This　study　investigated　the　effect　of　sustained　loading　on　the　cumulative　damage　of　a　newly　developed　smart　cement-based　self-healing　composite　material　(SMA-ECC).　SMA-ECC　is　composed　of　engineered　cementitious　composite　(ECC)　and　shape　memory　alloy　(SMA)　fibers.　A　uniaxial　compressive　test　with　five　predefined　loading　levels　(0%,　30%,　40%,　50%,　and　60%　of　compressive　strength)　was　conducted　on　SMA-ECC　hollow-cylindrical　specimens　and　ECC　control　hollow-cylindrical　specimens.　The　cumulative　damage　was　mainly　determined　by　changes　in　the　total　water　absorption　of　different　groups　of　specimens　during　three　different　periods　(not　loaded,　at　a　predefined　loading　level,　and　after　unloading).　A　normalized　water　content　index　was　proposed　to　couple　the　effects　of　self-healing,　sustained　loading,　and　cumulative　damage.　The　test　results　indicate　that　the　cumulative　water　absorption　of　SMA-ECC　was　35%　lower　than　that　of　ECC,　which　may　indicate　less　irreparable　damage.　In　addition,　the　self-healing　ability　of　SMA-ECC　specimens　under　different　compression　load　levels　was　evaluated　through　normalized　water　content　analysis.　SMA-ECC　exhibited　a　100%　repair　rate　at　load　levels　of　30%　and　40%.　At　a　higher　load　level　of　60%,　the　repair　rate　of　SMA-ECC　was　76%.　These　results　collectively　emphasize　the　significant　impermeability　and　self-healing　performance　of　SMA-ECC　after　unloading.　©　2023　by　the　authors.