models. Together with the implementation of self-healing technologies in design codes and service life models and a full assessment of sustainability, the introduction of the novel technologies in the market will be facilitated, improving the European innovation capacity. An adequate gender balance of supervisors and trainers, should persuade female scientists to aspire leading positions in technology and engineering.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Coordinator
9000 Gent
Belgium