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Buildings
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Characteristics of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: Latest Advances and Prospects
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Characteristics of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: Latest Advances and Prospects

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 5216

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhongya Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Interests: concrete durability; ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC); composite structure; strengthening
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yang Zou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Mountain Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Interests: ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC); composite structure; structure strengthening
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jun Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Mountain Bridge and Tunnel Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Interests: application of UHPC in retrofitting structures; bridge maintenance and structural analysis; long-term structural performance of bridges
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As an advanced building material born at the end of the 20th century, ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is considered to be the most innovative and practical cementitious composite material to emerge in the last 30 years. Optimizing structural dimensions and increasing spanning ability, the service life of engineered structures is greatly enhanced by UHPC due to its characteristics of high strength, high toughness, excellent durability and volumetric stability. The application of UHPC meets the national strategic development requirements of sustainable development, energy conservation and emission reduction.

Recently, with the further exploration of the properties of UHPC materials, as well as structural design and construction technology, the research related to UHPC materials and structures has been gradually perfected. However, traditional civil engineering materials (e.g., normal-strength concrete) are still far from being replaced by UHPC in large areas in practical engineering applications. High material costs, limited design specifications, complex preparation processes, and limited available resources have seriously prevented the application of UHPC in practical engineering.

Therefore, we will need to establish local design standards and specifications oriented to engineering needs, develop sustainable and cost-effective UHPC, and improve construction equipment for UHPC material support in the future. This will render UHPC a viable solution for improving the sustainability of buildings and other infrastructure components.

We welcome papers on the following and related topics, including but not limited to:

  • Definition, properties and development of UHPC;
  • Optimization of UHPC components and mixture design;
  • Eco-friendly and cost-effective UHPC materials;
  • UHPC composite structure;
  • Structural retrofitting and rehabilitation of UHPC;
  • Design specifications and standards of UHPC;
  • Applications of UHPC in civil engineering;
  • Further potential studies and challenges of UHPC.

Dr. Zhongya Zhang
Dr. Yang Zou
Dr. Jun Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC)
  • low-carbon building materials
  • bonding strength
  • composite structure
  • durability
  • strengthening
  • performance improvement

