Research Status on Formation Mechanism, Prevention and Repair Technology of Cracks in Marine Engineering Concrete

Abstract

With the increase of corrosion products and expansion force, microcracks and damage appear inside the concrete and continue to intensify, inducing the expansion and penetration of cracks and pores. The deterioration of the microstructure reduces the macroscopic properties of concrete. This study elaborates on the formation mechanisms of cracks in marine engineering concrete, analyzes the current status of major technical methods for crack prevention and repair, and discusses future research directions, aiming to provide valuable references for relevant research and engineering practice. Marine concrete structures suffer from cracks due to construction, service, erosion, and other factors. Such defects not only affect the normal use of structures but also endanger people’s lives and property in severe cases. Researchers have developed microcapsule repair technology. By incorporating microcapsules containing special repairing agents into concrete, the active components inside the microcapsules are activated upon cracking, thereby achieving automatic crack repair. More theoretical, simulation, and experimental studies are needed in future research to balance the improvement of crack repair performance and the retention of concrete mechanical properties. Furthermore, construction in complex natural environments such as extreme cold, oxygen deficiency, high pressure, and high temperature has become a trend of social development.