10050349Self-monitoring foundation for smart infrastructureClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKInfrastructures, such as roads, and skyscrapers are used by everyone in the city. They enable trade, power businesses, connect workers to their jobs, create opportunities for struggling communities and protect cities from an increasingly unpredictable natural environment. Most of these infrastructures are made from concrete, however, concrete is prone to cracking, and degradation which in turn can compromise structural integrity and safety if left untreated. Building and infrastructure collapses have been linked to untreated cracking e.g. a recent Florida pedestrian bridge collapse \[New Civil Engineer, 2019\]. Consequently, overengineered solutions and expensive, intensive monitoring, repair and replacement regimes are in place to minimise threats to public safety. In the UK, visual inspections are normally the primary source of data collected by the asset owners \[Bennetts et al., 2016\], and the poor accuracy of the visual data often lead to unmitigated cracking and therefore results in structural failure and safety risk. Even when concrete structures are repaired manually, reports showed that 20% of the repairs fail within 5 years and 55% fail after 10 years \[Tilly and Jacobs, 2007\]. This lead to a high maintenance expenditure, as the UK spends £51Bn p.a. on infrastructure maintenance, monitoring and repair, where much of the portfolio is concrete based. Furthermore, concrete production is a significant carbon emitter, responsible for 4 -- 8% of global carbon emissions. Mimicrete Ltd, a start-up founded in 2021, is developing a self-monitoring system for concrete in the built environment. Our technology works by embedding an interconnected monitoring system into concrete applications. The system is capable of diagnosing and healing damages and meanwhile informs front-end engineers for remote operation and long-term maintenance. We aim to develop and build up a minimum viable prototype of the self-monitoring system via manufacture and testing, including the development of manufacturing and design recommendations under the Innovate UK Women Award. And our hope is to create together a living future in the built environment for our next generation.