Ultra High Performance
Concrete
(UHPC)
PRESENTED BY:
GHANSHYAM GUPTA
12M147

Contents
 Introduction
 Definition
 History of Development and Application
 Objective
 UHPC Constitutes Materials
 UHPC Mix Design
 UHPC Structural Properties
 Comparison of UHPC, HPC, and NSC
 Applications
 Factor Affecting the Use of UHPC
 Future of UHPC
 References

INTRODUCTION
Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a new class of
concrete that has been developed in recent decades.
When compared with high performance
concrete (HPC), UHPC tends to exhibit superior properties
such as advanced strength, durability, and long-term
stability.

What is UHPC
 It is also known as Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC)
 It is a high strength, ductile material formulated by
combining Portland cement, silica fume, quartz flour, fine
silica sand, high-range water reducer, water, and steel or
organic fibers

HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT
AND APPLICATIONS
 In the early 1980s the idea was born to develop fine
grained concretes with a very dense and
homogeneous cement matrix preventing the
development of micro cracks within the structure when
being loaded.
 UHPC was established worldwide for concretes with a
minimum compressive strength of 150 N/mm2.
 First research and developments aiming at an
application of UHPC in constructions started in about
1985

OBJECTIVE
 The main concept behind UHPC mixture is to minimize
the number of defects, such as voids and internal micro-
cracks, and to achieve a greater percentage of the
ultimate load capacity of its components
 This can be reached by enhancing homogeneity and
increasing the packing density through optimization of
the granular mixture and elimination of coarse
aggregates

UHPC CONSTITUENT MATERIALS
 Fine Sand (150 and 600 micrometers)
 Cement (Diameter 15 micrometer)
 Crushed Quartz (Diameter 10 micrometer)
 Silica Fume (~1 m)
 Super plasticizers (Polycarboxylate derivatives)
 Admixtures (Accelerator Rheocrete CNI)
 Steel Fibers (Dia. 0.2mm and length 12.7mm)
 water

DESIGN ASPECTS
For UHPC two similar approaches have been developed-
 First Established by AFGC/SETRA in France in 2002 (SETRA-
AFCG 2002)
 Second Established as part of the state-of-the-art report of
the DAfStB in Germany in 2003 (DAfStB UHPC 2003).

The (SETRA-AFCG 2002) France recommendations consist of
three parts:
 The first part gives specifications on the mechanical performance to be
obtained and recommendations for characterizing UHPC including
checks of finished products and of the concrete being produced.
 The second part deals with the design and analysis of structures made
with fibre reinforced, non-Prestressed and/or non-reinforced UHPC-
elements.
 A third part dealing with the durability of UHPC.

UHPC Mix Design
230 kg/m3
710 kg/m3
210 kg/m3
40 - 160 kg/m3
13 kg/m3
140 kg/m3
1020 kg/m3
Cement
Silica fume
Crushed
Quartz
Sand
Fibres
Superplasticizer
Total water
No Coarse aggregates !

UHPC Mix Design By %
9 – 10%
28 - 30%
8.5 – 9%
1.7 – 6.5%
0.6%
5.5 – 6%
42 –43%
Cement
Silica fume
Crushed
Quartz
Sand
Fibres
Superplasticizer
Total water
No Coarse aggregates !
w/c = 0.20

UHPC Structural Properties
Material Characteristic Range
 Compressive Strength (MPa) 180–225
 Modulus of Elasticity (GPa) 55–58.5
 Flexural Strength (MPa) 40–50
 Chloride Ion Diffusion (m2/s) 1.9 x 10-14
 Carbonation Penetration Depth (mm) < 0.5
 Freeze-Thaw Resistance (RDM) 100%
 Salt-Scaling Resistance (kg/m2) < 0.012
 Entrapped Air Content 2–4%
 Post-Cure Shrinkage (micro strain) 0
 Creep Coefficient 0.2–0.5
 Density (kg/m3) 2,440–2,550

Durability properties
ORDINARY
CONCRETE
HIGH
PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE
ULTRA HIGH
PERFORMANCE
CONCRETE
WATER
POROSITY (%) 12 - 16 9 - 12 1.5 – 6
OXYGEN
PERMEABILITY
(m²)
10-15 to 10-16 10-17 < 10-19
TRITIUM-ION
DIFFUSION
FACTOR (m²/s)
2. 10-11 2. 10-12 2. 10-14
PORTLANDITE
CONTENT
(kg/m3)
76 86 0

STEEL FIBER MATERIAL
PROPERTIES
The intended function of these fibers within UHPC requires
that the fibers have a very high tensile strength.
 Minimum Tensile strength- 2600 MPa
 Yield Stress = 3150 MPa
 Maximum Stress = 3250 MPa
 Modulus of Elasticity = 210 GPa

Tension tests are performed as a means of quality control on the fiber
production. The stress strain behavior as recorded during one of these
quality control tests is presented in figure.

