InnovaConcrete · Project

Advanced Repair Products That Stop 20th Century Concrete Monuments From Crumbling

constructionTestedTRL 5

Concrete buildings from the 20th century — stadiums, memorials, iconic sculptures — are literally falling apart, and traditional repair methods often don't work well or last long. A team of 33 partners across 11 countries developed new materials that can heal cracks from the inside out, make surfaces repel water, and even use biological enzymes to let damaged concrete repair itself. They tested these fixes on real landmarks like Poland's Centennial Hall and Eduardo Chillida's outdoor sculptures. The goal is to give restoration companies products they can actually buy and use on site, backed by lab testing and real-world validation.

By the numbers

consortium partners across disciplines

countries represented in the consortium

industry partners involved in development and validation

SMEs working on commercialization pathways

project deliverables produced

48%

industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Thousands of iconic 20th century concrete buildings, monuments, and sculptures across Europe are deteriorating — and conventional repair methods are often inadequate for these aging structures. Municipalities, heritage agencies, and property owners face escalating maintenance costs with no reliable long-term solution, risking the loss of irreplaceable cultural landmarks.

The solution

What was built

The project developed in-situ C-S-H gel production for crack repair, superhydrophobic surface coatings, corrosion inhibitors, and enzyme-assisted self-healing treatments for concrete — all validated on real European monuments. Supporting tools include multi-scale simulation software for predicting concrete degradation and an Ecosystem Services methodology for assessing the societal value of conservation.

Audience

Who needs this

Concrete restoration and conservation companies specializing in heritage buildingsConstruction chemical manufacturers developing repair mortars and protective coatingsMunicipal infrastructure departments managing aging post-war concrete assetsHeritage preservation agencies and UNESCO site managersArchitectural firms specializing in 20th century modernist building rehabilitation

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Heritage Conservation & Restoration

SME

Target: Specialized concrete restoration firms working on listed buildings and cultural heritage sites

If you are a restoration company dealing with crumbling 20th century concrete landmarks — this project developed in-situ C-S-H gel treatments and superhydrophobic coatings tested on real monuments across Europe. With 16 industry partners involved in validation, these products were designed for field application from the start. The self-healing enzyme approach could cut repeat-repair cycles significantly.

Construction Chemicals & Coatings

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of concrete repair products, protective coatings, and corrosion inhibitors

If you are a construction chemical manufacturer looking for next-generation concrete repair formulations — this project created nano-material-based treatments that produce the same binding gel (C-S-H) that gives cement its strength, directly inside existing cracks. The consortium included 7 SMEs working on commercialization, standardization, and certification paths. These formulations could expand your product line into the heritage conservation market.

Infrastructure Management & Public Works

enterprise

Target: Municipal authorities and infrastructure operators managing aging concrete structures from the mid-20th century

If you manage public infrastructure built in the communist or post-war period — concrete shell structures, memorial towers, public buildings — this project specifically addressed those construction types as case studies. The 33-partner consortium developed life cycle assessment tools alongside the repair materials, giving you data to justify maintenance budgets. Multi-scale modelling tools help predict which structures need intervention first.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would these concrete repair products cost compared to traditional methods?

The project focused on developing and validating the materials, and specific pricing data is not available in the project records. However, the consortium carried out life cycle assessment and scaling-up activities with 16 industry partners, which suggests cost-competitiveness was a design requirement. Contact the coordinator for commercial pricing details.

Can these treatments be applied at industrial scale on large structures?

The project validated solutions on full-scale monuments including Centennial Hall (a UNESCO site), outdoor sculptures, War Memorial Towers, and concrete shell structures. Scaling up was explicitly part of the project's commercialization activities. With 33 partners across 11 countries contributing to validation, the treatments were tested beyond lab conditions.

What is the IP situation — can I license these technologies?

The project included explicit exploitation strategies and commercialization planning as part of its work program. With 7 SMEs and 16 industry partners in the consortium, IP arrangements were structured for commercial use. Contact the coordinating university (Universidad de Cadiz) or the industrial partners for licensing terms.

Are these products certified for use on protected heritage buildings?

Standardization and certification were carried out as dedicated activities within the project. Based on available project data, the consortium worked on meeting regulatory requirements for heritage conservation applications. Specific certifications obtained should be confirmed with the coordinator.

How long do these treatments last compared to conventional concrete repair?

The project used multi-scale modelling to optimize and predict long-term performance of the treatments. Case study validation on real monuments ran over the project's 4-year period (2018-2021). Based on available project data, long-term durability results would need to be requested from the consortium.

Can the self-healing enzyme technology work on non-heritage concrete structures too?

The enzyme-assisted self-healing approach targets damaged concrete surfaces generally, not only heritage buildings. While the project validated on cultural heritage case studies, the underlying chemistry applies to any concrete degradation. Industrial partners in the consortium could advise on broader infrastructure applications.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a large, industry-heavy consortium with 33 partners from 11 countries — unusually broad for a materials research project. The 48% industry ratio (16 industry partners including 7 SMEs) signals strong commercial intent from the start. The coordinator is Universidad de Cadiz in Spain, which anchors the scientific side, while the heavy industry presence across countries like Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Poland provides market access across major European construction markets. The inclusion of partners from Argentina, Switzerland, and the US extends potential reach beyond Europe. For a business looking to adopt these technologies, the wide industrial network means there are likely multiple potential suppliers or licensors already familiar with the products.

UNIVERSIDAD DE CADIZCoordinator · ES
AVVALE S.P.A.thirdparty · IT
SIKA TECHNOLOGY AGparticipant · CH
ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNIONparticipant · EL
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONparticipant · ES
POLYTECHNEIO KRITISparticipant · EL
TECHEDGE GMBHparticipant · DE
ANONYMI ETAIREIA VIOMICHANIKIS EREUNAS, TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS KAI ERGASTIRIAKON DOKIMON, PISTOPOIISIS KAI POIOTITASparticipant · EL
AVVALE ESPANA SLthirdparty · ES
RINA CONSULTING SPAparticipant · IT
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
STUDIECENTRUM VOOR KERNENERGIE / CENTRE D'ETUDE DE L'ENERGIE NUCLEAIREparticipant · BE
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEparticipant · IT
BEWARRANTparticipant · BE
NANOPHOS ANONIMI EMPORIKI ETAIRIA ANAPTIXIS KAI YPIRESION - NANOPHOS COMMERCIAL SOCIETE ANONYME OF SERVICES AND DEVELOPMENTparticipant · EL
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DARMSTADTparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITAETSMEDIZIN DER JOHANNES GUTENBERG-UNIVERSITAET MAINZparticipant · DE
UNIWERSYTET LODZKIparticipant · PL
MINISTERO DELLA CULTURAparticipant · IT
Ionvac Process Srlparticipant · IT
CONSORZIO INTERUNIVERSITARIO PERLO SVILUPPO DEI SISTEMI A GRANDE INTERFASEparticipant · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL
TINEXTA INNOVATION HUB S.P.A.thirdparty · IT

How to reach the team

Universidad de Cadiz (Spain) — reach out through their research office or the project website contact form

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSIDAD DE CADIZ profile →

Next steps

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