Integrated Low-Carbon, Self-Healing, and Sensor-Enabled Concrete: A Multi-Objective Framework for Next-Generation Civil Infrastructure

At concept stage, the engineer identifies the asset function, exposure, design life, inspection access, likely crack mechanisms, consequence of leakage or corrosion, and current maintenance burden. The review asks whether a lower-clinker conventional concrete can already satisfy the need. Healing is considered only when a defined crack-related service problem remains, and sensing is considered only when information can trigger a funded decision. This avoids adding complexity without asset value. The concept record states mandatory thresholds and preferred objectives. Strength, stability, fire resistance, and exposure-specific durability remain mandatory. Carbon, cost, repair disruption, healing, and monitoring value are optimized within those limits. The project selects a functional unit and comparator before environmental calculations begin so that a later attractive result cannot be produced by changing the boundary.

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