After casting, the Roman-inspired hot-mixed concrete samples were mechanically fractured and then re-mated (with a gap of 0.5 ± 0.1 mm) and preconditioned for the crack-healing studies.

When a small crack forms in the concrete, the enzyme interacts with CO2 in the air to produce calcium carbonate crystals, which mimic the characteristics of concrete and promptly fill in the crack.

Concrete is second only to water as the most consumed material on Earth—a particularly problematic statistic, given the enormous carbon emissions of its manufacturing process.

We could soon have roads and highways that require fewer repairs and even help reduce carbon emissions. According to new research, scientists have developed an AI-designed concrete that is self ...