U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| Project Information | ||
| Project ID: | FHWA-PROJ-14-0134 | |
| Project Name: | Novel Organic Cementitious Materials for Development of the Next Generation of Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure | |
| Project Status: | Active | |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2014 | |
| End Date: | July 1, 2017 | |
| Contact Information | ||
| Last Name: | Meininger | |
| First Name: | Richard C (Rick) | |
| Telephone: | 202-493-3191 | |
| E-mail: | richard.meininger@dot.gov | |
| Office: | Office of Infrastructure Research and Development | |
| Team: | Pavement Materials Team [HRDI-10] | |
| Program: | Exploratory Advanced Research | |
| Project detail | ||
| Project Description: | Recent initiatives promoting the greening of the concrete industry have provided an incentive for the development and evaluation of new cementing materials that may be used to either partially or fully replace the traditional portland cements used in concrete. Many alternative cementitious materials (ACMs) have been used in limited applications where their unique properties (including rapid strength gain, exceptional chemical resistance, and high temperature resistance) are of value. Of these ACMs, alkali-activated aluminosilicates (i.e., geopolymer concrete), calcium sulfoaluminate cements, calcium aluminate cements, phosphate-based cements, and novel portland cement formulations have been shown to be feasible in lab-scale studies for the partial or full replacement of the traditional portland cements used in concrete. There is, however, limited understanding of the scalability of these material systems (e.g., large-scale production, transport, and placement techniques), their long-term performance and durability in a range of environments, and their structural response when subjected to transportation-relevant loading conditions (e.g., large-scale compressive and flexural strength, rates of strength gain, shrinkage, fatigue). The researchers propose a systematic and comprehensive investigation of novel ACMs for applications in sustainable transportation infrastructure, including evaluation of early-age material properties, long-term material properties, and a multiscale durability investigation. From this, they will provide guidelines for recommended test methods and, when relevant, test limits for acceptance of ACMs for transportation infrastructure, including highway structures and rigid pavements, along with preliminary specifications for use. The researchers take a multiscale, multidisciplinary approach that marries a fundamental science-based approach to materials chemistry and novel characterization with a well-informed and unbiased program of appropriate and informative accelerated testing. This will then be followed by large-scale assessment and marketing aimed at transportation applications to gain the fundamental knowledge about alternative cementitious materials chemistry, structure, and property development needed to take ACMs from the laboratory to practice. | |
| Goals: | To provide a substantive product that truly provides a groundbreaking multiscale understanding of the behavior of alternative cementitious materials (ACMs) in transportation infrastructure applications. | |
| Product Type: | Research report Technical report | |
| Test Methodology: | The proposed research has been structured into three phases and will begin with initial screening studies that examine a broad range of alternative cementitious materials (ACMs). Phase 1: Initial assessments of ACMs conducted under Phase 1 will consist of standard testing of fresh and hardened concrete properties as well as preliminary assessment of durability based on inferences from microstructure and system chemistry. Phase 2: Candidates selected will be subjected to more detailed evaluation, including investigation of cementation reaction kinetics, durability phenomena with determination of fundamental material properties for use in service-life modeling, and dimensional stability. Phase 3: The primary focus of phase 3 will be to study the scalability of the best ACM technologies by applying them on demonstration projects to be coordinated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These materials will be evaluated for their structural response to transportation-relevant loadings and durability when exposed to harsh environments. Integrated in phase 3 is a plan for implementation, which includes large-scale demonstration of the technology and technology-transfer activities. | |
| Expected Benefits: | The creation of novel alternative cementitious materials for applications in sustainable transportation infrastructure. | |
| Deliverables: | Name: Final Report Product Type(s): Research report, Technical report Description: Final Report | |
| FHWA Topics: | Research/Technologies--Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) | |
| TRT Terms: | Cement Portland cement concrete Polymer concrete Environment Research Materials Concrete |
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| FHWA Disciplines: | Environment Pavement and Materials Construction and Project Management |
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| Subject Areas: | Construction Environment Materials Research |
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