Self-Healing Construction Materials: The Geomimetic Approach

Abstract

A person spends most of his life in rooms built from various building materials; therefore, the optimization of the human environment is an important and complex task that requires interdisciplinary approaches. Within the framework of the new theory of geomimetics in the building science of materials, the concepts of technogenic metasomatism, the affinity of microstructures, and the possibilities of creating composites that respond to operational loads and can self-heal defects have been created. The article aims to introduce the basic principles of the science of geomimetics in terms of the design and synthesis of building materials. The study’s novelty lies in the concept of technogenic metasomatism and the affinity of microstructures developed by the authors. Novel technologies have been proposed to produce a wide range of composite binders (including waterproof and frost-resistant gypsum binders) using novel forms of source materials with high free internal energy. The affinity microstructures for anisotropic materials have been formulated, which involves the design of multilayered composites and the repair of compounds at three levels (nano-, micro-, macro-). The proposed theory of technogenic metasomatism in the building science of materials represents an evolutionary stage for composites that are categorized by their adaptation to evolving circumstances in the operation of buildings and structures. Materials for three-dimensional additive technologies in construction are proposed, and examples of these can be found in nature. Different ways of applying our concept for the design of building materials in future works are proposed.