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

36 pages, 8335 KiB  
Article
The Properties and Behavior of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: The Effects of Aggregate Volume Content and Particle Size
by Evgenii Matiushin, Ivan Sizyakov, Victoria Shvetsova and Vadim Soloviev
Buildings 2024, 14(9), 2891; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14092891 - 12 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 825
Abstract
Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) and Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) represent promising materials in the field of construction, offering exceptional strength and durability, making them ideal for the development of a wide range of infrastructure projects. One of the goals is to better understand the [...] Read more.
Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) and Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) represent promising materials in the field of construction, offering exceptional strength and durability, making them ideal for the development of a wide range of infrastructure projects. One of the goals is to better understand the impact of each component of the materials on their key properties in the hardened state. This work examines the effect of the aggregate on the properties of UHPC and UHPFRC. This article provides test results for five compositions without fiber, and five compositions with 2% corrugated steel fiber. Three aggregate concentrations (0, 0.2, and 0.4 m3) and quartz sand with different maximum particle sizes (0.4 and 0.8 mm) were selected. It was found that the mechanical properties of the material, such as the steel fiber bond strength, compressive and axial tensile strength, fracture energy, and critical stress intensity factor, depend on both the concentration of the aggregate and the size of its particles. A novel mix-design parameter was proposed, which reflects the total surface area of the aggregate in the composition (Sagg,tot). The relationships between the parameter Sagg,tot and the mechanical characteristics of UHPC and UHPFRC were established. The steel fiber bond strength, axial tensile strength, and fracture energy-related parameters grew non-linearly when the parameter Sagg,tot increased. When the parameter Sagg,tot was changed from 0 to 12.38 · 103 m2, the fiber bond strength increased by 1.38 times. The axial tensile strength and total fracture energy of the UHPFRC increased by 1.48 and 1.63 times, respectively. The compressive strength changed linearly and increased by 1.12 times. The improvement in the mechanical properties of the material was associated with an increase in the friction force between the fiber and the matrix, which was confirmed by the formation of a greater number of scratches on the surface of the fiber with an increasing value of the parameter Sagg,tot. The deformation characteristics, such as modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio, and drying shrinkage strain, were determined solely by the volumetric concentration of the aggregate, as in conventional concrete. An increase in the aggregate volume content from 0 to 0.4 m3 led to an increase in the modulus of elasticity of 1.41–1.44 times, and a decrease in the ultimate shrinkage strain of almost 2 times. The dependencies obtained in this work can be used to predict the properties of UHPC and UHPFRC, taking into account the type and volume concentration of the aggregate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characteristics of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: Latest Advances and Prospects)
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23 pages, 9930 KiB  
Article
Behavior of Existing Box Beams Repaired with High-Strength Mortar Layer and Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Overlay: Experimental, Numerical, and Theoretical Investigations
by Shengwei Nong, Baojun Li, Lingcai Kong, Jian Huang, Xiaohuang Chen, Zhimei Jiang, Jun Yang, Yang Zou and Zhongya Zhang
Buildings 2024, 14(7), 2052; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14072052 - 5 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 697
Abstract
Box beams constructed earlier were prone to inadequate bending capacity owing to low construction standards, overloading, and environmental degradation. To resolve the challenge, three full-scale box slab beams in service for 15 years were strengthened with a high-strength mortar layer and an ultra-high-performance [...] Read more.
Box beams constructed earlier were prone to inadequate bending capacity owing to low construction standards, overloading, and environmental degradation. To resolve the challenge, three full-scale box slab beams in service for 15 years were strengthened with a high-strength mortar layer and an ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) layer in this paper. The flexural performances of unstrengthened beams (control beam) and strengthened beams (mortar beam, UHPC beam) were investigated by in situ four-point bending tests and numerical simulations. The experimental results showed that the cracking of box beams, strengthened with high-strength mortar and UHPC layers, was effectively mitigated. In comparison to the control beam, the cracking load of the mortar beam and the UHPC beam increased by 20%, and the ultimate load increased by 23.5% and 35.3%, respectively. The high-strength mortar layer had little influence on the elastic-phase stiffness of box beams. In contrast, the stiffness of the elastic phase of the box beam, strengthened by the UHPC layer, increased by 32.9%. In the numerical simulations, the load-deflection curves obtained from finite elements and tests coincided well. The characteristic loads showed relatively good agreement with the test results, with errors below 10%. Combined with the tests and numerical analyses, the proposed equations for predicting the ultimate bearing capacities of the control beam, mortar beam, and UHPC beam were presented with a better prediction accuracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characteristics of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: Latest Advances and Prospects)
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19 pages, 8891 KiB  
Article
Numerical Simulation and Calculation Method Study on Seamless Construction of Super-Length Raft Structures Based on Novel Magnesium Oxide Expansive Strengthening Band Method
by Hong Liao, Yuan Tan, Chao Dai, Jie Pu and Bin Han
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1531; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061531 - 25 May 2024
Viewed by 730
Abstract
The drive for continuous innovation in large-scale infrastructure necessitates advancements in techniques, addressing the challenges of constructing super-length concrete structures. This study investigated the emerging shift from traditional united expanding agent (UEA) to magnesia expansive agent (MEA) in conjunction with expansive strengthening bands [...] Read more.
The drive for continuous innovation in large-scale infrastructure necessitates advancements in techniques, addressing the challenges of constructing super-length concrete structures. This study investigated the emerging shift from traditional united expanding agent (UEA) to magnesia expansive agent (MEA) in conjunction with expansive strengthening bands (ESBs), marking a pivotal transition in ensuring monolithic integrity. Despite a decade of exploration, MEA–ESB implementation in real-world projects remains underdocumented, with scholarly focus primarily confined to material characterization. This research integrated empirical on-site tests of MEA–ESB with high-fidelity numerical simulations in ABAQUS. The finite element model (FEM) validation against actual test data underscored the precision of our modeling, capturing the complex thermomechanical behavior of the system. We introduced a sophisticated parametric analysis framework, elucidating the influence of critical parameters like the ESB-to-raft-width ratio and MEA concrete expansion rates. This granular understanding facilitated the fine-tuning of design parameters, advancing the practical application of MEA methodologies. A groundbreaking contribution entailed the formulation of predictive models for early-stage cracking, anchored in the guidelines of the ACI Committee 207 and refined through extensive parametric exploration. These formulae empower engineers to anticipate and mitigate cracking risks during the design phase, thereby enhancing project safety and efficiency. Notably, this study identified limitations in current prediction models, highlighting the need for future research to incorporate comprehensive lifecycle considerations, including hydration heat effects and time-dependent mechanical property evolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characteristics of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: Latest Advances and Prospects)
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26 pages, 9865 KiB  
Article
Numerical Simulation Analysis of the Bending Performance of T-Beams Strengthened with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Based on the CDP Model
by Yu Long, Zhimei Jiang, Kongru Zou, Jiang Du and Jun Yang
Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1284; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051284 - 1 May 2024
Viewed by 1492
Abstract
In bridge reinforcement projects, damaged T-beams are the most common objects for reinforcement, yet the interface bonding and bending performance of UHPC reinforcement on T-beams have hardly been studied. To ensure the reliability and stability of UHPC-strengthened T-beams in practical applications, this study [...] Read more.
In bridge reinforcement projects, damaged T-beams are the most common objects for reinforcement, yet the interface bonding and bending performance of UHPC reinforcement on T-beams have hardly been studied. To ensure the reliability and stability of UHPC-strengthened T-beams in practical applications, this study introduced a post-installed rebar bonding technique to efficiently connect T-beams with UHPC layers. Initially, using ABAQUS software [2020 version] for finite element simulation, this study investigated the effects of various post-installed rebar parameters (horizontal spacing, yield strength, diameter, and matrix concrete strength) on the shear performance of the UHPC and RC interface, obtaining the optimal connection parameters. Subsequently, by comparing shear formulas in domestic and international standards, a new UHPC-RC steel bar interface shear strength theoretical formula with 93.6% accuracy was derived. Finally, finite element simulations analyzed the impact of different post-installed reinforcing bar layout forms and longitudinal spacing, as well as UHPC-strengthened location and layer thickness, on the bending performance of damaged T-beams. The results showed a good match between simulation outcomes and experimental results, applicable for further reinforcement analysis of T-beams. When the horizontal spacing of post-installed rebars is 12d, with diameters ranging from 10 mm to 14 mm, their anchoring capability is efficiently utilized. A square form of a post-installed rebar with a longitudinal spacing of 300 mm effectively improves the ultimate bending load capacity of the strengthened beam. The simulation analysis and theoretical results help in the design and application of post-installed steel connections and UHPC-strengthened structures in UHPC-strengthened reinforced concrete T-beam structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characteristics of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: Latest Advances and Prospects)
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