SMARTINCS trains a new generation of creative and entrepreneurial early-stage researchers (ESRs) in prevention of deterioration of (i) new concrete infrastructure by innovative, multifunctional self-healing strategies and (ii) existing concrete infrastructure by advanced repair technologies. The project brings together the complementary expertise of research institutes pioneering in smart cementitious materials, strengthened by leading companies along the SMARTINCS value chain, as well as certification and pre-standardization agencies. They intensively train 15 ESRs to respond to the clear demand to implement new life-cycle thinking and durability-based approaches to the concept and design of concrete structures, minimizing both the use of resources and production of waste in line with Europe’s Circular Economy strategy. The new generation of researchers will be immediately employable to support the introduction of the novel technologies allowing the expected spectacular growth of the self-healing materials market to take place. By combined experimental research and enhanced coupled multiscale numerical models for prediction of the self-healing behavior, SMARTINCS strives to move beyond the state-of-the-art with respect to (1) the efficiency and robustness of self-healing concrete, produced at acceptable cost for real-scale applications; (2) the multi-functionality (combined self-healing and corrosion inhibition, self-sensing) of the self-healing solutions, tailored to specific environmental conditions; (3) the technologies for local application of healing agents in high risk zones or in high value grouts and repair products. All ESRs receive an extensive entrepreneurial training including the development of dedicated business models. Together with the implementation of self-healing technologies in design codes and service life models and a full assessment of sustainability, the introduction of the novel technologies in the market will be facilitated, improving the European innovation capacity. 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 860006.