Bio-based and nature inspired solutions: A step toward carbon-neutral economy

Abstract

Bio-based and nature-inspired solutions have been investigated recently to develop sustainable, resilient, and durable construction including but not limited to roadway infrastructures. This paper reviews state-of-the-art studies on self-healing, self-cleaning and self-rejuvenating asphalt, and concrete construction. This review draws three conclusions. (1) Self-healing construction materials have the potential to significantly extend the service life of construction elements. Urban and industrial wastes such as food waste, biomass, metals have been used to create self-healing construction materials that are more environmentally friendly. (2) Self-cleaning construction materials not only remove pollution by repelling water on their superhydrophobic surface, but also cut building and infrastructure maintenance costs, while improving cities' air quality by degrading pollutants such as NO_x. Pavement engineers have exploited self-cleaning characteristic to facilitate the de-icing of pavements and lengthening the service life of pavements. (3) Self-rejuvenating materials including bio-oils can revitalize materials and delay aging; bio-oils can also be used to make bio-binders, thereby reducing the need for petroleum-based binders. The optimum concentration of bio-oil for asphalt modification depends on the chemical structure of oils. Still, regardless of dosage, self-rejuvenating binders improve asphalt workability and performance at low temperatures and increase the resistance of the asphalt mix to fatigue and cracking. This review also identified critical research gaps, including (1) the lack of a reliable, unified, and standard method to accurately measure construction materials’ self-healing, self-cleaning and self-rejuvenating properties; (2) the lack of long-term field performance data to conduct comprehensive life cycle assessment and life cycle analysis; (3) the lack of accurate technoeconomic analysis to facilitate market entry of abovementioned solutions. Addressing these gaps and determining contribution of nature-inspired and bio-based technologies to a carbon neutral economy along with issuing carbon certificates can facilitate the widespread application of these technologies while promoting resource conservation and sustainability.