DARPA Project Seeks Self-Healing Concrete for Infrastructure, Runway Repair

If successful, the strategy for repairing aging concrete by mimicking biological systems could extend the life of critical military airfields and runways.

Kimberly Johnson

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 09:12 AM ET

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Runway repairs, like the ones made in 2020 to the north runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), can cost millions of dollars. DARPA's project could lessen these costs. [File photo: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

Key Takeaways:

DARPA's BRACE program aims to develop self-healing concrete to extend the lifespan of aging military infrastructure like runways and airfield pavements.
The program explores bio-inspired "vascularization" to internally repair cracks, potentially using microorganisms to transport healing materials deep within the concrete.
This initiative addresses the significant costs and logistical challenges of maintaining critical Defense Department assets, especially in remote or post-attack scenarios where traditional repairs are difficult.
The goal is to prolong the service life of structures by several decades, providing a longer timeframe for replacements and potentially benefiting civilian infrastructure in the future.

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Editor’s Note: This article is part of special series spotlighting runways: April 18: America’s Longest Runways | America’s Shortest Runways | April 19: 11 Fun Faces About Runways | April 20: Self-healing Concrete and How It Can Save Runways | April 21: Old Military Runways | April 22: Remembering Meigs Field

If a new Defense Department program is successful, cracks in aging concrete could one day fix themselves on the inside before their destruction reaches the surface, extending the lifespace of critical military infrastructure, such as runways and airfield pavement.