“Possessed” cracks in the infrastructure create leaky layers that can even survive earthquakes

Various forms of underground activity, such as deep wells or disposal of hazardous materials, require long-term rock closure. A team of researchers has developed an innovative method based on fossilization processes to fill cracks and fractures in rocks using “concrete modeling resin.” The results were published in Communications Engineering.

Disposing of pollutants, such as radioactive waste and carbon dioxide underground, poses unique challenges. To avoid their release, it is necessary to close shafts and wells used in investigations and ensure that there are no rock leaks for long periods of time. Unfortunately, current cement-based sealing materials do not provide long-term functionality and durability. Especially in earthquake-prone countries, such as Japan, this may cause future complications, such as leaks.

To find a solution, lead researcher Hidekazu Yoshida of the Nagoya University Museum turned to his experience in preserving fossils in calcium carbonate concrete. He understood that such concrete blocks form very quickly, over a few weeks to years, and that fossils in concrete blocks remain remarkably intact for millions of years, even when excavated from sites exposed to weathering and seismic disturbances. He talked about the potential use of a similar approach in an industrial context.

“I realized that well-preserved fossils in concrete had withstood weathering and the like for tens to hundreds of thousands of years in the natural environment,” Yoshida said. “I was inspired to study how quickly concrete formed and why the fossils inside were so well preserved.”

One reason fossils are so durable is the petrification process. This is a natural fossilization process in which minerals found in groundwater precipitate from the water and accumulate around organic matter. Calcite in groundwater seals the remains by forming crystals around them, binding the surrounding sediments. This mechanism creates an almost impenetrable pit, with crystals blocking even micrometer-sized openings.

Based on the concrete forming process, the researchers mixed two agents to develop a “concrete forming resin.” The resin carries the ions needed to form calcite when water is introduced. Calcite forms impenetrable crystals in cracks and holes, reproducing the concrete formation process we see in nature, but much faster.

During a test conducted in an underground laboratory 350 meters below the surface of the earth in Hokkaido, the northernmost point of Japan, researchers discovered that the resin-based material has remarkable sealing capabilities. When applied to flow paths in rocks, it closes them completely and quickly.

The area experienced six earthquakes in two days, including a 5.4-magnitude quake, putting its resin to the ultimate test. Although five more earthquakes occurred during the testing period, the cracks remained closed. In fact, the open cracks were resealed as the crystals reshaped.

“The earthquakes were just a coincidence; something we did not expect or plan for at all,” Yoshida said. “It was a surprise to us, but it was a great opportunity to see the performance of the material. Such a rapid and sustained effect of bridging rock fractures, including repairing cracks after an earthquake, has never been reported before. Conventional cement materials cannot achieve this result.”

The group is working closely with the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Sekisui Chemical Corporation, and Chubu Electric Power Co., Ltd. to ensure that the resin is commercially viable. After successful testing, the team anticipates a wide range of applications, including long-term underground trapping of radioactive waste and carbon dioxide, plugging abandoned oil wells, controlling groundwater during rock exploration and mines, and repairing cracks in old infrastructure such as roads. And buildings.

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