Elastostatics of Spherical Capsules in Self-healing Cement Matrix

A rigorous solution for a liquid-filled spherical capsule in self-healing cement matrix with remote uniform strain or stress is presented. The capsule shell is considered as an elastic material, and the interface between the capsule and cement is simulated as imperfect elastic spring-type interface. The healing agent enclosed in the capsule is considered as incompressible fluid. The state of strain/stress in the capsule and on the capsule–cement interface are derived. Consequently, the failure modes of the capsule, being rupture or debonding on the interface, are determined. Numerical results demonstrate the significance of capsule design and imperfect interface on the failure modes of capsules. The model can be used to assess capsule properties, including shell thickness, diameter, and material properties, in the design of self-healing system.