Advances in the knowledge and understanding of the behaviors of concrete on the microstructural level have led to the development of the next generation of concrete, namely ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). This report characterizes the material behaviors of one UHPC in terms of accepted concrete testing methodologies. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been investigating the optimal use of UHPC in highway bridges, and this report presents results from the first phase of this research program. Of primary importance, the results contained herein provide a starting point for bridge owners interested in advancing the state of bridge engineering through the use of extremely high strength and high durability concretes. This report presents both what can be achieved today through the use of a commercially available concrete as well as the types of advancements that can be achieved by reevaluating the traditional components and proportions normally
present in cementitious structural materials.
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1. Report No. FHWA-HRT-06-103 | 2. Government Accession No. | 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. |
4. Title and Subtitle Material Property Characterization of
Ultra-High Performance Concrete | 5. Report Date |
6. Performing Organization Code |
7. Author(s) Benjamin A. Graybeal | 8. Performing Organization Report No. |
9. Performing Organization Name and Address PSI, Inc. 2930 Eskridge Road Fairfax, VA 22031 |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) |
11. Contract or Grant No. |
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Office of Infrastructure Research and Development Federal Highway Administration 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101-2296 | 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report, October 2002–December 2005 |
14. Sponsoring Agency’s Code |
15. Supplementary Notes Additional FHWA Contacts—Joseph Hartmann (Technical Advisor), William Wright (COTR) |
16. Abstract In the past decade significant advances have been made in the field of high performance concretes (HPC). The next generation of concrete, ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), exhibits exceptional strength and durability characteristics that make it well suited for use in highway bridge structures. This material can exhibit compressive strength of 193 megapascals (MPa) (28 kilopounds per square inch (ksi)), tensile strength of 9.0 MPa (1.3 ksi), significant tensile toughness, elastic modulus of 52.4 gigapascals (GPa) (7,600 ksi), and minimal long-term creep or shrinkage. It can also resist freeze-thaw and scaling conditions with virtually no damage and is nearly impermeable to chloride ions. This report presents the results from a large suite of material characterization tests that were completed in order to quantify the behaviors of a commercially available UHPC. The characteristics of this UHPC under four different curing regimes were captured. This study focused on strength-based behaviors (e.g., compressive and tensile strength), long-term stability behaviors (e.g., creep and shrinkage), and durability behaviors (e.g., chloride ion penetration and freeze-thaw). |
17. Key Words UHPC, ultra-high performance concrete, fiberreinforced, durability, material characterization, tensile behavior, compressive behavior | 18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. |
19. Security Classif. (of this report) Unclassified | 20. Security Classif. (of this page) Unclassified | 21. No. of Pages 186 | 22. Price |