The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has announced the participants in a program that aims to prevent the early deterioration of concrete used in Department of Defense structures.
Battelle Memorial Institute, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of Colorado Boulder have been selected to develop advanced technologies that can transport self-healing capabilities within the depths of existing concrete under the Bio-inspired Restoration of Aged Concrete Edifices program, DARPA said Thursday.
The participants will operationalize their proposed approaches to creating a network of “vasculature” substances to repair cracks and diagnose the root causes of material deterioration.
The research program includes a strategic track for long-term capabilities designed for large, heavy structures, such as missile silos and naval piers, and a tactical track to enhance rapid airfield damage recovery efforts in expeditionary settings.
“BRACE will attempt to push the limits of what is possible for engineering biological technologies to safely function and preserve our legacy concrete, and in doing so, we likely will learn about new possibilities for engineering biology and materials that we have not yet conceived,” said Matthew Pava, BRACE program manager.
