Kachanov’s simplifiedmodel ofmicrocrack interaction is applied to an investigationof the behaviour of a cracked body under predominantly compressive periodic loading, so that the cracks experience periods of closure and slip, with frictional dissipation. The model is shown to be equivalent to a discrete elastic frictional systemwith each crack representing one node. Theorems and algorithms from...

In this paper, we report on the development of a new and broadly applicable strategy to produce thermally mendable polymeric materials, demonstrated with an epoxy/poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) phase-separated blend. The initially miscible blend composed of 15.5 wt % PCL undergoes polymerization-induced phase separation during cross-linking of the epoxy, yielding a "bricks and mortar" morphology whe...

ID No : 43 ABSTRACT Concrete tends to crack due to its relatively low tensile strength which jeopardizes the good condition of steel reinforcement bars. Concrete cracks start at micro level and facilitate ingression of corrosive substances such as SO4 , Cl, O2. Corrosion of the rebar may result in failure of the structure. Self-healing concrete can provide crack repair immediately after crack i...

Bulk-metallic glasses (BMGs) are now candidate materials for structural applications due to their exceptional strength and toughness. However, their fatigue resistance can be poor and inconsistent, severely limiting their potential as reliable structural materials. As fatigue limits are invariably governed by the local arrest of microscopically small cracks at microstructural features, the lack...

Attentive monitoring and regular repair of concrete cracks are necessary to avoid further durability problems. As an alternative to current maintenance methods, intrinsic repair systems which enable self-healing of cracks have been investigated. Exploiting microbial induced CaCO3 precipitation (MICP) using (protected) axenic cultures is one of the proposed methods. Yet, only a few of the sugges...