Micro-silica particles
Fine aggregates
Micro-silica
Cement
Particle
Dense packing of the mortar

Mixing Technology of UHPC
Conventional mixer types can be used to produce UHPC in the laboratory or
in precast concrete plants.
 Compulsory Mixer (volume 75 l)
 Ring Mixer (volume 1000 l)
 R- Intensive Mixer with Vacuum Periphery:-
The following requirements are placed on the mixer for UHPC
production:
 Short mixing duration
 Homogeneous blending of small quantities of additives and admixtures
 Homogenization of materials having different densities

Mixing method of the R-intensive mixer
Ring mixer (mix volume 1000 l)
Mixing method of ZZ 75 HE

Mixing times and steps for the compulsory
mixer (75 l)
Time [min]
begin- end
To Do
Dry homogenization or sand and silica fume over 1 min
0 – 1.0 Addition of water
1.0 – 1.75 Addition of mixture of cement and quartz powder
1.75 – 2.5 Addition of 40% super plasticizer within 15 s followed by
homogenization
2.5 – 6.0 Break
6.0 – 7.0 Addition of remaining (60%) super plasticizer and
homogenization
6.0 – 8.0 Continuous addition of steel fibers

Comparatively study of NSC,
HPC And UHPC
High Mod.of Elast. More than 40 GPa
Property Normal
Concrete
HPC UHPC
Compressive
Strength
20-40MPa 70-140 MPa 180-225MPa
Flexural strength 3-5MPa 5-9MPa 40-50MPa
Tensile strength 2-5MPa 5-6MPa 12MPa
Density
2240-2400
kg/m3
2350-2500
kg/m3
2440-2550
kg/m3
Modulus of elasticity 25-34GPa 33-44GPa 55-58.5GPa

Property Normal
Concrete
HPC UHPC
Porosity (%) 15 8 4-6
Capillary pores [%] 8 5 1.4-2.0
Nitrogen permeability
[m2]
10^-16 10^-17 <10^-18
Chloride-ion diffusion
(mm) 6h migration test
23 8 1
Carbonation depth
(after 3 years) in mm
7
4
1.5
Freeze-salt-resistance
(scaling in [g/m2])
< 1500
(air entrained)
150
(air entrained)
20…50
Water…heat cured
Water absorption factor 60 11 1

Pore size distribution of UHPC, HPC
and Normal Strength Concrete

Chloride diffusion values of UHPC, HPC
and Normal Strength Concrete

Scaling of UHPC under freeze-salt attack
compared with air entrained
concretes.

Application of UHPC
• Concrete Repair
• Offshore structure
• Highway bridges
• Security sensitive building ( banks, prison, bomb
shelter)
• Structure that need to withstand impact and
shock from natural disaster.
• Industrial floor
• New application- Concrete Gate

3
0
0
0
3300
150
320
3
8
0
Sherbrooke footbridge
- Canada
3000 mm
3 cm thick slab with ribs
UHPCconfined in stainless
steel pipes
60 .
0m
4x7T13
2x4T13
2x4T13 2X7T13 2x4T13
3
.
0
m
First application of UHPC: Sherbrooke, Canada - 1997
60m span prestressed structure without passive rein forcement

UHPC - Sherbrooke footbridge, Canada

UHPC - Seonyu Footbridge, Korea

UHPC - Papatoetoe Railway Station, New
Zealand

UHPC - Maeta Footbridge, Japan

UHPC, ultra-thin (only 20 mm) curved
shell-shaped canopies
UHPC - Shawnessy Light Rail Train Station
Calgary, Canada

MILLAU VIADUCT TOLL GATE, FRANCE

Factors affecting a broader
use of UHPC
Implementation of UHPC progressing slowly for three
reasons:
 Lack of design codes for UHPC
 Risk perception and lack of familiarity with UHPC
 Initial cost The greatest challenge limiting the use of
UHPC

future of UHPC
The strength and properties of an UHPC will go in an upwards
direction in the nearly future, 200-500 MPa will be possible
within the next 20 years.
For this it will also be necessary to produce more artificial
made aggregate to be able to reach these high strength.
The use of special polymers like in MDF (micro detect free)
concrete will be interesting again to produce new type of
UHPC.

References
 Ultra High Performance Concrete: Developments and
Applications during 25 years (September 13 - 15, 2004,
Kassel, Germany. Peter Buitelaar )
 Material Property Characterization of Ultra-High Performance
Concrete (PUBLICATION NO. FHWA-HRT-06-103)
 Ultra High Performance concrete (FHWA Publication No:
FHWA-HRT-11-038)
 Properties of Expansive-Ultra High-Strength Concrete (by M.
Suzuki, I. Maruyama, and R. Sato)
 International Symposium on Ultra High Performance
Concrete (Kassel, Germany September 13-15, 2004)
 Graybeal, B. (2011). “Ultra High Performance Concrete”,
TechNote, Report No. FHWA-HRT-11038, Federal Highway
Administration, McLean, VA.

 Pimienta, P and Chanvillard, G. (2004). “Retention of the Mechanical
Performance of Ductal® Specimens Kept in Various Aggressive
Environments”, FIB Symposium 2004, April 26-28, Avignon, France.
 Ahlborn, T., Harris, D., Misson, D. and Peuse, E. (2011). “Strength and
Durability Characterization of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Under
Variable Curing Conditions”, TRB 2011 Annual Meeting.
 Gao, R. et al. “Mechanical Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete
Beams.” American Concrete Institute. 10 February 2007.