Summary Reader Response (Draft 1) (Self- Healing Concrete)

According to an article “The Self-healing Concrete That Can Fix Its Own Cracks” Rosie Spinks (2015), she did mention about the environmental impact that cement production can cause. Furthermore, she also mentioned that Hendrik Jonkers had came up with an innovative idea to increase the lifespan of concrete and reduce its production. The article also mentioned about the advantages and disadvantages about the self-healing concrete and also the how this concrete is used globally. Even though this article did mention about the advantages and disadvantages of the concrete, it did not mention enough on how this concrete is used globally, like where and how is it used?

Firstly, the article mentioned that this concrete is used in Ecuador. So, in Ecuador, a concrete canal in the Andean highlands, which supports seven communities in crop production, is facing problems due to constant changes in temperature. As a result, cracks were formed in the canal and it leads to food shortage and crop failure due to water leaks in the canal. So, self -healing concrete is used in the canal. The purpose of the self-healing concrete used in the canal was to repair the cracks in it and reduce time and cost to change several parts in the canal.

Secondly, another country that is utilizing this concrete is India. According to Dr Menkumar Banthia, an engineering professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the road in Thondebavi, Southwestern India, was inaccessible by car or foot and people depend on this road to do their daily activities. The road was revamped with concrete that has high strength and is infused with hydrophilic polyolefin fibres and advanced nano-coatings. With this innovation, the road is stronger and also has the ability to repair its own cracks when rain is present. This makes it more accessible for the residents around the vicinity.

Thirdly, another country that is utilizing this concrete is the Netherlands. Basically, at Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg (WBL), a water utility centre at the Netherlands, is embarking on a project to invent water storage tanks that is made partially with self-healing concrete. Furthermore, this task of changing some parts in the water tanks is a painstaking job. So the purpose of this project is initiated is because this is to reduce the amount of time and money to fix any parts in the tanks.

Although the characteristics of the concrete is mentioned. I believe that if the article mentioned about some countries using this concrete, we can understand how it helps in that particular country. That way I believe that other countries can be inspired by these projects and be more innovative in the future.

Sources:


The self-healing concrete that can fix its own cracks


https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jun/29/the-self-healing-concrete-that-can-fix-its-own-cracks


Self-healing irrigation canals in Ecuador


https://www.delta.tudelft.nl/article/self-healing-irrigation-canals-ecuador#:~:text=Henk%20Jonkers%20and%20Virginie%20Wiktor,canal%20for%20irrigating%20their%20fields.


Self-healing roads protecting villages in India from heavy rains


https://www.ubyssey.ca/science/self-healing-roads/


Self-Healing Concrete in The Netherlands


https://www.waterworld.com/international/utilities/article/16201170/selfhealing-concrete-in-the-netherlands


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